fi 

II 


WA 


BANCROFT 

LIBRARY 

<• 

THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 


WILFORD  WOODRUFF 


FOURTH  PRESIDENT  OF  THE  CHURCH  OF 
JESUS    CHRIST    OF    LATTER-DAY    SAINTS 


History  of  His  Life  and  Labors 

AS  RECORDED  IN  HIS  DAILY 
JOURNALS 


"To  him  that  overcomethtuill  I  grant  to  sit  with  me  in  my  throne,  even  as 
I  also  overcame,  and  am  set  down  "with  my  Father  in  his  throne." — Rev.  3:21. 


PREPARED  FOR  PUBLICATION 


MATTHIAS^.  COWLEY 


THE  DESERET  NEWS 
Salt  Lake  City,  Utah 

1909 


6  C 


Copyright  by 

THE  WOODRUFF  FAMILY 
ASSOCIATION, 

1  909 


BANCROFT 


TO    HIS    NUMEROUS    AND   EVER    INCREASING    FAMILY, 
AND  TO  ALL  WHO  LOVE  THE  NAME  AND   MEMORY  OF 

PRES.  WILFORD  WOODRUFF 

THIS  WORK  IS  RESPECTFULLY  DEDICATED 


PREFACE. 

That  which  is  perhaps  best  known  about  Wilford  Woodruff 
is  the  fact  that  he  kept  throughout  his  long  and  eventful  life  a  care- 
ful record,  not  only  of  his  own  life,  but  of  the  important  affairs 
in  the  history  of  the  Church.  In  bringing  that  journal  within  the 
compass  of  one  volume,  it  has  not  always  been  easy  to  determine 
what  was  the  most  important  for  the  pages  of  this  biography.  All 
his  journals,  covering  thousands  of  pages,  I  have  read  with  such 
discriminating  judgment  as  I  could  bring  to  the  task.  The  reader, 
therefore,  need  not  be  reminded  that  this  biography  contains  only 
a  small  part,  the  most  important  part  it  is  hoped,  of  the  things  he 
wrote. 

He  was  so  careful  and  painstaking,  and  so  completely  devoted 
to  the  task  of  keeping  a  journal,  that  his  writings  have  been  sought 
in  compiling  much  of  the  important  data  in  Church  history  which 
has  already  been  given  to  the  world.  His  work,  therefore,  is  not 
unknown  to  those  familiar  with  Church  history.  Some  of  his  life 
has  been  published  in  the  Deseret  News,  and  "Leaves  from  My 
Journal"  contains  important  chapters.  Magazines  and  Church 
publications  have  in  them  reminiscences  which  he  has  given  to  the 
readers  of  those  periodicals  at  different  times. 

All  missionaries  will  be  interested  in  the  marvelous  experi- 
ences which  he  had  while  working  in  the  spread  of  the  gospel 
message.  Others  will  read  with  peculiar  interest  the  recital  of 
events  in  the  travels  of  the  pioneers  from  the  Missouri  River  to 
Salt  Lake  Valley,  and  others  will  read  with  satisfaction  the  words 
that  fell  from  the  lips  of  those  prophets  with  whom  he  was  im- 
mediately associated — Joseph  Smith,  Brigham  Young,  and  John 
Taylor. 

The  life  of  Wilford  Woodruff  was  full  of  marvels.  It  was  a 
simple  life  in  which  he  revealed  his  heart  and  his  purposes  freely. 
The  frankness  of  his  expressions,  his  care  for  details,  and  his  con- 
scientious regard  for  the  truth  made  him,  perhaps,  the  best  chron- 
icler of  events  in  all  the  history  of  the  Church.  His  journal  re- 
veals not  so  much  what  he  himself  was  thinking  about  the  events 


vi  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

concerning  which  he  wrote  as  what  others  thought  about  them. 
In  that  respect  they  reveal  wonderfully  the  spirit  of  the  times  in 
which  he  lived. 

At  the  close  of  the  year  1895  in  writing  of  his  life,  he  says : 
"For  twenty-one  years  I  was  a  member  of  the  legislative  assembly 
of  the  Territory  of  Utah. 

"In  1875  I  was  appointed  historian  and  general  recorder  of 
the  Church  and  held  that  position  until  1889. 

"On  the  completion  of  the  Temple  at  St.  George  in  1877.  I 
was  appointed  its  President  by  Brigham  Young. 

"Upon  the  accession  of  President  Taylor,  I  became  Presi- 
dent of  the  Twelve  Apostles ;  and  in  April  1889,  I  was  sustained 
at  the  general  conference  as  President  of  the  Church. 

"By  my  direction  the  General  Church  Board  of  Education 
was  founded  in  1888  to  direct  the  Church  system  of  academies, 
high  schools,  and  colleges,  which  has  resulted  in  a  great  perfection 
of  the  organization. 

"From  the  beginning  of  my  ministry  in  1834  until  the  close 
of  1895  I  have  traveled  in  all  172,369  miles;  held  7,655  meetings; 
preached  3,526  discourses;  organized  51  branches  of  the  Church 
and  77  preaching  places ;  my  journeys  cover  England,  Scotland, 
Wales,  and  23  states  and  5  territories  of  the  Union.  My  life 
abounds  in  incidents  which  to  me  surely  indicate  the  direct  inter- 
position of  God  whom  I  firmly  believe  has  guided  my  every  step. 
On  27  distinct  occasions  I  have  been  saved  from  dangers  which 
threatened  my  life.  I  am  the  father  of  17  sons  and  16  daughters. 
I  have  a  posterity  of  100  grandchildren  and  12  great  grandchil- 
dren." (At  the  present  time,  his  grandchildren  number  at  least 
145,  and  his  great  grandchildren,  about  60.) 

The  hand  of  God  was  so  abundantly  manifested  in  the  life 
of  Wilford  Woodruff,  that  those  who  read  this  book,  it  is  sin- 
cerely believed,  will  find  it  both  faith-promoting  and  instructive. 
The  book  is  given  to  the  world  in  the  sincerest  belief  that  its  pages 
will  greatly  add  a  fresh  interest  to  the  history  of  the  Church, 
and  reveal  the  subject  of  this  sketch  in  such  a  manner  as  to  make 
his  wonderful  labors  more  highly  appreciated  by  those  not  inti- 
mately acquainted  with  him. 

M,  F,  COWLEY. 
September,  1909. 


CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  1.  PAGE 

BIRTH  AND  GENEALOGY,  1807. 

Chosen  Spirit. — Divine  Guidance. — Genealogy. — A  Miller  by 
Trade  1 

CHAPTER  2. 
A  CHAPTER  OF  ACCIDENTS. 

Arms  and  Legs  Broken. — Injury  to  Breast  Bone  and  Ribs. — 
Drowned. — Frozen. — Scalded. — Other  Escapes. — Life  Pre- 
served by  a  Merciful  Providence 5 

CHAPTER  3. 
A  REMARKABLE  PREPARATION. 

"Coming  Events." — Wilford  Woodruff's  Interest  in  Religion. — 
Existing  Religious  Denominations. — Teachings  of  Scripture. — 
Father  Mason,  a  Prophet. — Peculiar  Process  of  Preparation.  .  13 

CHAPTER  4. 
EARLY  DAYS,  1816-1833. 

A  Fisherman. — Early  Employment. — Noble  Reflections. — Les- 
sons in  Reading. — Interest  in  the  Bible. — Philo  Woodruff's 
Strange  Dream. — Mocking  Deity. — Its  Effects. — Peace  of  Mind. 
—Place  of  Prayer. — Happy  Experiences. — A  Baptism. — Reads 
of  Mormons. — Notable  Instance  of  Inspiration. — Removal  to 
New  York. — Azmon's  Faith 2C 

CHAPTER  5. 
BAPTISM,  1833. 

Elders  Visit  Richland,  N.  Y.— The  New  Message.— Wilford  Wood- 
ruff's Testimony. — The  Book  of  Mormon, — Healing  Power. — 
Baptism. — Ordained  a  Teacher 32 

CHAPTER  6. 
ZION'S  CAMP,  1834. 

His  First  Call. — Leaves  for  Kirtland. — His  Neighbors'  Warning. — 
First  Meeting  with  Prophet. — A  Remarkable  Prophetic  Gift. — 
Zion's  Camp. — Zelph. — Escape  Mob  at  Fishing  River. — Epi- 
demic of  Cholera. — His  Residence  in  Missouri. — Consecrations.  37 


viii  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

CHAPTER  7.  PAGE 

MISSION  TO  SOUTHERN  STATES,  1834-1836. 
A  Prayerful  Ambition  to  Preach. — Departure  on  Mission  to 
Southern  States. — Traveling  without  Purse  or  Scrip. — Treat- 
ment Received  from  Minister. — Tribulations. — A  Remarkable 
Dream. — Its  Fulfillment. — Preaching  in  Memphis. — Ordained 
an  Elder. — Successful  Labors. — Ordained  a  Seventy. — A  Mob 
Court.— Return  to  Kirtland 46 

CHAPTER  8. 
IN  KIRTLAND,  1836. 

Wilford's  First  Attendance  at  Meeting  in  the  Temple. — Called  to 
Speak. — Church's  Attitude  Toward  the  Use  of  Liquor. — Wil- 
ford  in  the  First  Quorum  of  Seventy. — Receives  Temple  En- 
dowments.— Troubles  in  Kirtland. — Greatness  of  the  Prophet 
Joseph. — Wilford's  Marriage. — Receives  a  Patriarchal  Blessing.  64 

CHAPTER  9. 

FIRST  MISSION  TO  FOX  ISLANDS,  1837. 
Troubles  at  Kirtland. — Mission  to  Fox  Islands. — Evil  Spirits  Cast 
Out. — Healing  the  Sick. — Visits  His  Home  Enroute. — From 
Connecticut  to  Maine. — Description  of  Fox  Islands. — Begins 
Ministry  in  Vinal  Haven. — A  Minister  Comes  to  Grief. — Bap- 
tisms.— Excitement. — Return  to  Scarboro 70 

CHAPTER  10. 

CALLED  TO  THE  APOSTLESHIP,   1838. 

Again  on  the  Fox  Islands. — Opposition  Increases. — Manifestation 
of  the  Gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghost. — Sign  of  the  Prophet  Jonas. — 
Wilford  Visits  A.  P.  Rockwood  in  Prison.— Baptizes  His  Fath- 
er and  Other  Relatives.— Birth  of  His  First  Child.— Called  To 
Be  One  of  the  Twelve  Apostles,  and  To  Take  a  Foreign  Mis- 
sion.— Assists  Fox  Islands  Saints  in  Migrating  to  the  West. — 
Mrs.  Woodruff  Miraculously  Healed. — They  Reach  Quincy, 
Illinois 82 

CHAPTER  11. 

CALL  TO  GREAT  BRITAIN,  1838. 

Mobocrats  Seek  To  Prevent  the  Fulfillment  of  a  Revelation  Given 
Through  the  Prophet  Joseph  Smith,  but  Are  Disappointed. — 
Temple  Corner-stone  at  Far  West  Laid. — Wilford  Returns  to 
Illinois. — The  Prophet  Joseph  Liberated  from  Prison  in  Mis- 
souri.— A  Survivor  of  Haun's  Mill  Massacre. — Selection  of 
Nauvoo  as  a  Place  for  the  Settlement  of  .the  Saints. — A  Day 
of  Gods'  Power. — Many  Sick  Are  Healed,  and  a  Dying  Man 


CONTENTS.  ix 

PAGE 

Raised  to  Life. — Incident  of  Wilford  Receiving  a  Handkerchief 
from  the  Prophet  Joseph.— Instructed  as  to  What  He  Shall 
Preach  on  His  Mission. — Lesson  in  Humility. — Warning 
against  Treachery. — Wilford  Starts  on  His  Mission,  Sick  and 
without  Money. — Experiences  of  His  Journey  to  New  York. — 
Sails  for  Liverpool,  England .  .  99 

CHAPTER  12. 

MISSION  IN  GREAT  BRITAIN,  1840. 

Wilford's  Arrival  in  England. — Missionary  Work  Begun. — Cast- 
ing Out  a  Devil. — Directed  by  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  to  Anoth- 
er Field  of  Labor.— Meets  with  the  United  Brethren. — Many 
Conversions  to  the  Gospel. — Ministers  Hold  a  Convention  To 
Ask  Parliament  for  Legislation  against  the  Mormons. — First 
Publication  of  the  Book  of  Mormon  and  the  Hymn  Book  in 
England. — The  Millennial  Star. — In  the  British  Metropolis. — 
Unable  to  Secure  a  Hall  To  Preach  in,  the  Elders  Hold  Street 
Meetings. — First  Baptism  in  London.— Oppositon  from  Preach- 
ers.— Work  of  God  Makes  Marvelous  Progress .114 

CHAPTER  13. 
BRITISH    MISSION,    1840-'41. 

Rapid  Increase  of  the  Church  in  Great  Britain. — Mysterious  Spirit 
Personage  Attempts  to  Strangle  Wilford  Woodruff,  and 
Wounds  Him  Severely. — He  Is  Relieved  and  Healed  by  Three 
Heavenly  Visitors. — First  Placard  of  the  Church  Posted  in 
London. — Death  of  Wilford's  Daughter. — Difficult  Missionary 
Work  in  and  around  London. — Arrival  of  Lorenzo  Snow  To 
Take  Charge  of  the  British  Mission. — All  of  the  Twelve  Called 
Home. — Attending  Various  Conferences. — Springing  of  the 
Spaulding  Story. — Wilford  Bids  Farewell  to  the  Saints  in 
Fields  Where  He  Had  Labored. — General  Conference  of  the 
British  Mission,  and  Only  Occasion  of  the  Twelve  Apostles 
Acting  as  a  Quorum  in  a  Foreign  Land. — Wilford's  Departure 
for  Home,  and  Arrival  at  Nauvoo. — Made  a  Member  of  the 
Nauvoo  City  Council 129 

CHAPTER  14. 
REVIEW  OF  HIS   MISSION. 

Wilford  Renders  Aid  to  the  Persecuted  Saints. — His  Care  in  Re- 
cording the  Events,  also  Sermons  and  Sayings  of  the  Prophet 
Joseph  Smith. — Elder  Woodruff's  Humility,  and  Appreciation 
of  the  Work  of  Others. — At  a  Wesleyan  Methodist  Missionary 
Convention. — Letter  from  His  Wife  Announcing  the  Death  of 
Their  Daughter. — Revelation  Foreshadowing  the  Troubles  of 
the  Saints  in  the  Expulsion  from  Illinois 147 


x  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

CHAPTER  15.  PAGE 

IN   NAUVOO,   1841. 

Prophetic  Insight. — Teachings  of  the  Prophet. — Baptism  for  the 
Dead.— Hyrum  Kimball 154 

CHAPTER  16. 
TROUBLES  IN  NAUVOO,  1842. 

Building  of  the  Temple. — Book  of  Moses. — Words  of  the  Proph- 
et.— Nauvoo  Legion. — Business  Trip  to  St.  Louis. — Return  of 
Orson  Hyde 158 

CHAPTER  17. 
TEACHINGS  OF  THE  PROPHET  JOSEPH,  1843. 

Change  in  Governors  of  Missouri  and  Illinois. — Prophet's  Release. 
— Discourse  on  Authority. — Signs  in  the  Heavens. — New  Arri- 
vals of  Saints. — Death  of  Lorenzo  Barnes. — Discourse  on 
Knowledge. — Great  Truths. — Prophet's  Knowledge  of  Men. — 
Wilford  Woodruff's  Bond  for  Temple  Funds. — Opposition  to 
Revealed  Truth.— Hell  Defined.— Prophet  Arrested.— His  Re- 
lease  169 

CHAPTER  18. 
MISSION  TO  THE  EAST,  1843. 

Address  of  the  Prophet  on  Constitutional  Rights. — Orson  Hyde's 
Call  to  Russia. — Prophet  Explains  His  Position  with  Respect 
to  Missouri. — Origin  of  Nauvoo  Legion. — Political  Explanation. 
— Departure  of  the  Twelve  for  the  East. — Brigham  Young's 
Fidelity. — Phrenological  Chart  by  O.  S.  Fowler. — Return  of  the 
Twelve  to  Nauvoo. — W.  W.  Sealed  to  Wife. — Adultery.— Gov- 
ernor of  Missouri  Again  Issues  Requisition  for  Prophet. — En- 
dowments  184 

CHAPTER  19. 
EARLY  DAYS  OF  1844. 

Conduct  of  the  Laws  and  Marks. — Discourse  on  Elijah  by  the 
Prophet. — The  Celestial  Law. — Prophet's  Candidacy  for  Presi- 
dent of  U.  S. — Exploring  Expedition  to  California  Planned. — 
Joseph,  Mayor  of  Nauvoo. — Hostility  in  Carthage. — Mischief- 
makers  in  Nauvoo.— The  Prophet  Talks  on  Politics 197 


CONTENTS.  xi 

CHAPTER  20.  PAGE 

THE  MARTYRDOM  OF  JOSEPH  AND  HYRUM,  1844. 

Mission  of  the  Apostles  to  the  East. — A  Warning  to  W.  W. — A 
Sad  Parting. — Political  News  of  the  Prophet  Published. — W. 
W.  Arrives  in  Boston,  June  26. — The  Martyrdom. — Its  An- 
nouncement Reaches  W.  W.  in  Portland,  Maine. — His  Return 
to  Boston. — An  Epistle  to  the  Elders  and  Saints  in  the  World. 
— W.  W.  Visits  His  Old  Home. — Return  to  Nauvoo. — Condi- 
lions  in  That  City 204 

CHAPTER  21. 
THE  SUCCESSION,  1844. 

Sidney  Rigdon's  Claim  to  Guardianship. — Rigdon's  Spiritual  Con- 
dition.— Comparison  of  Sidney  Rigdon  and  Frederick  Williams. 
— Remarks  of  Brigham  Young. — Meeting  on  Aug.  8,  1844.— 
Brigham  Young  Follows  Sidney  Rigdon  in  Address  to  the 
People. — Members  of  the  Twelve  Speak. — Vote  on  Question  of 
Leadership 212 

CHAPTER  22. 
SECOND  CALL  TO  GREAT  BRITAIN,  1844. 

The  New  Leadership. — Second  Call  to  Great  Britain. — Warning 
Against  Leading  Companies  from  Nauvoo. — Instructions  To 
Finish  the  Temple  and  To  Build  up  the  City. — W.  W.  Visits 
Emma  Smith  and  Others. — Parting  Address  to  the  Saints.  .  .  224 

CHAPTER  23. 
IN  THE  BRITISH  MISSION,  1844-45-46. 

Departure. — Route. — Visits  Home  of  Solomon  Mack. — A  Peculiar 
Dream. — On  the  Ocean. — Copyright  of  Doctrine  and  Cove- 
nants.— Visit  to  Scotland. — Lemington. — Troubles  in  Nauvoo. 
Condition  of  the  Mission. — Preparation  for  His  Return.  .  .  233 

CHAPTER  24. 
ON  THE  BANKS  OF  THE  MISSOURI,  1846. 

Dedication  of  the  Temple  in  Nauvoo. — The  Exodus  to  Council 
Bluffs.— Accident  to  His  father.— Reaches  Mt.  Pisgah. — Meets 
Brigham  Young. — Recruiting  of  the  Mormon  Battalion. — Col- 
onel Kane. Departure  of  the  Battalion. — Organizations  at 

Winter  Quarters. — A  Conference  with  the  Chiefs  of  the  Lead- 
ing Indian  Tribes. — Explorations. — Remarks  by  President 
Young .247 


xii  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

CHAPTER  25.  PAGE 

DEPARTURE  OF  THE  PIONEERS.— APRIL  7,   1847. 

Arrival  of  Parley  P.  Pratt  and  John  Taylor  at  Winter  Quarters. 
— Organization  of  the  Pioneers. — Manner  of  Forming  Camp. 
— Horse  Feed  Enroute. — Pawnee  Indians. — A  Practical  Joke. 
— Crossing  Loup  Fork 262 

CHAPTER  26. 
PIONEER  JOURNEY  CONTINUED,  1847. 

Elijah  Newman  Healed. — Indians  Attempt  Theft. — Antelopes 
Killed. — Encounter  with  Indians. — A  Buffalo  Hunt. — Meet 
Traders  from  Laramie. — A  Decision  To  Keep  the  North  Bank 
of  the  Platte: — Immense  Herds  of  Buffaloes. — William  Clay- 
ton's Mile  Gage. — Letter  Left  for  Next  Company. — Descrip- 
tion of  the  Rodometer 271 

CHAPTER  27. 
PIONEERS  REACH  FORT  LARAMIE— JUNE  2,  1847. 

In  the  Red  Man's  Country. — Indian  Customs. — Hunting  Became 
Excessive. — Description  of  the  Bluffs. — Guide.  Board  409  Miles 
from  Winter  Quarters. — Chimney  Rock. — Brigham  Young 
Rebukes  Card  Playing  and  Frivolity. — Fasting  and  Prayer. — 
Arrive  at  Fort  Laramie. — Ascending  the  Plateaux. — Word 
from  the  Mormon  Battalion -  .  .  .  283 

CHAPTER  28. 

PIONEERS  ENTER  SALT  LAKE  VALLEY. 
Ferrying  the  Missourians  over  the  River. — Construction  of  Rafts. 
— Obtaining  Provisions. — Ten  Men  Left  at  the  Ferry. — Inde- 
pendence Rock. — Devil's  Gate. — 175  Miles  from  Fort  Laramie. 
South  Pass. — Meet  Major  Harris,  and  Mr.  Bridger. — Cross 
Green  River. — Meet  Samuel  Brannon. — Independence  Day. — 
Meet  a  Detachment  of  the  Battalion. — Fort  Bridger. — Report 
of  the  Missouri  Company  That  Perished. — Reach  Salt  Lake 
Valley,  July  24,  1847 .297 

CHAPTER  29. 

RETURN  OF  THE  PIONEERS  TO  WINTER  QUARTERS,  1847. 

In  Retrospect. — First  Crop  of  Potatoes  Planted. — The  Beginning 
of  Irrigation. — First  Sunday. — Explorations  South  to  Utah 
Lake. — Choice  of  Temple  Block. — Address  by  Brigham  Young. 
—Return  to  Winter  Quarters. — Meet  the  Second  Company  of 
Pioneers. — Encounter  with  the  Indians. — Reach  Winter  Quar- 
ters, Oct.  31,  1847.— First  Presidency  Organized,  Dec.  27,  1847.  314 


CONTENTS.  xiii 

CHAPTER  30.  PAGE 

A  MISSION  TO  THE  EAST,  1848. 

In  Winter  Quarters. — Battle  of  Nauvoo  Commemorated. — Organ- 
ization of  Pottowatamie  County. — Bids  President  Young  and 
Saints  Good-by. — Journey  from  Winter  Quarters  to  Nauvoo. 
— From  Nauvoo  to  Maine. — A  Letter  to  His  Wife. — Heal- 
ing the  Sick. — Discovery  of  Gold  in  California 327 

CHAPTER  31. 
ELDER  WOODRUFF'S  RETURN  FROM  THE  EAST. 

Letter  to  Orson  Pratt. — Baptism  of  His  Father-in-law,  Ezra  Car- 
ter.— Labors  in  New  England. — Meets  Dr.  Joi.il  M.  Bernhisel. 
— Healing  the  Sick. — Interview  with  Col.  Kane. — Hears  Indian 
Chief. — Release  from  His  Mission. — Return  to  the  Valleys. — 
Conditions  at  the  Frontier. — Stampede  on  the  Plains. — Brig- 
ham  Young  Appointed  Governor. — Salt  Lake  Temple  Planned. 
— Salt  Lake  City  Given  a  Charter. — Visit  to  the  Southern  Set- 
tlements.— Fourth  Celebrated  at  Black  Rock. — Celebrating  of 
Twenty-fourth. — Death  of  His  Step-Mother. — Judge  Brocchus 
Speaks  in  Conference. — Beautiful  Words  of  Patriarch  John 
Smith. — A  Vote  To  Discontinue  Use  of  Tea  and  Coffee.  .  .  336 

CHAPTER  32. 

THE  YEARS,  1852,  '53,  '54. 

Discourse  of  Brigham  Young  on  Sin. — The  Descendants  of  Cain. 
— Edward  Hunter  Chosen  Presiding  Bishop. — Parowan  Stake 
Organized. — David  Patten. — Talk  on  Dancing. — Death  of  Wil- 
lard  Richards. — Jedediah  M.  Grant  Chosen  Counselor  to  Brig- 
ham  Young. — Journey  South. — Walker,  the  Indian  Chief. — 
John  Smith,  Son  of  Hyrum  Smith,  Called  To  Be  the  Head  Pa- 
triarch of  the  Church. — Visit  North. — Legislature. — Philosoph- 
ical Society 350 

CHAPTER  33. 
EDUCATIONAL    EFFORTS. 

Education  Promoted. — Adventurers. — Endowment  House. — Presi- 
dent Young  Speaks  of  the  Resurrection. — Death  of  Judge 
Schafer. — Provo. — Work  in  Educational  Societies. — In  the  Leg- 
islature at  Fillmore. — Words  of  Confidence  from  Kanosh,  an 
Indian  Chief. — Some  Peculiarities  of  Wilford  Woodruff. — 
Poisoned.  .  361 


WILFORD  WOODRUFF  . 

CHAPTER  34.  PAGE 

THE  REFORMATION,  1856. 

Hard  Times  Were  Difficult  for  Some  To  Endure.— Recording 
Church  History. — Dedication  of  Historian's  Office.— First 
Hand-cart  Company. — The  Reformation  Inauguarated. — Death 
of  Jedediah  M.  Grant.— Suffering  of  the  Hand-cart  Companies. 
Heber  C.  Kimball's  Dream 359 

CHAPTER  35. 

CELEBRATION   OF  24th,   1857. 

Words  of  Brigham  Young.— Talk  by  the  Indian  Chief,  Aropene. 
—Assassination  of  Parley  P.  Pratt— Return  of  Thomas  B. 
Marsh  to  the  Church.— Celebration  of  the  Twenty-fourth  in 
Big  Cottonwood  Canyon. — News  of  the  Army's  Approach.  .  377 

CHAPTER  36. 
WAR  TIMES,   1857. 

Deposit  of  Church  Records  in  Temple  Foundation. — Approach 
of  the  Army. — Present  of  a  Team. — John  D.  Lee. — Visit  of 
Captain  Van  Vliet— Lot  Smith.— Col.  Alexander  Writes  Presi- 
dent Young. — Communication  from  Governor  Cumming  to 
Governor  Young. — Miraculous  Escapes. — High  Price  of  Salt 
at  Army  Headquarters. — Prediction  of  Calamity  to  the  Na- 
tion.— A  Poetic  Tribute  by  Eliza  R.  Snow 384 

CHAPTER  37. 

ARMY  ENTERS  SALT  LAKE  VALLEY,  1858. 
President  and  Congress  of  the  U.  S.  Memorialized. — Words  of 
Brigham  Young. — Arrival  of  Col.  Kane. — Governor  Cumming 
Reaches  Salt  Lake  City. — Migration  Southward. — Delegates 
from  Nicaragua. — Want  Mormons  To  Move  to  Central  Amer- 
ica.— Proclamation  from  President  Buchanan. — Peace  Commis- 
sion.— President  of  the  Deseret  Agricultural  and  Manufact- 
uring Society. — Indian  War  Threatened. — A  Striking  Dialogue. 
— The  Mob  Element. — Mogo's  Deception. — Attacks  on  Presi- 
dent Young. — Greeley  Visits  Utah 396 

CHAPTER  38. 

BEGINNING  OF  THE  REBELLION,  1861. 
Embarks  in  Sheep  Industry. — Adventures  of  One  Gibson. — Lec- 
tures to  Young  Men  in  Police  Court. — Counsel  to  Mission- 
aries.— Visit  to  Cache  Valley. — Schools  Investigated. — Cele- 
bration of  the  24th. — Prophecies  of  Civil  War.— Little  Children 
in  the  Resurrection. — Brigham  Young  on  Secession. — Death 
of  Aphek  Woodruff. — Governor  Dawson 41! 


CONTENTS.  xv 

CHAPTER  39.  PAGE 

THE  YEARS  1862-'63. 

Killing  of  Thieves. — John  Baptiste,  the  Grave  Digger. — Value  of 
a  Daily  Journal. — Erection  of  the  Salt  Lake  Theatre. — State 
of  Deseret. — Foundation  Stones  of  Temple  Raised. — Indian 
Troubles  on  Bear  River. — Visit  of  the  Moquitches  to  Salt 
Lake  City. — Their  Customs. — Attempt  To  Arrest  President 
Young. — Settlement  of  Bear  Lake  Valley. — Mining 421 

CHAPTER  40. 
THE  YEARS,  1864-65. 

Some  Enjoyments. — He  Visits  a  Condemned  Man  in  Prison. — 
Troubles  Made  by  Gibson  on  Hawaiian  Islands. — Lorenzo 
Snow's  Escape  from  Watery  Grave. — Visit  to  Bear  Lake  Val- 
ley.— Remark  of  President  Young  in  Logan. — Ordination  to 
Apostleship  of  Charles  C.  Rich,  Lorenzo  Snow,  Erastus  Snow, 
and  Franklin  D.  Richards. — Hot  Springs  at  Midway. — Second 
Inauguration  of  President  Lincoln. — Treaty  with  Indians. — 
Colfax  Visits  Utah.— Jane  Blackhurst 433 

CHAPTER  41. 
THE  YEARS  1866,  '67,  '68. 

New  Year's  Greetings. — Evil  Spirits  Rebuked. — Love  for  Little 
Ones. — Drawings  in  His  Journal. — Mrs.  Godbe's  Dream. — 
Brigham  Young's  Remarks  on  the  Atonement. — Sept.  5,  1867, 
Joseph  F.  Smith  Selected  as  One  of  the  Twelve. — Amasa  Ly- 
man  Dropped  from  Twelve. — School  of  the  Prophets. — Move 
to  Prove. — Grasshopper  War. — Advent  of  the  Railroad. — Re- 
markable Prophetic  Utterances  at  Logan. — Visit  to  Sanpete. 
— Call  to  First  Presidency  of  Geo.  A.  Smith. — Accident  to 
His  Son  Ashael.— Summary  of  1868.  . 444 

CHAPTER  42. 
THE  YEARS,  1869,  '70. 

Co-operative  Movement. — Cove  Fort. — Pronouncement  Against 
Use  of  Wine. — Organization  of  Bear  Lake  Stake. — Visit  of 
Schuyler  Colfax. — The  Godbe  Movement. — Descendants  of 
Cain. — Utah  Central  R.  R.  Completed. — Plural  Marriage. — 
Boston  Board  of  Trade  Visits  Utah. — Sayings  of  Brigham 
Young. — The  Newman-Pratt  Discussion. — Martin  Harris  Re- 
baptized 456 


xiv  WILFORD  WOODRUFF  . 

CHAPTER  34.  PAGE 

THE  REFORMATION,  1856. 

Hard  Times  Were  Difficult  for  Some  To  Endure.— Recording 
Church  History. — Dedication  of  Historian's  Office.— First 
Hand-cart  Company. — The  Reformation  Inauguarated. — Death 
of  Jedediah  M.  Grant.— Suffering  of  the  Hand-cart  Companies. 
Heber  C.  Kimball's  Dream 359 

CHAPTER  35. 

CELEBRATION   OF  24th,   1857. 

Words  of  Brigham  Young.— Talk  by  the  Indian  Chief,  Aropene. 
—Assassination  of  Parley  P.  Pratt.— Return  of  Thomas  B. 
Marsh  to  the  Church. — Celebration  of  the  Twenty-fourth  in 
Big  Cottonwood  Canyon. — News  of  the  Army's  Approach.  .  377 

CHAPTER  36. 

WAR  TIMES,   1857. 

Deposit  of  Church  Records  in  Temple  Foundation. — Approach 
of  the  Army. — Present  of  a  Team. — John  D.  Lee. — Visit  of 
Captain  Van  Vliet. — Lot  Smith.— Col.  Alexander  Writes  Presi- 
dent Young. — Communication  from  Governor  Cumming  to 
Governor  Young. — Miraculous  Escapes. — High  Price  of  Salt 
at  Army  Headquarters. — Prediction  of  Calamity  to  the  Na- 
tion.— A  Poetic  Tribute  by  Eliza  R.  Snow 384 

CHAPTER  37. 

ARMY  ENTERS  SALT  LAKE  VALLEY,  1858. 
President  and  Congress  of  the  U.  S.  Memorialized. — Words  of 
Brigham  Young. — Arrival  of  Col.  Kane. — Governor  Cumming 
Reaches  Salt  Lake  City. — Migration  Southward. — Delegates 
from  Nicaragua. — Want  Mormons  To  Move  to  Central  Amer- 
ica.— Proclamation  from  President  Buchanan. — Peace  Commis- 
sion.— President  of  the  Deseret  Agricultural  and  Manufact- 
uring Society. — Indian  War  Threatened. — A  Striking  Dialogue. 
—The  Mob  Element. — Mogo's  Deception. — Attacks  on  Presi- 
dent Young. — Greeley  Visits  Utah 396 

CHAPTER  38. 

BEGINNING  OF  THE  REBELLION,  1861. 
Embarks  in  Sheep  Industry. — Adventures  of  One  Gibson. — Lec- 
tures to  Young  Men  in  Police  Court. — Counsel  to  Mission- 
aries.— Visit  to  Cache  Valley. — Schools  Investigated. — Cele- 
bration of  the  24th. — Prophecies  of  Civil  War. — Little  Children 
in  the  Resurrection. — Brigham  Young  on  Secession. — Death 
of  Aphek  Woodruff. — Governor  Dawson 411 


CONTENTS.  xv 

CHAPTER  39.  PAGE 

THE  YEARS  1862-'63. 

Killing  of  Thieves. — John  Baptiste,  the  Grave  Digger. — Value  of 
a  Daily  Journal. — Erection  of  the  Salt  Lake  Theatre.— State 
of  Deseret. — Foundation  Stones  of  Temple  Raised. — Indian 
Troubles  on  Bear  River. — Visit  of  the  Moquitches  to  Salt 
Lake  City. — Their  Customs. — Attempt  To  Arrest  President 
Young. — Settlement  of  Bear  Lake  Valley. — Mining 421 

CHAPTER  40. 
THE  YEARS,  1864-65. 

Some  Enjoyments. — He  Visits  a  Condemned  Man  in  Prison. — 
Troubles  Made  by  Gibson  on  Hawaiian  Islands. — Lorenzo 
Snow's  Escape  from  Watery  Grave. — Visit  to  Bear  Lake  Val- 
ley.— Remark  of  President  Young  in  Logan. — Ordination  to 
Apostleship  of  Charles  C.  Rich,  Lorenzo  Snow,  Erastus  Snow, 
and  Franklin  D.  Richards. — Hot  Springs  at  Midway. — Second 
Inauguration  of  President  Lincoln. — Treaty  with  Indians. — 
Colfax  Visits  Utah.— Jane  Blackhurst 433 

CHAPTER  41. 
THE  YEARS  1866,  '67,  '68. 

New  Year's  Greetings. — Evil  Spirits  Rebuked. — Love  for  Little 
Ones. — Drawings  in  His  Journal. — Mrs.  Godbe's  Dream. — 
Brigham  Young's  Remarks  on  the  Atonement. — Sept.  5,  1867, 
Joseph  F.  Smith  Selected  as  One  of  the  Twelve. — Amasa  Ly- 
man  Dropped  from  Twelve. — School  of  the  Prophets. — Move 
to  Provo. — Grasshopper  War. — Advent  of  the  Railroad. — Re- 
markable Prophetic  Utterances  at  Logan. — Visit  to  Sanpete. 
— Call  to  First  Presidency  of  Geo.  A.  Smith. — Accident  to 
His  Son  Ashael.— Summary  of  1868. 444 

CHAPTER  42. 
THE  YEARS,  1869,  70. 

Co-operative  Movement. — Cove  Fort. — Pronouncement  Against 
Use  of  Wine. — Organization  of  Bear  Lake  Stake. — Visit  of 
Schuyler  Colfax. — The  Godbe  Movement. — Descendants  of 
Cain. — Utah  Central  R.  R.  Completed. — Plural  Marriage. — 
Boston  Board  of  Trade  Visits  Utah. — Sayings  of  Brigham 
Young. — The  Newman-Pratt  Discussion. — Martin  Harris  Re- 
baptized 456 


xvi  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

CHAPTER  43.  PAG*. 

PIONEER  LIFE  IN  RICH   COUNTY,  1871. 

Arrest  of  President  Young  and  Others. — Experiences  in  Randolph. 
— Caught  in  a  Snow-storm. — Reaches  Salt  Lake  City.  ....  470 

CHAPTER  44. 
THE  YEARS,  1872-74. 

Judge  McKean. — Journalizing. — Early  Church  Historians. — Holy 
Ghost. — Visit  to  San  Francisco. — Funerals  of  Pitt  and  Player. 
—Thomas  L.  Kane. — Garden  of  Eden. — Paralysis. — Earl  Rose- 
bury. — Fall  from  a  Tree 476 

CHAPTER  45. 
ST.  GEORGE  TEMPLE  DEDICATED. 

Visit  to  Randolph. — Governor  Axtell. — Visit  of  President  Grant. 
—Visit  of  Dom  Pedro,  Emperor  of  Brazil. — Dedication  of  St. 
George  Temple. — A  Grand  Birthday  Celebration 485 

CHAPTER  46. 
DEATH  OF  BRIGHAM  YOUNG,  AUG.  29,  1877. 

Death  of  His  Son,  Brigham  Young  Woodruff. — Prophetic  Utter- 
ances.— Baptisms  for  the  Signers  of  the  Declaration  of  Inde- 
pendence.— Death  of  Brigham  Young  Changes  His  Plans. — 
Funeral. — Visit  to  Logan. — Visit  to  St.  George. — A  Vision. — 
Old  Folks'  Excursion. — Zion's  Board  of  Trade 499 

CHAPTER  47. 
EXPERIENCES  IN  ARIZONA,  1879. 

In  Arizona. — An  Epistle  to  the  World. — Birthday  Celebrated  in 
St.  George. — Travels  in  Arizona.^Hunt  with  Pelone.  the 
Apache  Chief.— A  Visit  to  the  Zunies. — Travels  with  Lot 
Smith. —  Dream. — Letters 506 

CHAPTER  48. 
REMARKABLE  EXPERIENCES  IN  ARIZONA,  1880. 

In  a  Shepherd's  Tent  in  Arizona.— A  Revelation  Given  Jan.  26,  1880. 
— Organization  of  First  Presidency. — Call  to  Apostleship  of 
Francis  M.  Lyman  and  John  Henry  Smith 530 


CONTENTS.  xvii 

CHAPTER  49. 
YEARS  OF  GREAT  AGITATION,  1881,  1882. 

Leonard  Hardy's  Birthday  Party. — Prophecy  Concerning  Joseph 
F.  Smith. — Death  of  Orson  Pratt. — Visit  to  St.  George.— The 
Edmunds  Law. — Oscar  Wilde. — Conditions  at  St.  Johns,  Ari- 
zona.— Call  of  President  George  Teasdale,  Heber  J.  Grant 
and  Seymour  B.  Young. — Death  of  Captain  Wlllam  H.  Hooper.  534 

CHAPTER  50. 
THE   CRUSADE  OPENS,   1883-1885. 

Exemplary  Deacons. — Adam-ondi-Ahman. — Visit  to  Colorado. — 
The  Patriarchal  Order  of  Marriage. — Andrew  Burt. — Farm 
Life. — The  Crusade  Opens. — The  Family  Celebration  of  His 
Birthday.— Call  of  John  W.  Taylor.— Call  of  Wm.  B.  Preston. 
— Land  Troubles  in  Arizona. — Dedication  of  the  Logan  Tem- 
ple.— A  Visit  to  Snake  River.  Country,  Idaho. — Growth  of 
Children  After  the  Resurrection. — Call  of  John  Morgan. — In 
Exile. — Conference  at  Fish  Lake 544 

CHAPTER  51. 
ELEVATION  TO  PRESIDENCY  OF  THE  CHURCH,  1889. 

Arrest  of  George  Q.  Cannon. — Governor  Murray's  Dismissal. — 
Death  of  President  Taylor. — President  Woodruff  Appears  in 
the  Tabernacle.— Change  in  Federal  Officers.— April,  1889,  Wil- 
ford  Woodruff  Became  President  of  the  Church. — Visit  to  Cal- 
ifornia.— M.  W.  Merrill,  A.  H.  Lund,  and  Abraham  H.  Cannon 
Called  to  Apostleship. — Senator  Morgan  Visits  President 
Woodruff . 557 

CHAPTER  52. 
THE   MANIFESTO   AND   EVENTS   OF   1890-'91. 

The  Political  Situation. — Visit  to  California.— The  Manifesto. — Its 
Effects. — Sugar  Industry. — Henry  M.  Stanley. — Deaths  of 
Prominent  Men. — -Earthquake  in  Southern  Utah. — Address  to 
Irrigation  Congress. — Interpretation  of  Manifesto. — Remarks 
at  Brigham  City  on  the  Manifesto 567 

CHAPTER  53. 
DEDICATION  OF  THE  SALT  LAKE  TEMPLE,   1892. 

New  Home. — Visit  of  President  Eliot  to  Salt  Lake  City. — Com- 
pleting the  Temple. — Amnesty. — Dedication  of  the  Salt  Lake 
Temple. — Visit  to  the  World's  Fair,  Chicago. — Liberal  Party 
Disbands.  578 


xviii  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

CHAPTER  54. 
ADMINSTRATIVE  WORK,  1894. 

Electric  Power  Plant  in  Ogden  Canyon. — Saltair, — Death  of  His 
Brother,  Thompson. — Temple  Work  for  Benjamin  Franklin. — 
An  Optimist. — Death  of  A.  O.  Smoot  of  Provo. — Utah  Stake 
Organized. — Trip  to  Alaska. 585 

CHAPTER  55. 

THE    YEARS     1896-'97-'98.— BIRTHDAY     CELEBRATION.— HIS 

DEATH. 

Admission  of  Utah  into  the  Union. — The  Occasion  Celebrated. — 
Political  Struggles. — Birthday  of  Geo.  Q.  Cannon  Celebrated. — 
April  Conference,  1896. — Pronunciamento  Regarding  Political 
Matters. — Death  of  Apostle  Abraham  H.  Cannon. — The  Purity 
and  Nobility  of  His  Character  Revealed  to  Prest.  Woodruff. — 
Change  of  the  Fast  Day. — Great  Celebration  on  His  90th  Anni- 
versary, 1897. — Visit  from  Judge  Kinney. — Pioneer  Jubilee  Cele- 
bration.— Letter  to  the  King  and  Queen  of  Sweden. — Visits  the 
Coast. — His  Son  Owen  Called  to  the  Apostleship. — Attends 
April  Conference,  1898. — Goes  to  the  Coast  in  August. — His 
Sickness.— Departs  this  Life  September  2,  1898 591 

CHAPTER  56. 

Funeral    Services.  620 

CHAPTER  57. 

Character    Sketch.  .639 

.\ppendix  A.     Sidney  Rigdon 652 

Appendix  B.     Address  to  the  Saints  of  the  British  Isles.     .     .     .  658 

Appendix  C.     Storm  on  Lake  Michigan 674 

Appendix  D.     Rationality  of  the  Atonement 676 

Wives  of  Wilford  Woodruff 689 

Children    of    Wilford    Woodruff.  .  690 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS. 

Portrait  of  Wilford  Woodruff .     Frontispiece 

Saw   and    Grist    Mill   at    Birthplace,     ....  Facing  page     97 

House  at   Nauvoo,    111 Facing  page  177 

The  Farmington  Mill Facing  page  385 

Grandfather  Eldad  Woodruff  Homestead     .  Facing  page  481 

The  Last  House  of  Wilford  Woodruff.     .....  Facing  page  579 


WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 


CHAPTER  1. 

BIRTH  AND  GENEALOGY,  1807. 
A  Chosen  Spirit. — Divine  Guidance. — Genealogy. — A  Miller  by  Trade. 

Wilford  Woodruff  was  the  fourth  president  of  the  Church 
of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints.  He  belonged  to  that  class 
of  men  of  whom  the  Lord  said  to  Abraham,  "These  will  I  make 
my  rulers."  Of  our  primeval  childhood  that  ancient  Prophet  in- 
forms us  that  the  Lord  stood  among  those  that  were  spirits  and 
He  saw  that  they  were  good.  Of  these  spirits  the  Lord  said 
to  Abraham,  "Thou  art  one  of  them,  thou  wert  chosen  before 
thou  wast  born."  If  the  Lord  knew  Abraham  and  Jeremiah 
before  they  were  born  in  the  flesh,  He  also  must  have  known 
Wilford  Woodruff  in  the  spirit  world.  The  latter's  integrity 
and  unbounded  devotion  to  the  worship  and  purposes  of  his 
God  are  not  surpassed  by  any  prophet  of  either  ancient  or 
modern  times.  Like  those  of  ancient  times,  Wilford  Woodruff 
was  undoubtedly  foreordained  of  God  to  a  noble  mission  in  life, 
and  to  the  great  responsibilities  which  he  filled  with  honor  and 
to  the  glory  of  God.  To  him  there  was  a  reality  of  the  spirit 
world  rarely  enjoyed  by  men,  he  constantly  felt  the  influence  of 
spiritual  associations  which  were  above  and  beyond  the  ordinary 
affairs  of  life.  That  he  had  an  existence  prior  to  this  probation 
in  life,  he  never  doubted.  He  felt  that  life  was  a  mission  to 
which  he  had  been  called  and  which  in  the  goodness  of  God  he 
had  been  permitted  to  fill.  His  own  spiritual  existence  was  never 
overshadowed  by  temporalities  or  by  constant  misgivings  that  so 
frequently  beset  the  lives  of  other  men. 

Wilford  Woodruff  looked  upon  the  brotherhood  of  men  as 


2  WILFORD   WOODRUFF. 

a  natural  sequence  of  his  assurance  that  God  was  the  Father  of 
our  spirits  in  a  former  life.  He  understood  that  prayer  of  the 
Savior  addressing  Himself  to  His  Father  in  heaven.  His  own 
spirit  was  in  harmony  with  the  revelations  of  Christ.  In  the 
light  of  scriptural  declarations  and  of  his  own  spiritual  nature,  he 
was  simply  here  in  life  in  the  performance  of  great  duties  which 
had  been  assgned  him  before  the  world  was.  He  sincerely  believed 
that  in  returning  again  to  the  God  who  had  given  him  life  he  would 
have  to  account  for  his  talents  and  his  time.  Speaking  of  the 
Athenians,  Paul  said:  "God  that  made  the  world  hath  made  of 
one  blood  all  nations  of  men  to  dwell  on  the  face  of  the  earth, 
and  hath  determined  the  times  before  appointed,  and  the  bounds 
of  their  habitation." 

In  the  life  of  Wilford  Wodoruff  there  was  unfolded  day 
by  day  the  duties  and  obligations  that  linked  him  with  the  chain 
of  eternal  life.  When  the  new  revelation  of  God  to  men  in  this 
dispensation  broke  in  upon  him  he  was  happily  prepared  to  enjoy 
the  new  light.  To  be  a  Latter-day  Saint  from  the  outset  seemed 
as  natural  as  to  breathe  the  air  of  heaven.  He  marvelled  at 
the  purposes  of  God  but  did  not  wonder,  and  aoubt  did  not 
obscure  from  his  vision  the  divine  truth  of  this  dispensation  while 
he  sojourned  in  the  flesh.  The  love  of  God  had  always  abounded 
in  his  heart,  and  the  divine  message  found  him  eager  and  willing. 

He  was  not  among  those  who  sought  divine  assurance  and 
spiritual  satisfaction  in  some  one  creed  of  the  day.  The  Bible 
was  his  highest  authority  and  he  believed  implicitly  in  the  divinity 
of  its  teachings.  He  was  a  devoted  student  of  Holy  Writ  and 
prayerfully  sought  the  gifts  and  blessings  bestowed  upon  the 
Saints  of  old.  He  was  waiting  for  precisely  that  which  came 
to  him  and  he  took  up  the  new  mission  of  life  with  a  strenuous 
desire  to  serve  God  and  to  be  a  witness  that  he  was  the  same 
God  yesterday,  to-day,  and  forever. 

The  story  of  Wilford  Woodruff's  life  was  consistent,  faith- 
ful and  in  harmony  with  scriptural  examples.  The  dealings  of 
God  with  His  children  in  other  dispensations  were  always  before 
his  mind  as  illustrations  and  evidences.  If  the  Bible  had  been 
the  chief  consolation  of  his  youth  and  the  best  evidence  of 
divine  purposes,  it  became  doubly  so  when  he  became  a  Latter- 
day  Saint.  Nothing  that  God  had  done  in  former  dispensations 


BIRTH  AND  GENEALOGY.  3 

was  too  insignificant  for  his  earnest  consideration.  Henceforth  he 
was  to  speak  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  and  act  by  the  authority  of 
divine  command.  He  loved  the  memory  of  the  ancient  Prophets 
and  strove  earnestly  to  emulate  their  example.  His  life,  there- 
fore, is  marked  by  spiritual  growth  and  a  devotion  to  God's  will 
that  makes  it  an  inspiration  to  all  who  knew  him  or  who  read  the 
story  of  his  life  and  teachings.  He  honored  and  magnified  every 
office  and  calling  conferred  upon  him  from  that  of  a  teacher  to 
the  president  of  the  Church.  In  this  high  station  he  laid  down 
his  life  at  the  ripe  age  of  ninety-one  years. 

Wilford  Woodruff  was  born  March  1st,  1807  in  the  town  of 
Farmington,  Hartford  County,  Connecticut.  He  was  the 
son  of  Aphek  Woodruff.  His  grandfather  was  Captain 
Eldad  Woodruff  who  was  the  son  of  Josiah  Woodruff.  Josiah 
was  the  son  of  Joseph  whose  father's  name  was  John,  the  son 
of  Mathew  Woodruff.  This  is  as  far  back  as  Wilford  Woodruff's 
genealogy  has  been  traced  in  America.  It  is  claimed  that  John 
Woodruff  of  South  Hampton,  Long  Island,  is  the  first  person 
in  American  history  bearing  the  name  of  Woodruff.  Whether 
he  is  related  to  Matthew  Woodruff,  the  earliest  known  ancestor 
of  Wilford  in  this  country,  has  not  been  determined.  President 
Woodruff  says,  that  according  to  the  ancient  Book  of  Heraldry, 
one  of  his  ancestors  was  Lord  Mayor  of  London  in  1579. 

His  mother's  name  was  Beulah  Thompson.  The  family  on 
his  mother's  side,  for  generations  lived  at  Farmington,  Connecti- 
cut. The  Woodruff  family  name  is  English  and  is  derived  from 
the  occupation  of  its  bearers  who  in  the  days  of  William  the 
Conqueror  guarded  the  woods  and  forests  for  the  use  of  noblemen 
and  who  were  considered  among  the  most  honored  officers  in  the 
land.  From  Wilford  Woodruff's  account  of  his  forefathers 
it  appears  that  they  were  hardy  and  long-lived  people.  He  says : 
"My  grandfather,  Josiah  Woodruff,  lived  nearly  one  hundred 
years.  He  possessed  an  iron  constitution  and  performed  a  great 
deal  of  manual  work  up  to  the  time  of  his  death.  His  wife's 
name  was  Sarah.  She  bore  him  nine  children :  Josiah,  Appleton, 
Eldad,  Elisha,  Joseph,  Rhoda,  and  Phoebe.  There  were  two  of 
this  family  whose  names  are  not  given.  My  grandfather,  Eldad 
Woodruff,  was  the  third  son  of  Josiah.  He  was  born  in  Farming- 
ton,  Hartford  County,  Connecticut  in  1751.  He  likewise  pos- 


4  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

sessed  a  strong  constitution  and  it  was  said  of  him  that  for  sev- 
eral years  he  performed  more  labor  than  any  man  in  Hartford 
County.  From  over  exertion  and  hewing  timber  he  was  attacked 
with  rheumatism  in  his  right  hip  which  caused  a  severe  lame- 
ness for  several  years  before  his  death.  He  married  Dinah  Wood- 
ford  by  whom  he  had  seven  children:  Eldad,  Elizabeth,  Samuel, 
Titus,  Helen,  Aphek,  and  Ozem.  My  grandfather  died  in  Farm- 
ington  from  spotted  fever  in  1806  at  the  age  of  fifty-five  years. 
My  grandmother,  Dinah,  died  in  the  same  place  in  1824  from  the 
effects  of  a  cancer  in  her  breast;  her  sufferings  were  very  great. 

"My  father,  Aphek  Woodruff,  was  born  in  Farmington, 
November  11,  1778.  He  married  Beulah  Thompson  who  bore 
him  three  sons :  Azmon,  born  Nov.29th,  1802 ;  Thompson,  born 
December  22nd,  1804;  and  myself,  born  March  1st,  1807.  My 
mother  died  from  spotted  fever  January  llth,  1808  at  the  age 
of  twenty-eight  years,  leaving  me  a  babe  of  fifteen  months.  My 
father  married  a  second  wife,  Azubah  Hart.  She  bore  him  six 
children.  He  was  a  man  of  a  strong  constitution  and  did  a  great 
amount  of  labor.  At  eighteen  years  of  age  he  began  work  in  a 
flour  mill  and  saw  mill  and  continued  at  his  occupation  there  for 
about  fifty  years.  Most  of  that  time  he  labored  eighteen  hours 
a  day.  He  never  made  any  profession  of  religion  until  I  baptized 
him  into  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  on  the  first  day  of  July, 
1838.  He  was  a  man  of  great  charity,  honesty,  and  integrity 
and  made  himself  poor  by  giving  to  the  poor.  He  was  liberal 
in  accommodating  his  fellow  men  by  lending  money  atvl  by  be- 
coming surety  for  his  neighbors.  He  generally  said  yes  to 
every  man  who  asked  a  favor  at  his  hands." 

"I  assisted  my  father  in  the  Farmington  mills  until  I  was 
twenty  years  of  age  and  continued  in  the  occupation  of  a  millei 
until  I  was  thirty-one." 


CHAPTER  2. 

A  CHAPTER  OF  ACCIDENTS. 

Arms  and  Legs  Broken. — Injury  to  Breast  Bone  and  Ribs. — Drowned. 
— Frozen. — Scalded. — Other  Escapes. — Life  Preserved  by  a  Merci- 
ful Providence. 

The  journal  of  Wilford  Woodruff  contains  a  chapter  which 
he  designates  as  a  "chapter  of  accidents."  It  is  given  thus  early  in 
his  biography  as  it  reveals  the  purposes  of  an  overruling  Provi- 
dence whose  mercies  and  guiding  powers  are  remarkably  mani- 
fested throughout  a  long  and  arduous  career.  He  himself  re- 
garded his  escapes  from  death  as  an  evidence  of  a  destructive 
power  that  sought  to  thwart  that  special  mission  in  life  so 
wonderfully  revealed  in  the  subsequent  chapters  of  this  biography. 
His  life  throughout  discloses  a  constant  struggle  against  obstacles 
which  he  had  to  overcome.  They  are  manifested  In  every  degree 
of  dfficulty,  and  to  less  courageous  natures  many  of  them  would 
have  been  insurmountable. 

There  are  in  his  words  which  describe  the  misfortunes 
that  overtook  him  no  traces  of  envy,  discouragement  or  despair. 
That  others  were  born  to  an  easier  life  did  not  awaken  within 
him  a  spirit  of  envy  or  doubt.  To  his  mind  the  joys  or  sorrows 
of  this  world  were  all  subordinate  to  the  will  of  an  overruling 
Providence.  While  he  did  not  complain,  he  did  not  ascribe  his 
difficulties  or  dangers  to  fate.  He  was  never  so  much  concerned 
about  the  difficulty  in  surmounting  an  obstacle  as  he  was  about 
his  ability  through  the  goodness  of  God  to  do  so.  ''Evidently," 
he  says,  "I  have  been  numbered  with  those  who  are  apparently 
the  marked  victims  of  misfortunes.  It  has  seemed  to  me  at  times 
as  though  some  invisible  power  were  watching  my  footsteps  in 
search  of  an  opportunity  to  destroy  my  life.  I,  therefore,  ascribe 
my  preservation  on  earth  to  the  watchcare  of  a  merciful  Provi- 
dence, whose  hand  has  been  stretched  out  to  rescue  me  from  death 
when  I  was  in  the  presence  of  the  most  threatening  dangers.  Some 
of  these  dangers  from  which  I  so  narrowly  escaped  I  shall  here 
briefly  describe: 

"When  three  years  of  age,  I  fell  into  a  caldron  of  scalding 
water  and  although  instantly  rescued,  I  was  so  badly  burned 


6  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

that  it  was  nine  months  before  I  was  thought  to  be  out  of  the 
danger  of  fatal  consequences.  My  fifth  and  sixth  years  were 
interwoven  with  many  accidents.  On  a  certain  day,  in  company 
with  my  elder  brothers,  I  entered  the  barn,  and  chose  the  top  of 
a  hay  mow  for  a  place  of  diversion.  We  had  not  been  there 
long  before  I  fell  from  the  great  beam  upon  my  face  on  the 
bare  floor.  I  was  severely  hurt,  but  recovered  in  a  short  time, 
and  was  again  at  play. 

"One  Saturday  evening,  with  my  brothers  Azmon  and 
Thompson,  while  playing  in  the  chamber  of  my  father's  house, 
contrary  to  his  instructions,  I  made  a  misstep  and  fell  to  the 
bottom  of  the  stairs,  breaking  one  of  my  arms  in  the  fall.  So 
much  for  disobedience.  I  suffered  intensely,  but  soon  recovered, 
feeling  that  whatever  I  suffered  in  the  future,  it  would  not  be 
for  disobedience  to  parents.  The  Lord  has  commanded  children 
to  obey  their  parents ;  and  Paul  says,  'This  is  the  first  command- 
ment with  promise/ 

"It  was  only  a  short  time  after  this  that  I  narrowly  es- 
caped with  my  life.  My  father  owned  a  number  of  horned  cat- 
tle, among  which  was  a  surly  bull.  One  evening  I  was  feeding 
pumpkins  to  the  cattle,  and  the  bull  leaving  his  own  took  the 
pumpkin  I  had  given  to  a  cow  which  I  called  mine.  I  was  in- 
censed at  the  selfishness  of  this  male  beast,  and  promptly  picked 
up  the  pumpkin  he  had  left,  to  give  it  to  the  cow.  No  sooner 
had  I  got  it  in  my  arms  than  the  bull  came  plunging  toward  me 
with  great  fury.  I  ran  down  the  hill  with  all  my  might,  the  bull  at 
my  heels.  My  father,  seeing  the  danger  I  was  in,  called  to  me 
to  throw  down  the  pumpkin,  but  (forgetting  to  be  obedient)  I  held 
on,  and  as  the  bull  was  approaching  me  with  the  fierceness  of  a  tig- 
er, I  made  a  misstep  and  fell  flat  upon  the  ground.  The  pumpkin 
rolled  out  of  my  arms,  the  bull  leaped  over  me,  ran  his  horns  into 
the  pumpkin  and  tore  it  to  pieces.  Undoubtedly  he  would 
have  done  the  same  thing  to  me  if  I  had  not  fallen  to  the 
ground.  This  escape,  like  all  others,  I  attribute  to  the  mercy 
and  goodness  of  God. 

"During  the  same  year,  while  visiting  at  my  Uncle  Eldad 
Woodruff's,  I  fell  from  a  porch  across  some  timber,  and  broke 
my  other  arm. 

"Not  many  months  passed  by  before  I  was  called  to  endure 


A  CHAPTER  OF  ACCIDENTS.  7 

a  still  greater  misfortune.  My  father  owned  a  saw  mill  in  ad- 
dition to  his  flour  mill,  and  one  morning,  in  company  with 
several  other  boys,  I  went  into  the  saw  mill  and  got  upon  the 
headlock  of  the  carriage  to  ride,  not  anticipatng  any  danger;  but 
before  I  was  aware  of  it  my  leg  was  caught  between  the  head- 
lock  and  the  fender  post  and  broken  in  two.  I  was  taken  to 
the  house,  and  lay  nine  hours  before  my  bones  were  replaced. 
That  time  was  spent  in  severe  pain;  but  being  young,  my  bones 
soon  knitted  together,  and  in  a  few  weeks  I  was  upon  my  feet 
as  usual,  attending  to  the  sports  of  youth.  During  this  confine- 
ment my  brother  Thompson  was  my  companion.  He  was  suf- 
fering from  typhus  fever. 

"Shortly  after  this,  upon  a  dark  night,  I  was  kicked  in  the 
abdomen  by  an  ox ;  but  being  too  close  to  the  animal  to  receive 
the  full  force  of  the  blow,  I  was  more  frightened  than  hurt. 

"It  was  not  long  before  I  made  my  first  effort  at  loading 
hay.  I  was  very  young,  but  thought  I  had  loaded  it  all  right. 
When  on  the  way  to  the  barn,  the  wheel  of  the  wagon  struck  a 
rock,  and  off  went  the  hay.  I  fell  to  the  ground  with  the  load 
on  top  of  me;  this  was  soon  removed,  and  aside  from  a  little 
smothering  I  was  unhurt 

"When  eight  years  of  age,  I  accompanied  my  father,  with 
several  others  in  a  one-horse  wagon,  about  three  miles  from  home, 
to  attend  to  some  work.  On  the  way  the  horse  became  frightened, 
ran  down  a  hill,  and  turned  over  the  wagon,  with  us  in  it.  We 
were  in  danger,  but  were  again  saved  by  the  hand  of  Providence. 
None  of  us  were  injured. 

"One  day  I  climbed  an  elm  tree  to  procure  some  bark;  while 
about  fifteen  feet  from  the  ground,  the  limb  upon  which  I  stood, 
being  dry,  broke,  and  I  fell  to  the  ground  upon  my  back.  The 
accident  apparently  knocked  the  breath  out  of  my  body.  A 
cousin  ran  to  the  house  and  told  my  parents  that  I  was  dead, 
but  before  my  friends  reached  me  I  revived,  rose  to  my  feet,  and 
met  them  on  the  way.  v 

"When  twelve  years  old  I  was  nearly  drowned  in  Farm- 
ington  River.  I  sank  in  thirty  feet  of  water,  and  was  miraculously 
saved  by  a  young  man  named  Bacon.  The  restoration  to  life 
caused  me  great  suffering. 

"At  thirteen   years   of   age,   while   passing  through   Farm- 


8  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

ington  meadows,  in  the  depths  of  winter,  in  a  blinding  snow- 
storm, I  became  so  chilled  and  overcome  with  cold  that  I  could 
not  travel.  I  crawled  into  the  hollow  of  a  large  apple  tree.  A 
man  in  the  distance  saw  me,  and,  realizing  the  danger  I  was  in, 
hastened  to  where  I  was.  Before  he  arrived  at  the  spot  I  had 
fallen  asleep,  and  was  almost  unconscious.  He  had  much  diffi- 
culty in  arousing  me  to  a  sense  of  my  critical  condition,  and 
promptly  had  me  conveyed  to  my  father's  house,  where,  through 
a  kind  Providence,  my  life  was  again  preserved. 

"At  fourteen  years  of  age  I  split  my  left  instep  open  with 
an  ax  which  went  almost  through  my  foot.  I  suffered  intensely 
from  this  injury,  and  my  foot  was  nine  months  in  getting 
well. 

"When  fifteen  years  old  I  was  bitten  in  the  hand  by  a  mad 
dog  in  the  last  stages  of  hydrophobia.  However,  he  did  not 
draw  blood,  and  through  the  mercy  and  power  of  God  I  was 
again  preserved  from  an  awful  death. 

"At  the  age  of  seventeen  I  met  with  an  accident  which 
caused  me  much  suffering,  and  came  nearly  ending  my  life. 
I  was  riding  a  very  ill-tempered  horse,  which,  while  going  down 
a  very  steep,  rocky  hill,  suddenly  leaped  from  the  road  and 
ran  down  the  steepest  part  of  the  hill,  going  at  full  speed 
amid  the  thickest  of  the  rocks.  At  the  same  time,  he  commenced 
kicking,  and  was  about  to  land  me  over  his  head  among  the  rocks, 
but  I  lodged  on  the  top  of  his  head,  and  grabbed  each  of  his 
ears  with  my  hands,  expecting  every  moment  to  be  dashed  to 
pieces  against  the  rocks.  While  in  this  position,  sitting  astride 
the  horse's  neck,  with  neither  briddle  nor  other  means  of  guiding 
him  except  his  ears,  he  plunged  down  the  hill  among  the  rocks 
with  great  fury,  until  he  struck  a  rock  nearly  breast  high,  which 
threw  him  to  the  earth.  I  went  over  his  head,  landing  squarely 
upon  my  feet  almost  one  rod  in  front  of  the  horse.  Alighting 
upon  my  feet  was  probably  the  means  of  saving  my  life ;  for  if  I 
had  struck  the  ground  upon  any  other  part  of  my  body,  it  would 
probably  have  killed  me  instantly.  As  it  was,  one  of  my  legs  was 
broken  in  two  places,  and  both  my  ankles  put  out  Oi"  place  in  a 
shocking  manner.  The  horse  almost  rolled  over  me  in  his  strug- 
gles to  get  up.  My  uncle  saw  me,  and  came  to  my  assistance. 
I  was  carried  to  his  house  in  an  armchair.  I  lay  from  2  o'clock 


A  CHAPTER  OF  ACCIDENTS.  9 

in  the  afternoon  until  10  o'  clock  at  night  without  medical  aid  and 
in  great  pain,  when  my  father  arrived  with  Dr.  Swift,  of  Farm- 
ington.  The  doctor  set  my  bones,  boxed  up  my  limbs,  and  that 
night  conveyed  me  eight  miles  in  his  carriage  to  my  father's 
house.  I  had  good  attention,  and  although  my  sufferings  were 
great,  in  eight  weeks  I  was  out  upon  my  crutches,  and  was  soon 
restored  to  a  sound  condition. 

"In  1827,  while  managing  a  flour  mill  for  Aunt  Wheeler, 
in  Avon,  Conn.,  I  was  standing  upon  one  of  the  wheels,  clearing 
away  the  ice.  A  man,  not  knowing  I  was  in  that  position,  hoisted 
the  gate  and  turned  upon  the  wheel  a  full  head  of  water.  The 
wheel  started  at  once,  my  foot  slipped,  and  I  was  plunged  head 
foremost  over  the  rim  of  the  wheel  into  about  three  feet  of  water, 
My  weight  had  drawn  my  legs  out  of  the  wheel,  or  I  would 
have  been  drawn  under  a  shaft  and  crushed  to  death. 

"In  1831,  while  in  charge  of  a  flour  mill  at  Collinsville, 
Conn.,  I  was  standing  upon  one  of  the  arms  inside  of  a  breast- 
wheel  twenty  feet  in  diameter,  clearing  off  the  ice.  A  full  head 
of  water  was  turned  on  suddenly.  The  wheel  started  instantly. 
I  dropped  my  ax  and  leaped  about  twenty  feet  to  the  bottom 
of  the  wheel.  As  I  struck  the  bottom,  I  rolled  out  against  a 
rugged  stone,  with  only  two  feet  of  clearance  between  the 
stone  and  the  wheel.  The  latter  caught  me  and  rolled  me  out  into 
the  water  below,  where  I  found  myself,  much  frightened,  but 
thankful  to  Providence  that  no  bones  were  broken. 

"The  day  that  I  was  baptized  into  the  Church  of  Jesus 
Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints — December  31,  1833 — my  horse,  with 
newly  calked  shoes,  kicked  the  hat  off  my  head.  If  he  had  struck 
two  inches  lower,  doubtless  he  would  have  killed  me  instantly. 
Ten  minutes  later,  while  driving  the  same  horse  and  another 
hitched  to  a  sled  with  loose  boards  on  the  bottom  and  no  box, 
the  boards  slipped  forward  under  the  pole  and  struck  the  ground. 
This  at  once  threw  the  boards  up  endwise,  and  pitched  me  for- 
ward between  the  horses.  I  held  on  the  lines ;  the  horses, 
frightened,  ran  down  the  hill,  dragging  me  under  the  sled  behind 
them.  The  road,  however,  was  smooth,  and  I  escaped  without  in- 
jury. 

"In  1834,  while  traveling  in  Zion's  Camp  to  Missouri,  a  rifle 
was  discharged  accidentally.  The  ball  passed  through  three 


10  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

tents  with  a  dozen  men  in  each,  and  lodged  in  the  axletree  of  a 
wagon,  without  injury  to  anyone;  it  passed  within  a  few  inches 
of  my  breast.  Many  others  escaped  quite  as  providentially  as 
I  did. 

"A  few  months  later  a  musket,  heavily  loaded  with  buck- 
shot, and  pointed  directly  at  my  breast,  was  snapped  accidentally ; 
but  it  missed  fire,  and  again  the  Lord  preserved  my  life. 

"In  April,  1839,  in  Rochester,  Ills.,  I  was  riding  upon  the 
running-gear  of  a  wagon.  I  sat  upon  the  front  axletree.  The 
bolt  came  out  of  the  coupling-pole,  separating  the  wheels,  the 
front  from  the  rear;  and  my  weight  upon  the  front  bolster  and 
tongue  turned  the  coupling-pole  over  on  the  horses'  backs,  turned 
the  stakes  upside  down,  which  shut  me  between  the  bolster  and 
tongue,  but  in  such  a  manner  that  my  head  and  shoulders  dragged 
upon  the  ground.  The  horses  took  fright  and  ran  into  an  open 
prairie.  They  dragged  me  for  about  half  a  mile,  and  notwith- 
standing my  awkward  position  I  managed  to  guide  them  so  as 
to  run  them  into  the  corner  of  a  high  worm-fence,  where  we 
landed  in  a  pile  together.  I  was  considerable  bruised,  but  escaped 
without  any  broken  bones,  and  after  one  day's  rest  was  able  to  at- 
tend to  my  labors  again. 

"On  the  15th  day  of  October,  1846,  while  with  the  Camp  of 
Israel  building  up  Winter  Quarters,  on  the  west  side  of  the 
Missouri  River  (then  Indian  country,)  I  passed  through  one  of 
the  most  painful  and  serious  misfortunes  of  my  life.  I  took  my 
ax  and  went  two  and  a  half  miles  upon  the  bluff  to  cut  some 
shingle  timber  to  cover  my  cabin.  I  was  accompanied  by  two  men. 
While  felling  the  third  tree,  I  stepped  back  of  it  some  eight 
feet,  where  I  thought  I  was  entirely  out  of  danger.  There  was, 
however,  a  crook  in  the  tree,  which,  when  the  tree  fell,  struck  a 
knoll  and  caused  the  tree  to  bound  endwise  back  of  the  stump. 
As  it  bounded  backwards,  the  butt  end  of  the  tree  hit  me  in  the 
breast,  and  knocked  me  back  and  above  the  ground  several  feet, 
against  a  standing  oak.  The  falling  tree  followed  me  in  its 
bounds  and  severely  crushed  me  against  the  standing  tree.  I 
fell  to  the  ground,  alighting  upon  my  feet.  My  left  thigh  and  hip 
were  badly  bruised,  also  my  left  arm;  my  breastbone  and  three 
ribs  on  my  left  side  were  broken.  I  was  bruised  about  my 
lungs,  vitals  and  left  side  in  a  serious  manner.  After  the  accident 


A  CHAPTER  OF  ACCIDENTS.  11 

I  sat  upon  a  log  while  Mr.  John  Garrison  went  a  quarter  of  a 
mile  and  got  my  horse.  Notwithstanding  I  was  so  badly  hurt, 
I  had  to  mount  my  horse  and  ride  two  and  a  half  miles  over  an 
exceedingly  rough  road.  On  account  of  severe  pain  I  had  to 
dismount  twice  on  my  way  home.  My  breast  and  vitals  were  so 
badly  injured  that  at  each  step  of  the  horse  pain  went  through 
me  like  an  arrow.  I  continued  on  horseback  until  I  arrived  at 
Turkey  Creek,  on  the  north  side  of  Winter  Quarters.  I  was 
then  exhausted,  and  was  taken  off  the  horse  and  carried  in  a  chair 
to  my  wagon.  I  was  met  in  the  street  by  Presidents  Brigham 
Young,  Heber  C.  Kimball,  Willard  Richards,,  and  others,  who 
assisted  in  carrying  me  to  the  wagon.  Before  placing  me 
upon  my  bed  they  laid  hands  upon  me,  and  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord  rebuked  the  pain  and  distress,  and  said  that  I  should  live, 
and  not  die.  I  was  then  laid  upon  my  bed  in  the  wagon,  as 
my  cabin  was  not  yet  done.  As  the  apostles  prophesied  upon 
my  head,  so  it  came  to  pass ;  I  did  not  die.  I  employed  no  physi- 
cian, but  was  administered  to  by  the  elders  of  Israel,  and  nursed 
by  my  wife.  I  lay  upon  my  bed,  unable  to  move  until  my  breast- 
bone began  to  knit  together  on  the  ninth  day.  In  about  twenty 
days  I  began  to  walk,  and  in  thirty  days  from  the  time  I  was 
hurt,  I  returned  to  my  laborious  employment. 

"I  have  not  now  a  lame  limb  about  me,  notwithstanding  it 
all.  I  have  been  able  to  endure  the  hardest  kind  of  manual  labor, 
exposures,  hardships,  and  journeys.  I  have  walked  forty,  fifty, 
and,  on  one  occasion,  sixty  miles  in  a  single  day.  The  only  in- 
convenience I  am  now  conscious  of  is  that  if  I  overwork,  or  take 
a  severe  cold,  I  feel  it  more  sensibly  in  my  breast  and  left  side 
than  I  did  before  my  last  injury.  I  have  given  considerable  space 
in  recounting  the  foregoing  peculiar  circumstances  which  I  have 
experienced  in  life.  A  summary  of  what  is  here  given  may  be 
briefly  stated  thus :  I  have  broken  both  legs,  one  of  them  in  two 
places;  both  arms,  both  ankles,  my  breastbone,  and  three  ribs;  I 
have  been  scalded,  frozen,  and  drowned ;  I  have  been  in  two 
water  wheels  while  turning  under  a  full  head ;  I  have  passed 
through  a  score  of  other  hairbreadth  escapes.  The  repeated 
deliverances  from  all  these  remarkable  dangers  I  ascribe  to  the 
mercies  of  my  Heavenly  Father.  In  recalling  them  to  mind  I  al- 
ways feel  impressed  to  rend  ^r  the  gratitude  of  my  heart,  with 


12  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

thanksgiving  and  joy,  to  the  Lord.  I  pray  that  the  remain- 
der of  my  days  may  pass  in  His  service,  in  the  building  up  of 
His  kingdom." 

When  one  stops  to  reflect  upon  the  character  of  the  accidents 
and  the  manner  of  escape,  he  is  impressed  by  the  thought  that 
they  came  along  as  part  of  the  remarkable  incidents  of  his  life. 
They  are  marvels  to  be  sure,  but  the  whole  life  of  Wilford 
Woodruff  is  a  marvel.  He  was  on  the  spot  when  the  danger 
arrived.  He  never  seems  to  have  been  disconcerted  by  it.  He 
was  so  serene  in  his  faith  that  he  always  had  an  assurance 
that  all  would  end  well,  and  he,  consequently,  is  never  found 
in  a  complainly  mood,  even  when  undergoing  the  severest  pain. 
His  patience,  therefore,  was  a  powerful  factor  in  bringing  to  his 
life  a  large  measure  of  confidence  in  the  ultimate  goodness  of  an 
overruling  Providence. 


CHAPTER  3. 

A  REMARKABLE  PREPARATION. 

"Coming  Events." — Wilford  Woodruff's  Interest  in  Religion. — Exist- 
ing Religious  Denominations. — Teachings  of  Scripture. — Father  Ma- 
son, a  Prophet. — Peculiar  Process  of  Preparation. 

Wilford  Woodruff  belonged  to  a  group  of  men  whose  advent 
into  the  world  characterized  the  first  two  decades  of  the  nine- 
teenth century.  Though  in  their  own  day,  humble  and  obscure 
and  held  in  contempt  by  mankind  generally,  their  importance 
and  the  work  accomplished  by  them  grow  in  significance  to  the 
Latter-day  Saints  who  are  and  have  been  for  the  past  half  cen- 
tury the  greatest  history  makers  in  the  world.  Such  men  as 
Joseph  Smith,  Brigham  Young,  John  Taylor,  Wilford  Woodruff, 
Lorenzo  Snow,  and  Joseph  F.  Smith,  whose  administration  of  the 
affairs  of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints  has 
given  them  a  prominent  place  in  the  world  as  well  as  in  the 
Church,  grow  in  historical  magnitude  as  time  goes  on.  Their 
respective  administrations  constitute  distinguished  landmarks  in 
the  history  of  a  great  people. 

There  has  been  a  mysterious  something  about  North  Ameri- 
ca, and  indeed  of  the  whole  American  continent,  that  has  made 
it  not  only  inviting  to  discoverers  and  adventurers,  but  an 
asylum  to  those  who  sought  enlarged  religious  freedom  and 
the  development  of  institutions  in  harmony  with  the  ideals 
of  progressive  religious  thought.  What  has  been  more  remark- 
able to  the  welfare  of  this  nation  than  the  character  of  the  men, 
who,  standing  upon  foreign  shores  looked  forward  to  it  as  a  land 
of  grand  opportunities,  were  the  men,  the  early  patriots  who 
gave  to  its  government  the  highest  wisdom  of  the  age,  and  to 
social  institution  a  broad  foundation  upon  which  all  classes  could 
securely  rest  their  hopes,  their  ambitions,  and  their  religious  con- 
victions. 

The  institutions  of  our  country  have,  nevertheless  grown  as 
time  went  on,  and  little  by  little  conditions  derogatory  to  the 
well-being  and  happiness  of  the  people  have  given  way  to  higher 
and  be'.ter  standards  of  life.  The  opposition  to  slavery  and  its 
downfall  enlarged  the  conceptions  of  individual  liberty  and  of 


14  WiLFORD  WOODRUFF. 

human  rights.  The  traditions  of  ages  have  given  way  before  the 
progress  of  modern  enlightenment,  and  the  country  has  afforded 
better  opportunities  for  progressive  and  changing  institutions 
than  any  other  nation  of  the  civilized  world.  The  whole  drift 
of  American  history  has  been  in  the  direction  of  religious  en- 
lightenment and  political  freedom.  True,  such  enlightenment  and 
freedom  have  met  with  stubborn  resistance  and  have  cost  the 
best  blood  of  the  nation.  The  United  States  has  been  a  country 
peculiarly  marked  for  the  greatest  human  endeavor.  It  has  not, 
however,  reached  the  acme  of  its  possibilities  nor  has  its  work, 
however  progressive,  reached  a  finished  state.  If  the  lessons  of 
the  past  in  American  history  are  important  in  any  one  respect, 
more  than  another,  it  is  in  the  great  truth  that  it  is  to  be  the  stan- 
dard bearer,  and  the  first  in  religion  and  government. 

In  religion  the  nation  is  brought  face  to  face  daily  more 
and  more  with  the  great  religious  problem  known  to  the  civilized 
world  as  Mormonism.  The  men  who  were  instrumentalities  of 
that  new  religion  grow  in  importance  as  it  makes  its  way  in  re- 
ligious and  theological  history.  The  lives  therefore  of  such  men 
as  Wilford  Woodruff  not  only  have  a  distinct  place  in  the  lives 
and  thoughts  of  their  religious  associates,  but  will  also  have 
an  important  position  in  the  future  history  and  development  of 
religious  thought. 

How  such  men  as  Wilford  Woodruff  came  upon  the  stage 
at  the  particular  time  in  the  history  of  the  Church,  and  what  ex- 
ternal influences  brought  them  into  its  folds  are  matter  of  peculiar 
interest  to  every  student  of  Church  history.  What  he  himself 
thought  of  the  new  movement  and  how  he  was  prepared  to  receive 
it  is  given  here  and  there  throughout  his  private  journals  in  a 
manner  to  make  the  story  of  his  life  one  of  the  most  interesting  in 
all  the  annals  of  the  Church. 

He  says :  "At  an  early  age  my  mind  began  to  be  exercised 
upon  religious  subjects,  but  I  never  made  a  profession  of  religion 
until  1830  when  I  was  twenty-three  years  of  age.  I  did  not 
then  join  any  church  for  the  reason  that  I  could  not  find  a  body 
of  people,  denomination,  or  church  that  had  for  its  doctrine,  faith, 
and  practices  those  principles,  ordinances,  and  gifts  which  con- 
stituted the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  as  taught  by  Him  and  His 
apostles.  Neither  did  I  find  anywhere  the  manifestations  of  the 


A  REMARKABLE  PREPARATION.  15 

Holy  Ghost  with  its  attendant  gifts  and  graces.  When  I  con- 
versed with  the  ministers  of  the  various  denominations  or  sects, 
they  would  always  tell  me  that  prophets,  apostles,  revelations, 
healing  ,etc.,  were  given  to  establish  Jesus  Christ  and  His  doc- 
trine, but  that  they  have  ever  since  been  done  away  with  be- 
cause no  longer  needed  in  the  Church  and  Kingdom  of  God. 
Such  a  declaration  I  never  could  and  never  would  believe.  I 
did  believe,  however,  that  revelation,  the  gifts  and  graces,  and  the 
faith  once  delivered  to  the  Saints — a  faith  which  they  have  en- 
joyed in  all  ages  when  God  has  had  an  acknowledged  people  on 
the  earth — could  be  done  away  with  only  through  the  disobedience 
and  unbelief  of  the  children  of  men.  I  believed  every  gift,  office, 
and  blessing  to  be  just  as  necessary  now  to  constitute  the  true 
Church  of  Christ  and  Kingdom  of  God  as  in  any  age  of  the 
world. 

"This  belief  was  firmly  fixed  upon  my  mind  for  two  reasons : 
first,  from  the  study  of  the  Bible  I  found  that  the  principle 
of  cause  and  effect  was  the  same  in  all  ages,  and  that  the  divine 
promises  made  were  to  all  generations.  At  the  same  time,  I  found 
no  changes  in  the  gospel  in  the  days  of  Christ  and  the  apostles, 
or  that  there  would  be  any  change  in  the  plan  of  salvation  in  the 
last  days.  I  learned  also  from  the  Scriptures  that  many  of  the 
ancient  prophets,  that  Christ  and  His  apostles  foresaw  by  inspira- 
tion and  revelation  that  the  Gentile  nations  would  apostatize 
and  turn  away  from  the  true  faith  and  from  the  Church  and 
Kingdom  of  God  as  the  Jews  had  anciently  done ;  that  there  would 
be  a  falling  away  from  the  apostolic  faith,  from  its  doctrines  and 
ordinances ;  that  other  systems  would  arise ;  that  when  these 
false  systems  should  reach  their  fullness,  the  God  of  heaven  would 
set  up  His  Kingdom ;  that  an  angel  would  restore  the  gospel ;  and 
that  it  should  be  preached  in  all  the  world  for  a  witness  before 
the  Savior  should  come  to  reign.  I  further  believed  that  the 
gospel  had  been  taken  from  the  Jews  and  given  to  the  Gentiles; 
that  the  Gentiles  had,  as  foretold  by  the  prophets,  fallen  into 
apostasy;  and  that  in  the  last  days  Israel  should  be  restored 
and  the  promises  concerning  that  people  should  be  fulfilled.  All 
these  things  I  learned  from  the  Scriptures  and  they  made  a  lasting 
impression  upon  my  mind. 

"The  second  reason  for  my  peculiar  belief  in  such  principles, 


16  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

teachings,  and  doctrines  was  that  in  the  days  of  my  youth  I  was 
taught  by  an  aged  man  named  Robert  Mason,  who  lived  in  Sains- 
bury,  Connecticut.  By  many  he  was  called  a  prophet ;  to  my  knowl- 
edge, many  of  his  prophecies  have  been  fulfilled.  The  sick  were 
healed  by  him  through  the  laying  on  of  hands  in  the  name  of  Jesus 
Christ,  and  devils  were  cast  out.  His  son  was  a  raving  maniac. 
After  praying  and  fasting  for  him  nine  days,  he  arose  on  the 
ninth  day  and  commanded  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  the  devil 
to  come  out  of  him.  The  devil  obeyed  and  the  boy  was  made 
whole  from  that  very  hour.  This  man  instilled  these  principles 
into  my  mind  as  well  as  into  the  mind  of  my  oldest  brother 
Azmon. 

"Father  Mason  did  not  claim  that  he  had  any  authority  to 
officiate  in  the  ordinances  of  the  gospel,  nor  did  he  believe  that 
such  authority  existed  on  the  earth.  He  did  believe,  however, 
that  it  was  the  privilege  of  any  man  who  had  faith  in  God  to  fast 
and  pray  for  the  healing  of  the  sick  by  the  laying  on  of  hands.  He 
believed  it  his  right  and  the  right  of  every  honest-hearted  man 
or  woman  to  receive  light  and  knowledge,  visions,  and  revelations 
by  the  prayer  of  faith.  He  told  me  that  the  day  was  near  when 
the  Lord  would  establish  His  Church  and  Kingdom  upon  the 
earth  with  all  its  ancient  gifts  and  blessings.  He  said  that  such 
a  work  would  commence  upon  the  earth  before  he  died,  but 
that  he  would  not  live  to  partake  of  its  blessings.  He  said  that 
I  should  live  to  do  so,  and  that  I  should  become  a  conspicuous 
actor  in  that  kingdom. 

"The  last  time  I  ever  saw  him  he  related  to  me  the  following 
vision  which  he  had  in  his  field  in  open  day:  T  was  carried 
away  in  a  vision  and  found  myself  in  the  midst  of  a  vast  orchard 
of  fruit  trees.  I  became  hungry  and  wandered  through  this  vast 
orchard  searching  for  fruit  to  eat,  but  I  found  none.  While 
I  stood  in  amazement  finding  no  fruit  in  the  midst  of  so 
many  trees,  they  began  to  fall  to  the  ground  as  if  torn  up  by  a 
whirlwind.  They  continued  to  fall  until  there  was  not  a  tree 
standing  in  the  whole  orchard.  I  immediately  saw  thereafter 
shoots  springing  up  from  the  roots  and  forming  themselves  into 
young  and  beautiful  trees.  These  budded,  blossomed,  and  brought 
forth  fruit  which  ripened  and  was  the  most  beautiful  to  look 
upon  of  anything  my  eyes  had  ever  beheld.  I  stretched  forth 


A  REMARKABLE  PREPARATION.  17 

my  hand  and  plucked  some  of  the  fruit.  I  gazed  upon  it  with 
delight;  but  when  I  was  about  to  eat  of  it,  the  vision  closed  and 
I  did  not  taste  the  fruit.' 

"  'At  the  close  of  the  vision  I  bowed  down  in  humble  prayer 
and  asked  the  Lord  to  show  me  the  meaning  of  the  vision.  Then 
the  voice  of  the  Lord  came  to  me  saying:  "Son  of  man,  thou 
hast  sought  me  diligently  to  know  the  truth  concerning  my 
Church  and  Kingdom  among  men.  This  is  to  show  you  that  my 
Church  is  not  organized  among  men  in  the  generation  to  which 
you  belong;  but  in  the  days  of  your  children  the  Church  and 
Kingdom  of  God  shall  be  made  manifest  with  all  the  gifts  and  the 
blessings  enjoyed  by  the  Saints  in  past  ages'.  You  shall  live  to 
be  made  acquainted  with  it,  but  shall  not  partake  of  its  blessings 
before  you  depart  this  life.  You  will  be  blest  of  the  Lord  after 
death  because  you  have  followed  the  dictation  of  my  Spirit  in  this 
life." ' 

"When  Father  Mason  had  finished  relating  the  vision  and  its 
interpretation,  he  said,  calling  me  by  my  Christian  name :  'Wilford, 
I  shall  never  partake  of  this  fruit  in  the  flesh,  but  you  will  and 
you  will  become  a  conspicuous  actor  in  the  new  kingdom.'  He 
then  turned  and  left  me.  These  were  the  last  words  he  ever 
spoke  to  me  unon  the  earth.  To  me  this  was  a  very  striking 
circumstance.  I  had  passed  many  days  during  a  period  of  twenty 
years  with  this  old  Father  Mason.  He  had  never  mentioned  this 
vision  to  me  before.  On  this  occasion  he  said  he  felt  impelled 
by  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  to  relate  it  to  me. 

"The  vision  was  given  to  him  about  the  year  1800.  He  re- 
lated it  to  me  in  1830,  the  spring  in  which  the  Church  was  or- 
ganized. Three  years  later  when  I  was  baptized  into  the  Church 
of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints,  almost  the  first  person 
I  thought  of  was  this  prophet,  Robert  Mason.  Upon  my  arrival 
in  Missouri  with  Zion's  Camp,  I  wrote  him  a  long  letter  in  which 
I  informed  him  that  I  had  found  the  true  gospel  with  all  its  bless- 
ings ;  that  the  authority  of  the  Church  of  Christ  had  been 
restored  to  the  earth  as  he  had  told  me  it  would  be;  that  I  had 
received  the  ordinances  of  baptism  and  the  laying  on  of  hands ; 
that  I  knew  for  myself  that  God  had  established  through  Joseph 
Smith,  the  Prophet,  the  Church  of  Christ  upon  the  earth. 

"He  received  my  letter  with  great  joy  and  had  it  read  over 


18  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

to  him  many  times.  He  handled  it  as  he  had  handled  the  fruit 
in  the  vision.  He  was  very  aged  and  soon  died  without  having 
the  privilege  of  receiving  the  ordinances  of  the  gospel  at  the 
hands  of  an  elder  of  the  Church. 

"The  first  opportunity  I  had  after  the  truth  of  baptism  for 
the  dead  was  revealed,  I  went  forth  and  was  baptized  for  him 
in  the  temple  font  at  Nauvoo.  He  was  a  good  man,  a  true  proph- 
et; for  his  prophecies  have  been  fulfilled.  There  was  so  much 
reason  in  the  teachings  of  this  man,  and  such  harmony  between 
them  and  the  prophecies  and  teachings  of  Christ  and  of  the 
apostles  and  prophets  of  old,  that  I  believed  in  them  with  all  my 
heart. 

*'  I  had  given  myself  up  to  the  reading  of  the  Scriptures  and 
to  earnest  prayer  before  God  day  and  night  as  far  as  I  could 
years  before  I  heard  the  fullness  of  the  gospel  preached  by  a 
Latter-day  Saint.  I  had  pleaded  with  the  Lord  many  hours  in 
the  forest,  among  the  rocks,  and  in  the  fields,  and  in  the  mill- 
often  at  midnight  for  light  and  truth  and  for  His  Spirit  to  guide 
me  in  the  way  of  salvation.  My  prayers  were  answered  and 
many  things  were  revealed  to  me.  My  mind  was  open  to  the  truth 
so  much  so  that  I  was  fully  satisfied  that  I  should  live  to  see 
the  true  Church  of  Christ  established  upon  the  earth  and  to  see 
a  people  raised  up  who  would  keep  the  commandments  of  the 
Lord." 

This  beautiful  and  inspiring  story  of  Robert  Mason  reads 
very  much  like  that  of  Simeon  of  old,  who,  having  received  a 
divine  response  to  his  steadfast  supplications,  exclaimed :  "Lord, 
now  lettest  thy  servant  depart  in  peace,  according  to  thy  word; 
for  mine  eyes  have  seen  thy  salvation." 

In  reading  the  history  of  the  Church,  one  is  constantly  im- 
pressed by  the  striking  comparisons  between  the  events  re- 
corded in  Holy  Writ  and  those  which  have  been  forerunners  as 
well  as  accompaniments  of  the  Church  of  Christ  in  this  dis- 
pensation. The  Spirit  of  God  makes  these  analogies  impressive, 
and  they  in  turn  confirm  the  faith  of  those  who  have  received 
a  testimony  of  the  divine  mission  of  Joseph  Smith  and  of  the 
purposes  of  God  to  be  fulfilled  by  the  Church  in  these  last  days. 
No  wonder  Wilford  Woodruff's  mind  was  open  to  the  truth. 
No  wonder  that  doubt  or  misgiving  never  beclouded  his  mind 


A  REMARKABLE  PREPARATION.  19 

from  the  day  that  the  new  light  broke  in  upon  his  understanding 
to  the  day  of  his  death.  His  life  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful 
examples  of  a  childlike  faith  that  has  ever  been  given  to  the 
world.  The  story  of  it  is  both  faith-promoting  and  instructive. 
Ti  raads  like  the  stories  of  Holy  Writ. 


CHAPTER  4. 

EARLY  DAYS,  1816-1833. 

A  Fisherman. — Early  Employment. — Noble  Reflections. — Lessons  in 
Reading. — Interest  in  the  Bible. — Philo  Woodruff's  Strange  Dream. 
— Mocking  Deity. — Its  Effects. — Peace  of  Mind. — Place  of  Prayer. 
— Happy  Experiences. — A  Baptism. — Reads  of  Mormons. — Notable 
Instance  of  Inspiration. — Removal  to  New  York. — Azmon's  Faith. 

Much  of  the  early  life  of  Wilford  Woodruff  was  passed 
in  Farmington,  Connecticut.  He  was  a  boy  of  great  vitality 
and  given  to  the  sports  incident  to  the  community  and  the 
times  in  which  he  lived.  He  early  developed  a  marked  aptitude 
for  fishing.  In  the  stream  which  fed  his  father's  mill  there  were 
spotted  trout  in  abundance.  These  he  learned  to  catch  with 
great  dexterity ;  and  his  brother,  being  likewise  an  adept  with  the 
hook,  the  two  acheived  the  reputation  of  being  the  most  success- 
ful fishermen  in  the  village.  The  sports  of  fishing  and  hunting 
which  he  practiced  in  early  boyhood  were  enjoyed  by  him  through- 
out his  entire  life. 

One  is  reminded  in  the  story  of  his  life  that  there  were 
apostles  of  old  who  cast  their  nets  for  fish  in  the  sea  of  Galilee. 
Like  them,  he  too  became  a  fisher  of  men.  He  was  equally  prompt 
in  responding  to  the  Master's  call  and  equally  ardent  in  promul- 
gating the  new  word  of  life  he  was  authorized  to  publish.  We 
are  not  told  how  many  converts  were  the  result  of  their  missionary 
efforts,  but  it  is  quite  within  the  bounds  of  truth  to  declare  that 
no  apostle  of  the  last  dispensation  succeeded  better  than  Wilford 
Woodruff  in  planting  the  message  of  the  new  dispensation  in  the 
hearts  of  his  fellow-men. 

He  attended  the  village  district  school  in  his  early  boyhood, 
a  school  located  about  two  miles  from  his  father's  home.  "In 
those  days,"  he  writes,  "parents  did  not  feel  the  importance  of 
urging  upon  their  children  the  advantages  of  education  as  they 
urge  them  today.  In  those  times  they  felt  that  matters  of  education 
were  wholly  confined  to  the  ideas  and  methods  of  the  school  teach- 
er." Wilford  was  an  industrious  boy.  His  mind  was  filled  with 
lofty  thoughts,  and  his  education  as  time  went  on  took  on  a 
religious  character.  He  was  by  nature  a  devoted  son  and  ob- 


EARLY  DAYS,  1816-1833.  21 

served  carefully  the  divine  command  which  enjoined  obedience 
to  his  parents. 

Aphek  Woodruff,  father  of  Wilford,  was  a  generous-hearted 
man.  He  rarely  refused  to  grant  a  favor  even  when  it  seemed 
probable  that  the  favor  might  prove  a  loss  to  him.  The  father 
by  his  industry  and  frugality  had  acquired  a  respectable  com- 
petency for  those  days.  His  property,  however,  soon  dwindled 
away  when  those  for  whom  he  became  security  left  him  to  meet 
their  obligations.  His  possessions  consisted  of  a  large  farm 
well  stocked  with  cattle,  a  flour  mill,  a  saw  mill,  and  a  carding 
machine.  These  had  cost  years  of  toil  and  self-denial.  Their 
loss  to  him  saved  his  honor,  but  subjected  his  family  to  the  hard- 
ships which  the  changed  financial  conditions  brought  about.  These 
experiences  of  his  father  had  much  to  do  in  the  formation  of  his 
son's  character,  for  the  latter  avoided  debts  and  was  scrupulous- 
ly careful  to  make  his  word  good  in  every  business  undertak- 
ing. 

When  Wilford  was  eight  years  of  age,  a  strong  religious 
revival  took  place  in  the  town  of  Farmington.  It  was  conducted 
chiefly  by  the  Baptist  Church ;  the  elders  of  that  Church,  Brocket 
and  Quishman,  preached  in  his  father's  home.  They  baptized 
his  stepmother  and  several  other  relatives.  His  brothers,  Azmon 
and  Thompson,  made  some  profession  of  religion.  Wilford  at- 
tended meetings,  prayed,  and  tried  to  feel  as  others  felt,  but 
all  to  no  purpose.  Whatever  of  enthusiasm  worked  upon  his 
feelings  in  the  excitement  of  the  meetings  soon  passed  away 
and  left  his  soul  unfed  by  the  bread  of  life.  The  next  elder 
brother,  Thompson,  was  in  a  similar  condition.  His  eldest  broth- 
er, Azmon,  continued  his  interest  and  devotion  until  several  years 
later  when  he  embraced  the  fulness  of  the  gospel. 

His  father,  having  sold  his  property  at  Northington,  moved 
back  to  Farmington  where  he  was  employed  to  run  the  flour  mill 
owned  by  Cowles,  Deming  &  Camp.  This  employment  he  con- 
tinued for  twenty-eight  years.  Up  to  the  year  1816  Wilford 
remained  with  his  father.  He  attended  school  in  Farmineton 
until  he  was  fourteen  years  of  age. 

On  the  first  of  May,  1821,  he  went  to  live  with  Col.  George 
Cowles  with  whom  he  remained  two  years.  While  there  he  at- 
tended school  in  the  winter  and  worked  upon  a  farm  during  the 


22  W1LFORD  WOODRUFF. 

summer  months.  It  was  while  living  with  Mr.  Cowles  that 
Wilford  again  witnessed  a  religious  revival  which  was  conducted 
by  the  Presbyterians,  who  were  at  that  time  the  only  sect  in  Farm 
ington.  Of  this  second  revival  he  writes:  "I  attended  the  meet- 
ings, inquiry,  Sunday  schools,  and  prayer  meetings.  I  tried  to 
get  religion  by  effort  and  prayer,  but  my  efforts  created  darkness 
instead  of  light  and  I  was  not  happy  in  the  attempt.  They 
wanted  us  to  give  our  hearts  to  God  without  telling  us  what  to 
do  or  explaining  any  principle  in  a  comprehensive  manner.  There 
were  many  young  people  at  that  time  of  my  age  who  made  a  pro- 
fession of  religion.  I  did  not  wish  to  make  a  mockery  of  sacred 
things  by  professing  light  when  I  had  received  none,  so  I  kept 
aloof  from  all  professions." 

At  this  time  the  Woodruff  family  was  undergoing  a  severe 
struggle  for  a  livelihood.  Young  Wilford  lived  out,  first  with 
one  and  then  with  another,  working  hard  during  the  summer 
and  fall  and  attending  school  in  the  winter.  In  the  year  1823 
while  making  his  abode  with  Mr.  Andrew  Mills  Tie  underwent 
his  first  attack  of  homesickness.  "Mr.  Mills  was  a  proud  and 
austere  man,"  he  writes,  "I  had  never  before  lived  at  a  place 
where  I  did  not  feel  free  and  sociable,  and  there  was  no  conver- 
sation between  us  except  to  ask  or  answer  a  question.  I  ate 
and  slept  very  little  there  for  two  weeks.  Relief,  however,  came 
to  me  when  I  started  to  school  and  made  the  acquaintance  of  my 
fellow  students.  My  homesickness  left  me  and  never  came 
back. 

"I  returned  home  in  1825,  soon  after  which  my  father  made 
a  contract  with  Mr.  Horace  Todd  that  I  should  work  one  year 
with  him."  The  year,  however,  did  not  pass  before  the  boy 
split  his  instep  with  an  ax.  This  ended  his  service  there,  but  his 
brother  Thompson  took  the  place  there  and  worked  the  year  out. 
"Thus  we  kept  our  contract."  Wilford  was  crippled  for  nine 
months.  At  the  end  of  that  time  he  left  home  on  horse  back 
in  search  of  work.  Again  misfortune  overtook  him.  He  was 
thrown  from  his  horse  and  compelled  to  return  home  where  he 
remained  for  some  time.  There  was  always  a  welcome  in  his 
home,  because  of  the  love  and  respect  every  member  of  the  family 
entertained  for  him. 

Part  of  the  time  up  to  April,   1827,  he  remained  at  home, 


EARLY  DAYS,  1816-1833.  23 

and  part  of  the  time  he  was  engaged  in  working  for  other  people. 
At  that  time  he  was  twenty  years  of  age  and  left  his  home  never 
to  return  except  as  a  visitor.  He  first  went  to  live  with  his  Aunt 
Helen  Wheeler.  He  took  her  flour  mill  at  East  Avon  on  shares 
and  worked  it  for  three  years.  During  that  time  he  established 
himself  in  thfc  trade  of  a  miller. 

Notwithstanding  his  youth  at  the  time  of  leaving  home, 
his  soul  was  full  of  deep  and  serious  thoughts.  They  were  enob- 
ling  in  their  character  and  safeguarded  the  young  man  along  the 
slippery  paths  of  youth.  Here  are  some  of  the  reflections  of  those 
days:  "This  is  an  important  period  of  my  life.  As  I  leave  my 
father's  home  to  enter  upon  the  stage  of  life  to  act  for  myself,  to 
be  my  own  counselor,  and  to  form  my  own  character  in  the 
broad  open  world,  my  mind  is  filled  with  serious  reflections.  I 
am  full  of  anxiety — an  anxiety  which  is  painful  to  me.  Should 
I  outlive  my  parents,  how  long  will  it  be  before  I  shall  follow 
them  to  the  grave  ?  It  will  be  said  of  them :  They  have  gone  the 
way  of  all  flesh  and  their  children  will  follow  them  into  the  same 
eternal  world.'  My  age  is  an  important  period  in  the  life  of 
every  man;  for,  generally  speaking,  at  this  period  of  life  man 
forms  much  of  his  character  for  time  and  eternity.  How  cautious 
I  ought  to  be  in  passing  this  landmark  along  the  road  of  my 
early  existence !  I  feel  that  I  need  care,  prudence,  circumspection, 
and  wisdom  to  guide  my  footsteps  in  the  path  which  leads  to 
"honor  and  eternal  life." 

Later  on,  referring  to  this  same  period  of  life,  he  says :  "I 
reflected  further  upon  the  days  of  my  youth  which  were  gone, 
and  upon  the  fleetness  of  time  that  had  flown  like  an  arrow  to 
return  no  more.  I  reasoned  thus :  while  walking  through  a  rapid 
stream,  we  cannot  tread  twice  in  the  same  water,  neither  can 
we  twice  spend  the  same  time.  Then  how  ought  we  to  prize 
the  golden  moments  and  measure  time  by  our  talents  to  the 
honor  and  glory  of  God  and  for  the  salvation  of  our  souls;  so 
that  when  the  Lord  comes,  He  may  receive  His  own  with  usury. 

"In  trying  to  comprehend  the  fleetness  of  time,  I  have  asked 
myself  these  questions.  Where  is  the  old  world?  Where  are 
the  millions  of  the  earth's  inhabitants,  including  my  own  an- 
cestors ?  And  where  are  the  days  of  my  youth  ?  They  are  gone 


24  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

— all  gone  into  the  boundless  ocean  of  eternity  where  T  shall  SQOJI 
find  myself." 

This  remarkable  state  of  his  mind  at  that  youthful  period 
of  life  is  so  unusual  in  young  men  of  that  age  tnat  it  is  quite 
reasonable  to  suppose  that  he  was  undergoing  a  mental  struggle 
on  questions  of  right  and  wrong.  It  was  not  simply  with  him 
a  question  of  good  and  bad ;  his  conscience  told  him  what  his  con- 
duct ought  to  be  in  the  presence  of  temptation.  What  he  wanted 
to  know,  what  he  was  yearning  to  learn  was  some  positive  rule  of 
life  that  would  govern  and  guide  him  in  the  formation  of  correct 
religious  doctrines. 

In  those  times  it  was  thought  no  evil  to  indulge  in  card  play- 
ing and  pastimes  of  a  similar  character.  He  occasionally  took  a 
hand  in  these  games,but  soon  withdrew  from  such  recreation,since 
he  believed  card  playing  to  be  a  vice.  His  journal  shows  that 
he  understood  the  dangers  that  arise  from  the  so-called  respect- 
ability of  companionship  when  such  companions  are  thought- 
less, indifferent,  and  self-indulgent.  "The  religious  influence 
of  such  men,"  he  writes,  "where  it  is  bad  is  most  to  be  dreaded. 
The  vulgar  and  dissipated  will  not  have  much  influence  over 
the  man  who  intends  to  maintain  a  fair  standing  in  society.  On 
the  other  hand,  the  respectable  man  may  lead  him  step  by  step  into 
such  evils  that  bring  upon  him,  before  he  is  aware  of  it,  sorrow, 
disgrace,  misery,  and  shame. 

"If  I  was  ever  led  to  stake  anything  at  the  card  table,  I  had. 
the  providential  good  fortune  to  lose.  There  was  thus  cut  off 
the  natural  encouragement  to  engage  in  such  a  vice.  In  all  these 
recreations  there  was  a  spirit  working  within  me  which  drew 
my  attention  to  inner  thoughts  of  a  nobler  sort  until  I  lost  all 
desire  for  cards  and  the  ball  room  and  for  the  company  of  those 
who  enjoyed  that  kind  of  pleasure.  So  much  was  this  the  case, 
that  I  felt  like  a  speckled  bird  in  the  midst  of  my  companions. 
Indeed,  I  learned  by  experience  and  by  the  workings  of  the  spirit 
of  the  Lord  within  my  own  soul  that  the  transitory  pleasures 
of  human  life  do  not  in  any  way  constitute  true  and  lasting  hap- 
piness." 

Before  launching  out  in  business  for  himself,  he  says :  "I 
had  not  acquired  much  taste  for  reading.  Having  at  my  disposal 
each  day  several  leisure  hours,  I  felt  impressed  that  I  must  not 


EARLY  DAYS,  1816-1833.  25 

squander  time  in  idleness.  I  did  not  care  for  novel  reading. 
I  believed  it  to  be  useless.  Nor  had  I  much  taste  for  history, 
having  read  but  little  of  it.  One  day  while  reading  a  school 
book,  I  came  across  these  remarkable  words :  'He  that  will  spend 
his  life  in  that  manner  which  is  most  exaltant  will  find  that 
custom  will  render  it  most  delightsome.'  " 

These  words  made  a  strong  impression  upon  his  mind.  He 
at  once  began  to  read  history.  At  first  he  read  too  much  at  a 
time  to  remember,  to  digest,  and  to  profit  by  it.  After  a  judicious 
regulation  of  this  mental  pastime,  he  read  carefully  histories  of 
the  United  States,  England,  Scotland,  Greece,  and  Rome.  He 
read  Rollin's  Ancient  History,  Josephus,  and  other  books.  They 
became  to  him  a  delight,  and  from  them  he  gained  much  that 
was  helpful. 

"By  perusing  history,"  he  writes,  "we  hold  converse  with 
men  of  judgment,  wisdom,  and  knowledge.  I  finally  took  up  the 
Bible  as  a  study  of  history  and  I  never  found  any  history  equally 
interesting  until  later  on  I  read  the  Book  of  Mormon.  While 
reading  these  books  we  converse,  as  it  were,  with  the  Lord  and 
with  His  holy  prophets  and  apostles.  In  studying  the  Word 
of  the  Lord  we  learn  truths  which  cannot  be  acquired  from  any 
other  source.  Those  books  which  contain  the  revelations  of 
heaven  are  of  far  more  interest  than  books  containing  merely 
the  opinions,  theories,  and  doctrines  of  men." 

During  his  further  stay  with  his  Aunt  Helen,  he  encountered 
other  religious  revivals  without  any  benefit  to  him  further  than 
to  emphasize  his  convictions  that  the  gospel  in  its  purity  was 
not  among  the  people  at  that  time  and  place. 

At  that  time  he  was  called  upon  to  mourn  the  demise  of  his 
beloved  brother,  Philo.  A  few  months  prior  to  his  death,  Philo 
dreamed  that  an  angel  from  heaven  was  going  through  the  streets 
of  the  town  with  a  roll  containing  a  list  of  those  who  should  die 
during  the  year  in  that  town.  The  angel  approached  Philo  and 
unfolded  to  him  the  roll,  at  the  same  time  he  informed  him  that 
on  November  27th  there  would  be  a  funeral  at  his  father's  house. 
Philo  recorded  the  dream  in  his  journal.  On  the  very  day 
named  by  the  angel  his  own  funeral  occurred  at  his  father's 
home.  The  fulfillment  of  this  strange  dream  made  a  lasting  im- 
pression on  Wilford's  mind. 


26  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

The  year  following,  another  very  remarkable  circumstance 
occurred  which  was  equally  impressive  to  his  thoughtful  and 
spiritual  mind.  He  writes :  "I  was  called  to  sit  up  for  the  night 
with  the  remains  of  a  young  man  named  Henry  Miller.  He  had 
been  very  wicked  and  profane.  The  day  before  his  death,  he  at- 
tended a  celebration  of  the  nation's  birthday,  July  4th.  The 
boy's  father,  who  was  a  religious,  God-fearing  man,  reproved  the 
son  for  his  profanity  and  wickedness.  Shortly  after  this,  he 
and  his  father  were  on  the  way  to  the  field  to  get  some  hay  when 
there  suddenly  arose  a  heavy  shower  accompanied  by  thunder 
and  lightning.  Henry  made  sport  of  the  roaring  elements  and 
mocked  God  in  the  thunder.  The  next  moment,  while  standing  by 
his  father's  side,  he  was  struck  by  a  thunderbolt  from 
heaven.  I  attended  his  funeral.  The  circumstances  of  his  death 
made  a  lasting  impression  on  me." 

Like  many,  for  whom  there  is  in  store  a  remarkable  religious 
future,  Wilford  was  called  to  suffer  financial  reverses  that  he 
might  learn  how  uncertain  are  the  goods  of  this  world  and  that 
he  might  feel  the  full  force  of  that  divine  fiat:  "Cursed  is  he 
that  trusteth  in  riches ;  cursed  is  he  that  trusteth  in  man,  or 
maketh  flesh  his  arm."  He  had  earned  considerable  money  while 
running  the  flour  mill  for  his  Aunt  Helen,  but  lost  much  of  it  by 
lending  it  to  an  unprincipled  man,  and  by  helping  others  who  were 
unable  to  repay  him.  These  peculiar  experiences,  temporal  and 
spiritual,  fortunes  and  misfortunes,  accidents  and  trials  among 
people  away  from  his  own  home  filled  his  soul  with  grave  reflec- 
tions and  brought  him  to  take  a  stand  relative  to  his  own  future 
course  in  life.  He  was  high-minded,  had  no  vices  or  bad  habits,and 
his  standard  of  purity  and  excellence  was  so  high  that  he  never 
indulged  in  light-mindedness  or  in  trifling  recreations.  To  him 
they  were  grevious  sins  in  the  sight  of  God ;  and  he  believed  with 
the  Prophet  Joseph  that  they  should  be  eschewed.  He  was  con- 
stantly striving  for  a  higher  plane  upon  which  he  might  firmly 
plant  his  feet. 

"I  was  twenty-three  years  of  age ;  and  in  reflecting  upon  the 
past,  I  became  sincerely  convinced  that  there  was  no  real  peace 
of  mind  or  true  happiness  except  in  the  service  of  God  and  in 
doing  those  things  which  would  meet  His  approval.  As  far  as  my 
imagination  would  enable  me,  I  brought  before  my  mind  all  the 


EARLY  DAYS,  1816-1833.  27 

honor,  glory,  and  happiness  of  the  whole  world.  I  thought  of  the 
gold  and  the  wealth  of  the  rich,  of  the  glory,  grandeur,  and  power 
of  kings,  presidents,  princes,  and  rulers.  I  thought  of  the  mili- 
tary renown  of  Alexander,  Napoleon,  and  other  great  generals. 
I  cast  my  mind  over  the  innumerable  paths  through  which  the 
giddy  world  travels  in  search  of  pleasure  and  happiness.  In  sum- 
ming up  the  whole  matter  in  the  vision  of  my  mind,  I  had  to 
exclaim  with  Solomon:  'All  is  vanity  of  vanities  sayeth  the 
preacher/ 

"  I  could  see  that  within  a  few  years  all  would  end  alike  in 
the  grave.  I  was  convinced  that  no  man  could  enjoy  true  hap- 
piness and  obtain  that  which  would  feed  the  immortal  soul,  except 
God  was  his  friend  and  Jesus  Christ  his  advocate.  I  was  con- 
vinced that  man  became  their  friend  by  doing  the  will  of  the 
Father,  and  by  keeping  His  comandments.  I  made  a  firm  reso- 
lution that  from  then  I  would  seek  the  Lord  to  know  His  will,  to 
keep  His  commandments,  and  to  follow  the  dictates  of  His  Holy 
Spirit.  Upon  this  ground  I  was  determined  to  stand  and  to  spend 
my  future  life  in  the  maintenance  of  these  convictions."  It  will 
be  here  easily  seen  that  determination  which  led  him  through 
all  the  subsequent  years  of  his  life  to  do  whatever  he  did  for  the 
glory  of  God. 

In  May,  1830,  he  was  employed  to  run  a  flour  mill  for  Mr. 
Samuel  Collins  of  Collinsville,  Connecticut.  At  first  he  went  to 
board  with  about  thirty  young  men.  These  being  of  a  worldly 
turn  of  mind,  he  did  not  enjoy  their  influence  and  therefore 
took  up  his  residence  in  the  family  of  Mr.  Dudley  D.  Sackett. 

About  this  time,  under  the  influence  of  a  religious  revival, 
his  brother  Asahel  made  profession  of  religion  and  seemed  very 
devoted.  Wilford  became  specially  anxious  to  know  the  will  of 
the  Lord.  "I  prayed  night  and  day,  and  the  Lord  blest  me  with 
much  of  His  spirit.  These  began  to  be  the  happiest  days  of  my 
life.  I  felt  that  the  sun,  moon,  and  stars;  the  mountains,  hills, 
and  valleys ;  and  that  all  creation  were  united  in  the  praise  of  the 
Lord." 

"My  work  in  the  mill  was  very  light  and  I  passed  much  of 
my  time  in  reading,  in  meditation,  and  in  prayer.  I  read  the 
Bible  and  it  was  like  a  new  book  to  me.  I  received  much  light 
in  perusing  its  sacred  pages.  If  I  was  cast  down,  tried,  or 


28  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

tempted,  I  found  in  it  relief  in  connection  with  the  Spirit  of  God. 
The  religious  reformation  continued  in  Farmington  and  a  number 
of  my  relatives  were  actively  engaged  in  the  service  of  the  Lord 
according  to  the  best  light  they  had.  Among  them  were  my 
Uncle  Ozem  Woodruff  and  his  wife  Hannah.  They  were  good 
people  and  I  was  much  attached  to  them,  having  lived  with  them 
a  good  deal  in  my  early  life.  I  enjoyed  their  society  very  much. 

"A  short  distance  from  the  mill  was  a  beautiful  island  upon 
the  top  of  which  was  a  level  field  covered  with  flowers.  The 
island  was  surrounded  by  a  rapid  current  of  water  clashing  over 
the  rocks.  The  banks  of  the  current  were  thickly  studded  by  tall, 
waving  pines.  I  chose  this  pleasant  retreat  on  the  top  of  the 
island  as  my  place  of  prayer  and  supplication.  I  retired  to  it 
many  times,  both  by  day  and  by  night  and  offered  up  my  soul  in 
prayer  to  the  Lord.  I  never  shall  forget  the  happy  hours  I  spent 
alone  in  meditation  and  prayer  upon  that  solitary  island.  When  sit- 
ting there  alone,  there  would  come  to  my  mind  the  words  of 
Robert  Pollock: 

'In  the  wide  desert  where  the  view  was  large, 

Pleasant  were  many  scenes,  but  most  to  me 

The  solitude  of  vast  extent  untouched  by  hand 

Whose  nature  sowed  herself  and  reaped  her  crop; 

Whose  garments  were  the  clouds ;  whose  minstrels,  brooks ; 

Whose  lamps,  the  moon  and  stars ;  whose  organ  choir, 

The  voice  of  many  waters ;  whose  banquets, 

The  falling  leaves ;  whose  heroes,  storms ;  whose  warriors, 

Mighty  winds;  whose  lovers,  flowers; 

Whose  orators,  the  thunderbolt  of  God; 

Whose  palaces,  the  everlasting  hills ; 

Whose  ceilings,  Heaven's  unfathomable  blue ; 

And  from  whose  rocky  turrets  battled  high 

Prospects  immense  spread  out  on  all  sides  in  air, 

Lost  now  between  the  welkin  and  the  main, 

Now  walked  with  hills  that  slept  above  the  storm.' 

"The  Lord  blest  me  with  joy  and  happiness  such  as  I  had 
never  before  enjoyed,  doubtless  because  I  was  living  up  to  the 
best  light  I  had.  I  had  no  apostle  or  prophet  to  teach  me  the 
right  way ;  so  I  had  to  do  the  best  I  could.  In  my  zeal  to  promote 


EARLY  DAYS,  1816-1833.  29 

good,  I  got  up  prayer  meetings  in  our  village  and  prayed  for 
light  and  knowledge.  It  was  my  desire  to  receive  the  ordinances 
of  the  gospel,  as  I  could  plainly  see  by  reading  the  Bible  that 
baptism  by  immersion  was  a  sacred  ordinance.  In  my  eagerness, 
yet  being  ignorant  of  the  holy  priesthood  and  of  the  true 
authority  to  officiate  in  the  ordinances  of  eternal  life,  I  requested 
the  Baptist  minister  to  baptize  me.  At  first  he  refused  because 
I  told  him  I  would  not  join  his  church  as  it  did  not  harmonize  with 
the  apostolic  church  which  our  Savior  established.  Finally  after 
several  conversations,  he  baptized  me  on  the  5th  of  May,  1831.  He 
also  baptized  my  brother  Asahel.  This  was  the  first  and  only  gospel 
ordinance  I  sought  for  until  I  joined  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ 
of  Latter-day  Saints." 

Wilford  continued  with  Mr.  Collins  for  less  than  a  year,  but 
left  him  with  the  best  feelings.  The  latter  told  Wilford  that 
he  would  always  be  welcome  at  his  home,  and  that  as  an  honorable 
young  man,  worthy  of  trust,  he  would  cheerfully  give  him  any 
recommendations  he  desired. 

Wilford  held  himself  aloof  from  membership  in  any  of  the 
churches.  He  visited  their  meetings  and  conversed  with  their 
ministers.  He  wanted  to  know  why  there  were  no  more  apostles 
and  prophets.  He  was  told  that  they  were  done  away  with,  because 
they  were  no  longer  needed.  Such  a  statement  only  intensified 
his  disbelief  in  sectarian  churches. 

On  one  occasion,  after  praying  most  earnestly  to  know  about 
the  people  of  the  Lord,  if  any  such  there  were  on  earth,  he  says : 
"The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  said  unto  me:  'Go  to  my  Word  and  I 
will  there  show  thee  my  will  and  answer  thy  prayer/  I  opened 
the  Bible  promiscuously,  praying  the  Lord  to  direct  me  to  that 
portion  of  his  Word  which  would  answer  my  prayer.  I  opened 
to  the  56th  Chapter  of  Isaiah.  I  was  satisfied  it  was  in  response 
to  my  prayer.  I  felt  that  the  salvation  of  God  was  about  to  be 
revealed  and  His  righteousness  come  forth.  I  was  also  satisfied 
that  I  should  live  to  see  the  people  of  God  gathered.  From  this 
time  on  until  the  gospel  found  me  I  was  contented  and  felt  that 
I  should  trouble  myself  no  more  about  the  churches  and  the 
ministers.  In  our  zeal  my  brother  Azmon  and  I  adopted  the  wor- 
ship of  the  Lord  on  Saturday  instead  of  Sunday.  I  felt  that  a 
change  from  the  seventh  to  the  first  day  of  the  week  was  like- 


30  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

ly  a  perversion  made  by  man  without  authority  from  heaven." 
It  was  while  staying  with  Mr.  Cowles  in  the  spring  of  1832 
that  he  saw  for  the  first  time  an  account  of  the  "Mormons." 
These  were  described  in  a  newspaper  article  as  a  new  sect  claiming 
to  have  new  revelations  and  to  be  built  upon  the  foundation  of 
prophets  and  apostles  the  same  as  the  ancient  Saints.  The  editor 
of  the  newspaper  ridiculed  the  Mormons,  but  Wilford  was  favor- 
ably impressed.  From  that  time  on  he  desired  to  see  these  new 
people ;  for  if  they  enjoyed  the  gifts  which  were  bestowed  upon 
the  ancient  Saints,  they  were  the  very  people  for  whom  he  was 
seeking. 

Soon  after  this  he  made  a  settlement  with  Mr.  Cowles  and 
arranged  his  affairs  with  a  view  of  moving  to  western  New 
York.  Of  the  circumstances  leading  up  to  this  change  in  his  life, 
he  writes :  "The  spirit  that  was  upon  me  day  and  night  said, 
'Go  to  Rhode  Island.'  My  mind  was  greatly  exercised  over  the 
matter  for  I  could  not  comprehend  what  it  meant.  I  went  to  live 
with  my  brother  Azmon  until  our  departure  for  New  York.  After 
saluting  him,  I  said:  'I  wonder  what  the  Lord  wants  of  me  in 
Rhode  Island!  The  spirit  of  the  Lord  has  rested  upon  me  for 
two  weeks  and  said,  "Go  to  Rhode  Island."  In  about  an  hour 
after  this  my  brother  Asahel  arrived  on  a  visit.  After  shaking 
hands  with  him,  almost  the  first  words  he  spoke  were :  'I  wonder 
what  the  Lord  wants  of  me  in  Rhode  Island!  The  spirit  of 
the  Lord  has  been  upon  me  for  two  or  three  weeks  and  has  told 
me  to  go  to  Rhode  Island.'  This  caused  us  to  marvel  exceedingly. 
We  had  not  seen  each  other  for  several  months.  My  brother 
Azmon  thought  that  as  we  were  ready  to  go  to  New  York,  we 
better  not  go  to  Rhode  Island.  To  this  we  consented  with  great 
reluctance.  I  felt  sure  it  was  our  duty  to  go  there,  although  at 
that  time  it  was  a  mystery." 

Later  on  when  the  gospel  came  to  them  in  New  York,  Wil- 
ford learned  that  if  they  had  gone  to  Rhode  Island  they  would 
have  met  Elders  Orson  Hyde  and  Samuel  H.  Smith  and  would 
have  thus  received  the  gospel  at  an  earlier  date  than  they  did  by 
at  least  one  year.  Had  they  gone  to  Rhode  Island  and  received 
the  gospel  there,  they  would  have  undoubtedly  gone  direct  to  Kirt- 
land,  Ohio.  As  it  was,  they  stopped  in  New  York  where  they 
purchased  a  farm. 


EARLY  DAYS,  1816-1833.  31 

This  incident  furnished  an  illustration  of  the  safety  of  obey- 
ing the  spirit  of  the  Lord,  even  when  the  reason  at  the  time  is 
not  apparent.  The  example  of  Adam  is  a  further  illustration  of 
that  same  beautiful  truth.  "Adam,  why  dost  thou  offer  sacri- 
fice?" asked  the  angel.  "I  know  not,"  was  the  reply,  "save  that 
God  has  commanded  me."  Such  illustrations  show  the  folly  of 
basing  one's  conduct  wholly  upon  experience,  or  upon  the  powers 
of  human  understanding.  There  are  other  lamps  to  guide  our 
feet  than  that  of  experience  or  the  wisdom  of  man.  The  incident 
is  a  striking  illustration  also  of  the  untruth  of  that  sometime 
infidel  dogma  which  says:  "We  doubt  all  things  in  order  to 
prove  all  things."  It  is  better  to  hold  with  inspired  men:  "We 
believe  all  things  from  God  in  order  to  know  all  things." 

Wilford  Woodruff  and  his  brother  Azmon  bade  their  father 
good-bye.  With  $800,  and  a  tin  trunk  each,  they  journeyed  to 
Richland,  Oswego  County,  New  York.  There  they  purchased  a 
farm  of  140  acres  and  a  good  dwelling  house  at  a  cost  of  $1,800. 
They  paid  the  amount  they  had  with  them,  the  balance  at  a 
subsequent  date. 

During  their  residence  in  Richland,  the  cholera  made  its  ap- 
pearance in  the  United  States.  Azmon  was  seized  by  the  dread 
malady.  Of  this  circumstance  and  the  faith  of  his  brother,  Wil- 
ford writes :  "Azmon  was  a  very  peculiar  person  from  his 
childhood.  He  was  very  strict  in  reading  the  Bible  and  in  at- 
tending to  his  prayers.  He  enjoyed  much  of  the  spirit  of  the 
Lord  and  had  considerable  light.  I  was  greatly  edified  by  his 
teachings  and  conversations.  When  he  was  sick,  he  did  not  em- 
ploy a  physician,  but  trusted  in  the  Lord  absolutely.  In  the  fall 
of  1833  he  had  a  very  severe  attack  of  the  cholera.  His  wife  and 
I  laid  our  hands  upon  his  head  agreeable  to  his  request  and 
prayed  for  him.  We  asked  the  Lord  to  rebuke  the  disease  and 
commanded  it  to  depart  from  him.  From  that  hour  the  cholera 
was  checked.  He  was  immediately  healed.  The  next  morning 
he  was  able  to  arise  from  his  bed  and  walk.  Such  was  his 
faith.  He  had  passed  through  many  ordeals  of  sickness  and  was 
always  healed  by  the  power  of  God  and  without  medical  aid." 

This  recital  brings  us  to  the  winter  of  1833  when  the  full 
blaze  of  the  gospel  light  was  about  to  shine  in  splendor  upon  the 
soul  of  Wilford  Woodruff. 


CHAPTER  5. 

BAPTISM,  1833. 

Elders  Visit  Richland,  N.  Y.— The  New  Message.— Wilford  Woodruff's 
Testimony. — The  Book  of  Mormon. — Healing  Power. — Baptism. — 
Ordained  a  Teacher. 

The  movement  westward  when  Wilford  Woodruff  located  in 
Richland,  New  York  was  in  full  accord  with  the  restless  energy 
and  ambitious  purposes  of  a  new  and  active  generation.  The  move- 
ment called  for  the  best  talent  and  most  ardent  workers  of  those 
times.  In  Richland  this  young  man  gave  his  old  time  zeal  to  a 
new  found  occupation.  What  lay  at  hand  to  do  he  did  with  all  his 
might.  The  duties  and  occupations  of  his  life  were  with  him  never 
temporary,  never  makeshifts,  and  he  never  waited  for  something  to 
turn  up.  Nor  did  the  frequent  interruptions  in  his  occupations 
all  through  life  ever  give  to  him  an  unsteady  aim,  or  a  waning 
enthusiasm.  When  he  plowed  in  the  earth,  he  saw  God's  will 
in  the  furrows.  There  was  divine  harmony  in  the  click  of  the 
mill,  and  the  song  of  heaven  in  the  warblings  of  the  birds.  He 
"settled  down"  in  Richland  with  the  fervent  expectation  that,  God 
willing,  it  should  be  to  him  a  permanent  home. 

In  the  midst  of  the  busy  life  he  had  taken  up  in  his  new 
home,  there  came  to  him  a  message  of  joy,  a  warning  voice,  to 
whose  accents  his  soul  had  long  been  attuned.  In  the  winter  of 
1833,  and  on  the  29th  day  of  December,  there  came  to  his  home 
two  humble  elders  of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day 
Saints.  They  were  Zera  Pulsipher  and  Elijah  Cheney.  At  the 
time  of  their  appearance,  he  and  his  brother  Azmon  were  away 
from  the  house  engaged  in  their  daily  labors;  but  Azmon's  wife 
knew  very  well  the  frame  of  mind,  both  of  her  husband  and  his 
brother  Wilford.  Their  hopes  and  expectations  had  been  the 
subject  of  conversation  in  their  humble  home.  She  therefore  re- 
ceived the  elders  kindly  and  gave  them  to  understand  that  her  hus- 
band and  his  brother  would  be  anxious  to  hear  them  preach 

According  to  the  custom  of  the  Mormon  elders  then,  as  now, 
a  meeting  was  appointed  at  the  schoolhouse  and  notices  were  cir- 
culated throughout  the  village.  The  story  of  this  new  experience 
is  told  by  Wilford  Woodruff  in  a  simple  and  beautiful  manner: 


BAPTISM,  1833.  33 

"Upon  my  arrival  home  my  sister-in-law  informed  me  of  the 
meeting.  I  immediately  turned  out  my  horses  and  started  for  the 
schoolhouse  without  waiting  for  supper.  On  my  way  I  prayed 
most  sincerely  that  the  Lord  would  give  me  His  spirit,  and  that 
if  these  men  were  the  servants  of  God  I  might  know  it,  and  that 
my  heart  might  be  prepared  to  receive  the  divine  message  they 
had  to  deliver. 

"When  I  reached  the  place  of  meeting,  I  found  the  house 
already  packed.  My  brother  Azmon  was  there  before  I  arrived. 
He  was  equally  eager  to  hear  what  these  men  had  to  say.  I 
crowded  my  way  through  the  assembly  and  seated  myself  upon 
one  of  the  writing  desks  where  I  could  see  and  hear  everything 
that  took  place. 

"Elder  Pulsipher  opened  with  prayer.  He  knelt  down  and 
asked  the  Lord  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  for  what  he  wanted. 
His  manner  of  prayer  and  the  influence  which  went  with  it  im- 
pressed me  greatly.  The  spirit  of  the  Lord  rested  upon  jne 
and  bore  witness  that  he  was  a  servant  of  God.  After  singing, 
he  preached  to  the  people  for  an  hour  and  a  half.  The  spirit 
of  God  rested  mightily  upon  him  and  he  bore  a  strong  testimony 
of  the  divine  authenticity  of  the  Book  of  Mormon  and  of  the 
mission  of  the  Prophet  Joseph  Smith.  I  believed  all  that  he  said. 
The  spirit  bore  witness  of  its  truth.  Elder  Cheney  then  arose  and 
added  his  testimony  to  the  truth  of  the  words  of  Elder  Pulsi- 
pher. 

"Liberty  was  then  given  by  the  elders  to  any  one  in  the 
congregation  to  arise  and  speak  for  or  against  what  they  had 
heard  as  they  might  choose.  Almost  instantly  I  found  myself 
upon  my  feet.  The  spirit  of  the  Lord  urged  me  to  bear  testimony 
to  the  truth  of  the  message  delivered. by  these  elders.  I  exhorted 
my  neighbors  and  friends  not  to  oppose  these  men;  for  they 
were  the  true  servants  of  God.  They  had  preached  to  us  that 
night  the  pure  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ.  When  I  sat  down,  my 
brother  Azmon  arose  and  bore  a  similar  testimony.  He  was 
followed  by  several  others." 

No  more  beautiful  illustration  of  the  manner  in  which  this 
new  message  found  its  way  into  the  homes  of  thousands  of  peo- 
ple could  be  given  than  that  taken  from  the  quotations  herein 
given.  The  power  of  an  elder's  testimony  has  borne  down  upon 


34  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

the  souls  of  men  and  women  until  like  the  Saints  of  old  they 
have  exclaimed:  "Men  and  brethren,  what  shall  we  do."  The 
spirit  of  this  meeting  was  not  only  convincing,  but  controling 
in  its  power.  No  man  arose  to  say  nay.  If  there  were  present 
in  that  meeting  a  spirit  of  dissent,  opposition,  or  hatred,  it  was 
quelled  and  silenced  by  the  power  of  God  manifested  in  the 
testimonies  of  those  humble  men. 

The  Woodruff  brothers  were  aroused  to  a  spirit  of  investi- 
gation. They  were  full  of  hope  and  of  grand  expectations.  They 
wanted  to  harmonize  the  new  message  with  the  word  of  God  as 
pronounced  in  Holy  Writ.  They  had  rested  heretofore  their  faith 
upon  its  teachings.  In  all  matters  religious,  it  had  been  their 
supreme  guide.  They  were  anxious  to  know  more,  and  there- 
fore took  the  elders  with  them  to  their  home  and  sat  up  late 
that  night  conversing  upon  the  principles  of  the  gospel. 

Wilford  began  at  once  to  read  the  Book  of  Mormon.  "As 
I  did  so,"  he  writes,  "the  spirit  bore  witness  that  the  record  which 
it  contained  was  true.  I  opened  my  eyes  to  see,  my  ears  to  hear, 
and  my  heart  to  understand.  I  also  opened  my  doors  to  entertain 
the  servants  of  God."  He  at  once  became  a  living  witness  to  the 
truth  of  the  promise  made  in  that  book  that  whoso  should  read 
it  with  a  prayerful  heart  should  have  a  witness  of  its  truth,  and 
whoso  should  receive  the  record  and  not  condemn  it  because  of  the 
imperfections  which  might  appear  in  its  language  should  know 
greater  things  to  come.  The  spirit  of  that  book  brought  divine 
harmony  to  his  soul  so  wonderfully  attuned  to  the  spirit  and 
language  of  the  Bible. 

Those  were  days  of  grand  opportunities  for  a  soul  that  had 
been  so  long  in  a  state  of  hunger  and  thirst  after  righteousness. 
The  new  message  brought  to  him  a  new  enthusiasm.  On  the  30th 
of  the  month,  Wilford  and  the  elders  called  upon  Noah  Holton, 
a  preacher  of  the  Freewill  Baptist  denomination,  whose  daughter 
was  very  ill.  After  listening  to  the  elders  for  some  time,  Mr. 
Holton  made  a  solemn  covenant  to  go  forward  and  be  baptized 
if  the  Lord  would  heal  his  daughter.  The  elders  laid  their  hands 
upon  her  and  she  was  healed  by  the  power  of  God. 

It  was  not  a  time  for  delay.  These  brothers  had  long  waited 
for  the  message  which  had  now  brought  the  glorious  tidings 
of  a  divine  call.  They  would  not  delay  obedience  to  those  ordi- 


BAPTISM,  1833.  35 

nances  which  opened  the  door  to  the  enjoyment  of  greater  light. 
They  asked  for  baptism  at  the  hands  of  the  elders.  On  Decem- 
ber 31st,  the  last  day  of  the  year,  1833,  there  assembled  at  the 
water's  edge  about  11  o'clock  in  the  morning  a  large  number  of 
people  who  witnessed  the  baptism  of  Wilford  Woodruff  by 
Zera  Pulsipher.  There  were  baptized  at  the  same  time  his  brother 
Azmon,  also  two  young  ladies  who  had  been  healed  the  day  be- 
fore. Of  this  circumstance  he  writes  in  his  journal:  "The  snow 
was  about  three  feet  deep,  the  day  was  cold,  and  the  water  was 
mixed  with  ice  and  snow,  yet  I  did  not  feel  the  cold." 

There  was  a  public  meeting  held  that  night  by  candle-light 
and  a  large  congregation  assembled;  but  unlike  the  meeting  that 
was  first  held,  there  was  a  spirit  of  opposition.  After  explaining 
to  the  people  the  ordinance  of  the  laying  on  of  hands,  the  elders 
confirmed  Wilford  and  his  companions  members  of  the  Church 
by  the  laying  on  of  hands  for  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  Speaking 
of  thrs  meeting  he  says :  "There  was  a  good  deal  of  darkness 
in  the  room ;  but  when  the  congregation  dispersed,  the  people 
took  away  with  them  that  darkness.  The  Holy  Ghost  fell  upon  us 
and  we  had  a  time  of  great  rejoicing.  The  next  day,  January 
1st,  1834,  my  brother  Azmon  reproached  Noah  Holton  for  his 
tardiness  in  receiving  the  gospel  after  he  had  made  a  covenant 
to  obey  it  on  condition  that  his  daughter  be  healed.  Holton 
received  the  warning  and  was  baptized." 

The  story  of  Wilford  Woodruff's  conversion  was  simply  a 
continuation  of  the  life  carefully  prepared  to  receive  the  new 
message,  and  to  embrace  in  all  sincerity  the  truth  which  it  con- 
tained. What  a  similarity  of  experience  is  found  in  the  lives  of 
Joseph  Smith,  Brigham  Young,  Heber  C.  Kimball,  John  Taylor, 
and  indeed  thousands  of  Latter-day  Saints  !  It  was  the  same  spirit 
of  inquiry,  the  same  profound  and  heartfelt  desire  to  know 
the  whole  truth  of  God's  existence  and  His  divine  purpose  respect- 
ing the  children  of  men.  The  truth  is,  the  new  spirit  of  a  coming 
dispensation  was  upon  them.  Their  hearts  were  strongly  inclined 
to  worship.  They  were  eager  to  know  how  they  should  worship ; 
for  they  saw  in  the  religious  contentions  of  those  days  a  spirit 
strange  to  the  teachings  of  the  Bible.  They  were  in  very  truth, 
"Sheep  who  knew  the  shepherd's  voice  and  a  stranger  they  would 
not  follow." 


36  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

There  is  something  beautiful  in  the  ambitions  of  Wilford 
Woodruff  throughout  a  long  life  of  great  service.  He  was  am- 
bitious to  know  the  will  of  God  and  to  be  worthy  of  Divine  appro- 
bation. If  he  could  only  be  an  active  worker  in  the  Church  ol 
Christ;  if  the  Lord  would  only  receive  him  into  Divine  service, 
his  ambitions  would  be  realized. 

On  January  25th,  1834,  Elder  Pulsipher  organized  the  Saints 
in  Richland  into  a  branch  of  the  Church.  He  ordained  Wil- 
ford Woodruff  to  the  office  of  a  teacher  and  gave  him  a  written 
license  which  embodied  the  certificate  of  his  baptism  and  his  ordi 
nation.  "I  felt,"  he  writes,  "that  I  could  truly  exclaim  with  the 
prophet  of  God,  'I  had  rather  be  a  door-keeper  in  the  house 
of  my  God  than  to  dwell  in  the  tents  of  wickedness.'  The  fulne.-s 
of  the  everlasting  gospel  had  come  at  last.  It  filled  my  heart 
with  great  joy.  It  laid  the  foundation  of  a  greater  and  more 
glorious  work  than  I  ever  expected  to  see  in  this  life.  I  pray 
God  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  to  guide  my  future  life,  that 
I  may  live  to  His  honor  and  glory,  and  be  a  blessing  to  my  fellow- 
men,  and  in  the  end  be  saved  in  His  celestial  kingdom,  even  so, 
Amen." 


CHAPTER  6. 

ZION'S  CAMP,  1834. 

His  First  Call. — Leaves  for  Kirtland. — His  Neighbors'  Warning. — 
First  Meeting  with  Prophet. — A  Remarkable  Prophetic  Gift. — 
Zion's  Camp. — Zelph. — Escape  Mob  at  Fishing  River. — Epidemic 
of  Cholera. — His  Residence  in  Missouri. — Consecrations. 

Perhaps  no  man  in  the  Church  ever  felt  more  profoundly 
the  truth  of  the  words,  "God  moves  in  a  mysterious  way  His 
wonders  to  perform,"  than  Wilford  Woodruff.  He  was  so  in- 
tensely spiritual,  so  completely  devoted  to  the  service  of  God, 
that  all  through  his  life  the  miraculous  manifestations  of  God's 
purposes  were  abundantly  given.  He  had  never  based  his  faith 
upon  miracles,  they  merely  confirmed  what  he  believed  with  all 
his  heart  and  supported  his  ideas  of  the  teachings  of  Holy  Writ. 

Confirming  the  divine  power  which  attended  his  baptism, 
the  words  of  the  Prophet  Joseph  contained  in  George  Q.  Cannon's 
history  are  here  given :  "In  view  of  all  that  has  since  occurred, 
it  is  a  remarkable  fact  that  the  Prophet  recorded  in  his  journal 
of  the  31st  of  December,  1833,  the  fact  that  'Wilford  Woodruff 
was  baptized  at  Richland,  Oswego  County,  New  York,  bv  Z^ra 
Pulsipher,'  and  this  was  before  the  Prophet  and  the  future  apostle 
and  president  had  ever  met  in  the  flesh.  This  is  not  the  only 
mention  of  Wilford  Woodruff  in  Joseph's  diary  pri  ..r  to  their 
meeting.  In  one  place  the  Prophet  notices  that  Wilford  had 
been  ordained  a  teacher.  It  was  the  25th  day  of  April,  1834, 
when  Wilford  Woodruff  visited  the  Prophet  at  Kirtland,  and  from 
that  time  on  until  Joseph's  death  they  were  intimately  associated. 
It  was  clear  that  Joseph  felt  the  staunch  worthiness  of  his  young 
brother,  and  in  relying  upon  him,  the  Prophet  was  leaning  upon 
no  weak  or  broken  reed ;  for  Wilford  Woodruff  had  then  and  has 
ever  since  shown  the  fidelity  of  a  Saint,  and  the  integrity  and 
prophetic  power  of  an  apostle  of  Jesus  Christ.  He  was  one  of 
the  most  faithful  of  all  the  men  who  were  gathered  near  to  the 
Prophet's  person,  to  share  his  trials  and  his  confidences.  Wilford 
Woodruff  never  made  any  attempt  to  cultivate  showy  qualities, 
and  yet  he  was  always  marked  among  his  fellows ;  his  character- 
istic humility  and  unswerving  honesty  being  sufficient  to  attract 


38  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

the  attention  of  all  who  have  known  him.  His  is  another  of 
the  names  to  be  recorded  with  that  of  Joesph,  and  it  is  worthy  to 
stand  side  by  side  with  the  names  of  Brigham  Young  and  John 
Taylor,  for  he  was  as  loyal  to  them  as  he  and  they  were  to  Joseph, 
the  first  prophet  of  this  dispensation." 

From  the  outset,  the  subject  of  this  biography  became  a  most 
ardent  worker  in  the  cause  he  had  espoused.  He  was  ordained 
a  teacher  and  found  immediate  opportunity  to  give  expression 
to  his  intense  desire  to  declare  his  belief  in  the  purposes  of  his 
Maker.  He  and  the  Brother  Holton  herein  mentioned,  shortly 
after  their  baptism,  walked  sixty-five  miles  to  Fabius  to  hold  a 
meeting. 

Events  of  far-reaching  importance  were  rapidly  closing  in 
upon  him.  On  the  1st  of  April,  Elders  Parley  P.  Pratt  and 
Harry  Brown  arrived  at  Richland.  They  were  there  on  an  im- 
portant mission.  They  were  in  search  of  young  and  able-bodied 
men  in  the  eastern  branches  of  the  Church — young  men  whose 
services  were  needed  in  Zion's  Camp,  an  organization  which 
at  that  time  was  being  effected  for  the  purpose  of  assisting  in 
the  redemption  of  Zion,  and  of  carrying  supplies  to  the  suf- 
fering Saints  who  had  been  expelled  by  mob  violence  from  their 
homes  in  Jackson  County,  Missouri. 

This  was  the  first  time  Wilford  Woodruff  had  met  Parley 
P.  Pratt,  to  whose  instructions  he  listened  with  great  interest 
and  attention,  and  says  he  was  greatly  edified  by  what  he  had  to 
say.  Elder  Pratt  informed  him  that  it  was  his  duty  to  prepare 
himself  to  go  up  to  the  land  of  Zion.  He  accordingly  settled 
up  his  business  affairs,  and  bade  good-bye  to  his  brother  and 
kinsfolk  in  Richland. 

On  April  llth  Wilford  took  Harry  Brown  and  Warren 
Ingles  in  his  wagon  and  started  with  them  for  Kirtland,  Ohio. 
On  the  way  he  met  for  the  first  time  Elders  Orson  Pratt  and 
John  Murdock.  They  all  arrived  in  Kirtland  April  25th,  1834 
Before  he  left  Richland,  many  of  his  friends  and  neighbors 
warned  him  not  to  go,  and  declared  that  if  he  did  go,  he  would 
be  killed.  He  replied  that  the  Lord  had  commanded  him,  and  that 
he  would  go;  that  he  had  no  fears  of  any  evil  consequences 
as  long  as  he  obeyed  the  Lord. 

He  gives  an  account  of  his  first  meeting  with  the  Prophet 


ZION'S  CAMP,  1834.  39 

as  follows :  "Here  for  the  first  time  in  my  life  I  met  and  had  an 
interview  with  our  beloved  Prophet  Joseph  Smith,  the  man  whom 
God  had  chosen  to  bring  forth  His  revelations  in  these  last  days. 
My  first  introduction  was  not  of  a  kind  to  satisfy  the  precon- 
ceived notions  of  the  sectarian  mind  as  to  what  a  prophet  ought 
to  be,  and  how  he  should  appear.  It  might  have  shocked  the  faith 
of  some  men.  I  found  him  and  his  brother  Hyrum  out  shooting 
at  a  mark  with  a  brace  of  pistols.  When  they  stopped  shooting, 
I  was  introduced  to  Brother  Joseph,  and  he  shook  hands  with  me 
most  heartily.  He  invited  me  to  make  his  habitation  my  home 
while  I  tarried  in  Kirtland.  This  invitation  I  most  eagerly  ac- 
cepted, and  was  greatly  edified  and  blest  during  my  stay  with  him. 
He  asked  me  to  help  him  tan  a  wolfskin  which  he  said  he  wished 
to  use  upon  the  seat  of  his  wagon  on  the  way  to  Missouri.  I 
pulled  off  my  coat,  stretched  the  skin  across  the  back  of  a  chair, 
and  soon  had  it  tanned — although  I  had  to  smile  at  my  first  ex- 
perience with  the  Prophet. 

"That  night  we  had  a  most  enjoyable  and  profitable  time 
in  his  home.  In  conversation,  he  smote  his  hand  upon  his  breasjt 
and  said,  T  would  to  God  I  could  unbosom  my  feelings  in  the 
house  of  my  friends.'  He  said  in  relation  to  Zion's  Camp; 
'Brethren,  don't  be  discouraged  about  our  not  having  means.  The 
Lord  will  provide,  and  He  will  put  it  into  the  heart  of  somebody 
to  send  me  some  money.'  The  very  next  day  he  received  a  letter 
from  Sister  Vose,  containing  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars. 
When  he  opened  the  letter  and  took  out  the  money,  he  held  it  up 
and  exclaimed :  'See  here,  did  I  not  tell  you  the  Lord  would  send 
me  some  money  to  help  us  on  our  journey?  Here  it  is.'  I  felt 
satisfied  that  Joseph  was  a  Prophet  of  God  in  very  deed." 

Prior  to  his  departure  with  Zion's  Camp,  Wilford  Woodruff 
became  acquainted  with  many  leading  men  and  private  members  of 
the  Church,  some  of  whom  were  destined  to  be  his  co-laborers 
throughout  subsequent  years  of  his  life.  Besides  the  Prophet,  the 
patriarch  and  their  families,  he  became  acquainted  with  Brigham 
Young,  Orson  Hyde,  Milton  Holmes,  Sidney  Rigdon,  and  many 
jthers  whose  names  occur  in  the  early  history  of  the  Church. 

"I  passed  one  Sabbath  in  Kirtland,"  he  writes,  "and  heard 
many  of  the  elders  speak.  I  rejoiced  before  God  because  of  the 
light  and  knowledge  which  were  manifested  to  me  during  that 


40  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

day.  The  first  day  of  May,  1834,  was  appointed  for  the  Camp  of 
Zion  to  start  from  Kirtland.  Only  a  few  of  those  composing  the 
Camp  were  ready. 

"The  Prophet  asked  those  who  were  ready,  to  go  as  far  as 
New  Portage  and  there  await  the  arrival  of  those  who  would 
follow  later.  I  left  in  company  with  about  twenty  men  with 
baggage  wagons.  At  night  we  pitched  our  tents.  Climbing  to 
the  top  of  the  hill,  I  looked  down  upon  the  Camp  of  Israel.  There 
I  knelt  upon  the  ground  and  prayed.  I  rejoiced  and  praised  the 
Lord  that  I  had  lived  to  see  some  of  the  tents  of  Israel  pitched, 
and  a  company  gathered  by  the  commandment  of  God  to  go  up 
and  help  to  redeem  Zion. 

"We  remained  at  New  Portage  until  the  6th  when  we  were 
joined  by  the  Prophet  and  eighty-five  more  men.  The  day  before 
their  arrival,  while  passing  through  the  village  of  Middlebury, 
the  people  tried  to  count  them,  but  the  Lord  multiplied  them  in  the 
eyes  of  those  people  so  that  those  who  counted  them  said  there 
were  four  hundred. 

"On  the  7th,  the  Prophet  Joseph  organized  the  Camp  which 
consisted  of  about  one  hundred  and  thirty  men.  The  day  follow- 
ing we  continued  our  journey.  We  pitched  our  tents  at  night  and 
had  prayers  night  and  morning.  The  Prophet  gave  us  our  instruc- 
tions every  day.  We  were  nearly  all  young  men  brought  together 
from  all  parts  of  the  country,  and  were  therefore  strangers  to  each 
other.  We  soon  became  acquainted  and  had  a  happy  time  in  each 
others  association.  It  was  a  great  school  for  us  to  be  led  by  a 
Prophet  of  God  a  thousand  miles  through  cities,  towns,  villages, 
and  through  the  wilderness.  When  persons  stood  up  to  count  us, 
they  could  not  tell  how  many  we  numbered.  Some  said  five  hun- 
dred, others,  a  thousand.  Many  were  astonished  as  we  passed 
through  their  towns.  One  lady  ran  to  the  door,  pushed  her  spec- 
tacles to  the  top  of  her  head,  raised  her  hands  and  exclaimed: 
'What  under  heavens  has  broken  loose.'  She  stood  in  that 
position  the  last  I  saw  of  her. 

"During  our  travels  we  visited  many  mounds  thrown  up  by 
the  ancient  inhabitants,  the  Nephites  and  Lamanites.  This  morn- 
ing, June  3rd,  we  went  on  to  a  high  mound  near  the  river.  From 
the  summit  we  could  overlook  the  tops  of  the  trees  as  far  as  we 
could  see.  The  scenery  was  truly  beautiful.  On  the  summit  of 


ZION'SCAMP,  1834.  41 

the  mound  were  stones  which  presented  the  appearance  of  three 
altars,  they  having  been  erected,  one  above  the  other,  according 
to  the  ancient  order  of  things.  Human  bones  were  seen  upon 
the  ground.  Brother  Joseph  requested  us  to  dig  into  the  mound ; 
we  did  so ;  and  in  about  one  foot  we  came  to  the  skeleton  of  a  man, 
almost  entire,  with  an  arrow  sticking  in  his  backbone.  Elder 
Milton  Holmes  picked  it  out,  and  brought  it  into  the  Camp,  with 
one  of  the  leg  bones,  which  had  been  broken.  I  brought  the 
thigh  bone  to  Missouri.  I  desired  to  bury  it  in  the  Temple  Block 
in  Jackson  County;  but  not  having  this  privilege,  I  buried  it  in 
Clay  County,  Missouri,  near  the  house  owned  by  Col.  Arthur  and 
occupied  by  Lyman  Wight." 

The  arrowhead  referred  to  is  now  in  the  possession  of  Presi- 
dent Joseph  F.  Smith,  Salt  Lake  City,  Utah. 

"Brother  Joseph,"  continues  Wilford,  "feeling  anxious  to 
learn  something  of  this  man,  asked  the  Lord,  and  received  an  open 
vision.  The  man's  name  was  Zelph.  He  was  a  white  Lamanite, 
the  curse  having  been  removed  because  of  his  righteousness.  He 
was  a  great  warrior,  and  fought  for  the  Nephites  under  the 
direction  of  the  Prophet  Onandagus.  The  latter  had  charge  of 
the  Nephite  armies  from  the  Eastern  sea  to  the  Rocky  Mountains. 
Although  the  Book  of  Mormon  does  not  mention  Onandagus, 
he  was  a  great  warrior,  leader,  general,  and  prophet.  Zelph  had 
his  thigh  bone  broken  by  a  stone  thrown  from  a  sling,  but  was 
killed  by  the  arrow  found  sticking  in  his  backbone.  There  was 
a  great  slaughter  at  that  time.  The  bodies  were  heaped  upon  the 
earth,  and  buried  in  the  mound,  which  is  nearly  three  hundred  feet 
in  height. 

"The  Lord  delivered  Israel  in  the  days  of  Moses  by  dividing 
the  Red  Sea,  so  they  went  over  dry  shod.  When  their  enemies 
tried  to  do  the  same,  the  water  closed  upon  the  latter  and  they 
were  drowned.  The  Lord  delivered  Zion's  Camp  from  their 
enemies  on  the  19th  of  June,  1834,  by  piling  up  the  waters  in 
Fishing  River  forty  feet  in  one  night,  so  our  enemies  could  not 
cross.  He  also  sent  a  great  hailstorm,  which  broke  them  up  and 
sent  them  seeking  for  shelter.  James  Campbell,  who  had  threat- 
ened the  life  of  the  Prophet  and  his  brethren,  was  drowned,  with 
six  others,  the  same  night,  after  his  threat.  His  body  was  washed 
down  the  stream,  and  was  eaten,  by  eagles  and  turkey-buzzards." 


42  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

The  people  of  Richmond,  Missouri,  declared  the  Camp  should 
not  pass  through  that  city ;  but  on  the  morning  of  the  19th,  before 
the  people  were  up,  the  brethren  passed  through  unmolested.  "We 
intended  to  enter  Clay  County  that  day,  but  the  Lord  knew  best 
what  was  for  our  good,"  says  Wilford,  "and  so  began  to  hinder 
our  progress.  One  wheel  broke  down,  another  ran  off,  and  one 
thing  after  another  hindered  us  so  that  we  had  to  camp  between 
two  forks  of  Fishing  River.  Five  armed  men  soon  rode  up,  and 
told  us  that  large  companies  of  men  from  Jackson  and  Clay 
Counties,  and  other  parts,  would  be  upon  us  before  morning,  and 
were  sworn  to  encompass  our  descruction. 

"Shortly  after  these  five  men  left  us,  a  small  tfoud  arose,  and 
spread  with  great  rapidity,  until  the  whole  heavens  gathered 
blackness,  and  a  mighty  storm  burst  forth  with  fury  upon  our 
enemies.  If  the  Camp  had  not  been  hindered,  they  would  have 
crossed  into  Clay  County,  and  would  have  been  at  the  mercy  of  the 
mob.  Thus  the  Lord,  in  a  marvelous  manner,  preserved  the  lives 
of  His  servants.  Colonel  Sconce,  who  came  into  the  Camp  the 
next  day,  with  several  leading  men,  said  that  surely  Jehovah 
fought  the  battles  of  Joseph  and  his  followers." 

The  Prophet  addressed  the  visitors  at  some  length,  and  re- 
counted the  wrongs  heaped  upon  the  Saints  in  Missouri.  His 
address  touched  the  hearts  of  the  visitors,  bringing  tears  to  their 
eyes.  They  promised  to  do  all  they  could  to  allay  the  prejudice 
of  the  people.  It  appears  from  Wilford  Woodruff's  journal  that 
they  kept  their  word,  and  rode  through  the  country  endeavor- 
ing to  allay  the  excitement. 

"Previous  to  this  event,"  says  Wilford,  "Elders  Hyrum  Smith 
and  Lyman  Wight  had  joined  the  Camp  with  a  company  of  volun- 
teers from  Michigan.  The  Camp  now  consisted  of  two  hundred 
and  five  men  and  twenty-five  baggage  wagons.  Lyman  Wight 
was  made  commander-in-chief.  Joseph  appointed  twenty  men 
to  be  his  body-guard ;  Hyrum  Smith  was  captain,  and  George  A. 
Smith  armor-bearer. 

"The  Camp  of  Zion  arrived  at  Brother  Burk's,  in  Clay  County, 
Missouri  on  the  24th  of  June,  1834.  We  pitched  our  tents  on 
his  premises.  He  told  some  of  the  brethren  of  my  company 
that  he  had  a  spare  room  which  some  of  us  might  occupy  if  we 
would  clean  it.  Our  company  accepted  the  offer;  and,  fearing 


ZION'S  CAMP,  1834.  43 

that  some  other  company  would  get  it  first,  we  left  all  other 
business  and  went  to  work,  cleaned  out  the  room,  and  immediately 
spread  down  our  blankets,  so  as  to  hold  a  right  to  the  room.  It 
was  but  a  short  time  afterwards  that  our  brethren  who  were  at- 
tacked by  cholera  were  brought  in  and  laid  upon  our  beds.  None 
of  us  ever  used  those  blankets  again,  for  they  were  buried  with 
the  dead ;  so  we  gained  nothing  but  experience  by  our  selfishness, 
and  we  lost  our  bedding. 

"When  the  cholera  broke  out  in  Camp,  Joseph  attempted  to 
rebuke  it,  but  was  shown  by  the  Lord  that  when  He  sends  a  judg- 
ment man  must  not  attempt  to  stay  it.  (Joseph  returned  to  me 
the  sword  which  I  had  given  him,  and  it  still  remains  in  my  family 
as  a  relic  of  that  expedition.)  Those  who  died  in  Zion's  Camp 
were  A.  S.  Gilbert,  John  S.  Carter,  Eber  Wilcox,  Seth  Hitch- 
cock, Erastus  Rutfd,  Alfred  Frisk,  Edward  Jones,  Noah  Johnson, 
Jesse  B.  Lawson,  Robert  McCord,  Eliel  Strong,  Jesse  Smith, 
Betsey  Parrish,  and  Warren  Ingles. 

"The  Prophet  called  the  brethren  together  at  Lyman  Wight's 
and  told  them  the  cholera  had  been  sent  in  fulfillment  of  his 
prediction.  Nearly  all  had  suffered  from  it,  and  fourteen  had 
died.  Joseph  said  that  if  we  would  now  humble  ourselves,  the 
cholera  would  be  stayed.  We  covenanted  with  uplifted  hands  t:> 
keep  the  commandments  of  God,  and  the  cholera  was  stayed  from 
that  hour ;  not  another  case  appeared  among  the  Saints. 

"The  journey  of  Zion's  Camp  to  Missouri  was  necessarily 
one  of  trial  and  hardship.  Several  of  the  brethren  murmured, 
and  found  fault.  Joseph  prophesied  that  a  scourge  would  come 
upon  the  Camp,  and  it  came  in  the  form  of  cholera,  thirteen  of 
the  brethren  being  stricken  in  death.  During  the  journey,  when 
brethren  would  have  killed  the  serpents  which  at  times  came  into 
the  tents  and  coiled  up  near  the  beds,  the  Prophet  taught  his 
brethren  the  beautiful  principle  that,  men  themselves  must  be- 
come harmless  before  they  can  expect  the  brute  creation  to  be  so. 
When  man  shall  lose  his  own  vicious  disposition  and  cease  to 
destroy  the  inferior  animals,  the  lion  and  the  lamb  may  dwell  to- 
gether, and  the  suckling  child  play  with  the  serpent  in  safety." 

In  all  the  trials  incident  to  the  journey,  Wilford  Woodruff 
never  murmured.  He  was  a  staunch  supporter  of  the  Prophet 
Joseph  in  all  the  latter's  counsels  and  desires,  and  was  so  wrapt  in 


44  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

the  spirit  of  his  calling  and  labor  that  it  is  doubtful  if  a  thought 
of  trial  or  hardship  ever  entered  his  mind.  This  was  character- 
istic of  his  entire  life.  He  never  undertook  a  labor  assigned 
him  by  the  Lord  and  wished  he  had  not  undertaken  it.  When 
he  put  his  hand  to  the  plough,  he  never  turned  back. 

After  the  disbanding  of  Zion's  Camp  a  great  trial  came  to 
him.  He  was  a  devoted  lover  of  his  parents,  brothers,  and  sisters, 
and  had  a  deep  interest  in  their  salvation.  Since  he  left  New 
York,  his  brother  Azmon  had  become  disaffected,  and  wrote  a 
long  letter  rinding  fault  with  the  proceedings  of  the  Church,  en- 
deavoring to  turn  Wilford  from  his  course.  The  effect  upon 
Wilford,  however,  was  a  deep  sorrow  for  his  brother,  and  a 
stronger  determination  on  his  own  part  to  live  the  life  of  a  Latter- 
day  Saint.  He  answered  his  brother's  letter,  explained  the  fallacy 
of  the  latter's  arguments  and  complaints,  warned  him  against 
opposing  the  Church,  exhorted  him  to  repent,  and  bore  a  solemn 
and  unswerving  testimony  to  the  divinity  of  the  calling  and  the 
upright,  honorable  course  of  life  of  the  Prophet  Joseph  Smith. 

The  Prophet  advised  all  the  young  men  with  Zion's  Camp 
who  had  no  families  to  stay  in  Missouri,  and  not  return  to  Kirt- 
land.  "Not  having  any  family,"  says  Wilford,  "I  stopped  with 
Lyman  Wight,  as  did  also  Milton  Holmes  and  Heman  Hyde.  We 
spent  the  summer  together,  laboring  hard,  cutting  wheat,  quarry- 
ing rock,  making  brick,  or  at  anything  else  we  could  find  to  do. 
The  Prophet  organized  the  Saints  in  Zion,  with  a  presidency 
of  three,  and  a  high  council.  On  the  17th  of  July,  1834,  he  met 
the  authorities  of  the  Church  at  Lyman  Wight's,  where  he  gave 
us  many  glorious  instructions,  he  being  clothed  with  the  power 
of  God.  He  ordained  the  presidency  and  the  twelve  high  council- 
ors. All  present  voted,  with  uplifted  hands,  to  sustain  the  Prophet 
and  the  authorities  of  Zion.  We  had  a  glorious  time.  This  was  the 
last  meeting  I  ever  attended  with  the  Prophet  Joseph  Smith 
in  the  State  of  Missouri." 

Wilford  Woodruff  continued  to  attend  faithfully  to  all  of 
his  religious  duties.  Illustrative  of  his  zeal  and  earnestness  is 
his  action  relative  to  what  property  he  possessed.  Notwithstnd- 
ing  the  Saints  had  been  dispossessed  of  tfreir  homes  in  their 
central  city  of  Zion,  where  they  had  endeavored  to  carry  out 
the  principle  of  consecration,  and  were  now  in  a  broken  and  scat- 


ZION'S  CAMP,  1834.  45 

tered  condition,  Wilford  desired  to  comply  with  every  law  relative 
to  Zion.  On  December  31,  1834,  he  consecrated  to  the  Lord 
all  his  earthly  possessions.  "Believing  it  to  be  the  duty  of  the 
Latter-day  Saints,"  he  writes,  "to  consecrate  and  dedicate  all  their 
property,  with  themselves,  unto  God  in  order  to  become  lawful 
heirs  to  the  celestial  Kingdom  of  God,  I  therefore,  with  this  view, 
consecrated  all  I  had  (though  but  little)  before  Edward  Partridge, 
the  Presiding  Bishop  of  the  Church,  in  Clay  County,  Missouri, 
in  this  form :  'Be  it  known  that  I,  Wilford  Woodruff,  do  freely 
covenant  with  my  God,  that  I  freely  consecrate  and  dedicate 
myself,  together  with  all  my  properties  and  effects,  unto  the  Lord, 
for  the  purpose  of  assisting  in  the  building  up  of  His  Kingdom 
and  His  Zion  upon  the  earth,  that  I  may  keep  His  law.  I  lay  all 
before  the  Bishop  of  His  Church,  that  I  may  be  a  lawful  heir  to 
the  celestial  Kingdom  of  God/  ': 

The  whole  life  of  Wilford  Woodruff  shows  that  he  would 
have  been  willing  to  do  the  same  thing  at  any  time,  for  the  same 
purpose,  even  though  his  possessions  could  have  been  counted 
by  the  millions.  He  was  whole-souled,  and  wholly  given  up  to 
the  service  of  his  God  and  the  welfare  of  His  people. 


CHAPTER  7. 

MISSION  TO  SOUTHERN  STATES,   1834-1836. 

A  Prayerful  Ambition  to  Preach. — Departure  on  Mission  to  Southern 
States. — Traveling  without  Purse  or  Scrip. — Treatment  Received 
from  Minister. — Tribulations. — A  remarkable  Dream. — Its  Fulfill- 
ment.— Preaching  in  Memphis. — Ordained  an  Elder. — Successful 
Labors. — Ordained  a  Seventy. — A  Mob  Court. — Return  to  Kirt- 
land. 

After  Wilford  Woodruff  received  the  gospel,  he  felt  an  in- 
tense desire  to  deliver  in  turn  the  same  message  that  had  brought 
him  such  joy,  such  assurance,  such  satisfaction  in  the  service 
of  the  Master.  The  message  that  came  to  him  was  the  most 
glorious  event  of  his  life,  and  it  is  quite  natural  that  he  should 
wish  to  be  a  messenger  of  the  same  divine  truth  to  others.  The 
talents  with  which  he  had  been  endowed  by  his  Maker  awakened 
within  him  those  hopes,  aspirations,  and  ambitions  that  were  in 
harmony  with  those  gifts  which  were  peculiar  to  the  man.  His 
talents  made  him  pre-eminently  a  messenger  of  salvation  to  the 
world.  It  is  no  wonder  that  he  was  prompted  by  a  heartfelt 
desire  to  bestow  upon  others  that  which  had  come  with  such  joy 
and  with  such  abundance  to  him. 

He  wanted  to  go  on  a  mission,  but  felt  that  he  should  be 
called,  and  yet  he  sincerely  believed  that  the  Lord  would  prompt 
those  whose  duty  it  was  to  bestow  upon  him  such  an  honor,  such 
a  privilege.  He  retired  to  the  woods  in  prayer.  There  upon  his 
knees  in  humility  and  childlike  simplicity,  he  told  the  Lord  his 
wishes  and  his  hopes.  He  asked  Him,  if  it  was  within  His  holy 
will,  that  the  way  might  be  opened  for  him  to  preach  the  gospel 
in  the  world.  "Before  I  arose  from  my  knees,"  he  says,  "the 
spirit  of  the  Lord  rested  upon  me  and  bore  witness  that  my 
prayer  was  heard  and  should  be  answered  upon  my  head.  I 
arose  very  happy  and  walked  through  thick  woods  about  forty 
rods  into  an  open  road.  As  I  entered  the  roadway,  I  met  Judge 
Elias  Higbee.  Brother  Hibgee  was  a  high  priest  and  a  very  faith- 
ful man,  one  of  the  noblest  men  of  God  in  the  last  days.  I  had 
associated  with  him  daily,  but  never  mentioned  to  him  my  desire 
to  preach  the  gospel.  To  my  surprise,  as  soon  as  I  approached 


MISSION  TO  SOUTHERN  STATES,  1834-1836.        47 

him  he  said:  'Brother  Wilford,  the  spirit  of  the  Lord  tells  me 
that  you  should  be  ordained  to  go  and  preach  the  gospel/  " 

A  few  days  later,  on  the  5th  of  November,  1834,  by  vote  of 
the  branch  of  the  Church  at  Adam-ondi-Ahman,  Wilford  Wood- 
ruff was  ordained  a  priest  by  Simeon  Carter  who  also  ordained 
Stephen  Winchester  and  Heman  Hyde  at  the  same  meeting.  He 
received  his  license  and  by  appointment  of  Bishop  Partridge 
was  assigned  to  Arkansas  and  Tennessee.  In  eight  days  he  left 
to  perform  his  mission,  to  be  one  of  the  very  foremost  in  intro- 
ducing the  gospel  into  the  Southern  States — a  section  of  the 
Union  where,  since  then,  so  many  thousands  have  received  the 
gospel  and  have  been  gathered  to  Zion.  His  faith  had  been 
great.  The  spirit  of  the  Lord  rested  upon  him  and  his  prayers 
were  promptly  answered. 

His  stay  in  Missouri  after  his  arrival  there  with  Zion's  Camp 
was  not  of  long  duration.  The  Saints  had  been  driven  from 
Jackson  County  and  were  busily  occupied  in  building  up  new 
communities  in  other  counties.  He  was  then  a  young  man  without 
a  family,  and  though  actively  engaged  in  every  kind  of  work 
peculiar  to  the  conditions  of  those  times,  he  was  free  for  almost 
any  kind  of  service  that  might  be  required  of  him.  The  spirit 
of  the  man,  however,  was  that  of  the  missionary;  and  the  spirit 
was  so  strong  within  him  that  he  found  satisfaction  only  when 
the  opportunity  came  to  give  expression  to  his  fellow-men  of  the 
testimony  which  had  brought  such  consolation  to  his  own  life. 

"The  law  of  God  to  us  in  those  days,"  says  Wilford  in  his 
journal,  "was  to  go  without  purse  or  scrip.  Our  journey  lay 
through  Jackson  County,  from  which  the  Saints  had  just  been 
driven,  and  it  was  dangerous  for  a  Mormon  to  be  found  in  that 
part  of  the  state.  We  put  some  Books  of  Mormon  and  some 
clothing  into  our  valises,  strapped  these  on  our  backs,  and  started 
on  foot.  We  crossed  the  ferry  into  Jackson  County,  and  went 
through  it.  In  some  instances  the  Lord  preserved  us,  as-  it  were 
by  miracle,  from  the  mob.  We  dared  not  go  to  houses  and  get 
food,  so  we  picked  and  ate  raw  corn,  slept  on  the  ground,  and 
did  any  way  we  could  until  we  got  out  of  the  county. 

"We  dared  not  preach  while  in  that  county,  and  we  did 
little  preaching  in  the  state  of  Missouri.  The  first  time  I  attempt- 
ed to  preach  was  on  Sunday,  in  a  tavern,  in  the  early  part  of 


48  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

December,  1834.  It  was  snowing  at  the  time,  and  the  room  was 
full  of  people.  As  I  commenced  to  speak,  the  landlord  opened 
the  door,  and  the  snow  blew  on  the  people;  when  1  inquired  the 
object  of  having  the  door  opened  in  a  snowstorm,  he  informed 
me  he  wanted  some  light  on  the  subject.  I  found  that  it  was 
the  custom  of  the  country.  How  much  good  I  did  in  that  sermon 
I  never  knew,  and  probably  never  shall  know  until  I  meet  that 
congregation  in  judgment. 

"In  the  southern  part  of  Missouri  and  the  northern  part 
of  Arkansas,  in  1834,  there  were  very  few  inhabitants.  We  visited 
a  place  called  Harmony  Mission,  on  the  Osage  River,  one  of  the 
most  crooked  rivers  in  the  West.  This  mission  was  kept  by  a 
Presbyterian  minister  and  his  family.  We  arrived  there  on  Sun- 
day night  at  sunset.  We  had  walked  all  day  without  anything  to 
eat,  and  were  very  hungry  and  tired.  Neither  the  minister  nor 
his  wife  would  give  us  anything  to  eat,  or  let  us  stay  over  night, 
because  we  were  Mormons,  and  the  only  chance  we  had  was  to 
go  twelve  miles  farther  down  the  river,  to  an  Osage  Indian  trad- 
ing post  kept  by  a  Frenchman  named  Jereu;  and  the  wicked 
priest  who  would  not  give  us  a  piece  of  bread  lied  to  us  about  the 
road,  and  sent  us  across  the  swamp,  where  we  wallowed  knee-deep 
in  mud  and  water  till  ten  o'clock  at  night,  in  trying  to  follow  the 
crooked  river.  We  then  left  the  swamp  and  put  out  into  the 
prairie,  to  lie  in  the  grass  for  the  night. 

"When  we  got  out  of  the  swamp,  we  heard  an  Indian  drum- 
ming on  a  tin  pail  and  singing.  It  was  very  dark,  but  we  traveled 
toward  the  noise,  and  when  we  drew  near  the  Indian  camp  quite  a 
number  of  large  Indian  dogs  came  out  to  meet  us.  They  smelled 
us,  but  did  not  bark  or  bite.  Soon  we  were  surrounded  by  Osage 
Indians,  and  were  kindly  received  by  Mr.  Jereu  and  his  wife  who 
was  an  Indian.  She  gave  us  an  excellent  supper  and  a  good  bed, 
which  we  were  thankful  for  after  the  fatigue  of  the  day. 

"As  I  laid  my  head  upon  my  pillow,  I  felt  to  thank  God  from 
the  bottom  of  my  heart  for  the  exchange  from  the  barbarous  treat- 
ment of  a  civilized  Presbyterian  priest  to  the  humane,  kind,  and 
generous  treatment  of  the  savage  Osage  Indians.  May  God  re- 
ward them  both  according  to  their  deserts ! 

"We  arose  in  the  morning,  after  a  good  night's  rest.  I  was 
somewhat  lame,  from  wading  in  the  swamp  the  night  before. 


MISSION  TO  SOUTHERN  STATES,  1834-1836.        49 

We  had  a  good  breakfast.  Mr.  Jereu  sent  an  Indian  to  see  us 
across  the  river,  and  informed  us  that  it  was  sixty  miles  to  the 
nearest  settlement  of  either  white  or  red  men. 

"We  were  too  bashful  to  ask  for  anything  to  take  with  us  to 
eat;  so  we  crossed  the  river  and  started  on  our  day's  journey 
of  sixty  miles  without  a  morsel  of  food  of  any  kind.  We  started 
about  sunrise  and  crossed  a  thirty-mile  prairie,  apparently  as 
level  as  a  house  floor,  without  shrub  or  water.  We  arrived  at 
timber  about  two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon. 

"As  we  approached  the  timber,  a  large  black  bear  came  out 
towards  us.  We  were  not  afraid  of  him,  for  we  were  on  the 
Lord's  business,  and  had  not  mocked  God's  prophets  as  did  the 
forty-two  wicked  children  who  said  to  Elisha,  'Go  up  thou  bald 
head/  for  which  they  were  torn  by  bears.  When  the  bear  got 
within  eight  rods  of  us  he  sat  on  his  haunches,  looked  at  us  a  mo- 
ment, and  ran  away;  and  we  went  on  our  way  rejoicing. 

"We  had  to  travel  in  the  night,  which  was  cloudy  and  very 
dark,  so  we  had  great  difficulty  to  keep  the  road.  Soon  a  large 
drove  of  wolves  gathered  around,  and  followed  us.  They  came 
very  close,  and  at  times  it  seemed  as  though  they  would  eat  us 
up.  We  had  materials  for  striking  a  light,  and  at  ten  o'clock,  not 
knowing  where  we  were,  and  the  wolves  becoming  so  bold,  we 
thought  it  wisdom  to  make  a  fire;  so  we  stopped  and  gathered 
a  lot  of  oak  limbs  that  lay  on  the  ground,  and  lit  them,  and  as 
our  fire  began  to  burn  the  wolves  left  us. 

"As  we  were  about  to  lay  down  on  the  ground — for  we  had 
no  blankets — we  heard  a  dog  bark.  My  companion  said  it  was  a 
wolf;  I  said  it  was  a  dog;  but  soon  we  heard  a  cowbell.  Then 
we  each  took  a  firebrand,  went  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile,  and 
found  the  house,  which  was  sixty  miles  from  where  we  started 
that  morning.  It  was  an  old  log  cabin,  about  twelve  feet  square, 
with  no  door,  but  an  old  blanket  was  hung  up  in  the  door-way. 
There  was  no  furniture  except  one  bedstead,  upon  which  lay  a 
woman,  several  children,  and  several  small  dogs. 

"A  man  lay  on  the  bare  floor  with  his  feet  to  the  fireplace, 
and  all  were  asleep.  I  went  in  and  spoke  to  the  man,  but  did 
not  wake  him.  I  stepped  up  to  him,  and  laid  my  hand  on  his 
shoulder.  The  moment  he  felt  the  weight  of  my  hand  he 
jumped  to  his  feet  and  ran  around  the  room  as  though  he  were 

6 


50  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

frightened ;  but  he  was  quieted  when  we  informed  him  we  were 
friends.  The  cause  of  his  fright  was  that  he  had  shot  a  panther 
a  few  nights  before,  and  he  thought  its  mate  had  jumped  upon 
him.  He  asked  us  what  we  wanted;  we  told  him  we  wished  to 
stop  with  him  all  night,  and  would  like  something  to  eat.  He 
informed  us  we  might  lie  on  the  floor  as  he  did,  but  that  he  had 
not  a  mouthful  for  us  to  eat,  as  he  had  to  depend  on  his  gun  to  get 
breakfast  for  his  family  in  the  morning.  So  we  lay  on  the  bare 
floor,  and  slept  through  a  long,  rainy  night,  which  was  pretty  hard 
after  walking  sixty  miles  without  anything  to  eat.  That  was 
the  hardest  day's  work  of  my  life.  The  man's  name  was  Wil- 
liams. He  was  in  the  mob  in  Jackson  County;  and  after  the 
Saints  were  driven  out,  he,  with  many  others,  went  south. 

"We  got  up  in  the  morning  and  walked  in  the  rain  twelve 
miles  to  the  house  of  a  man  named  Bemon,  who  was  also  one 
of  the  mob  from  Jackson  County.  The  family  were  about  to  sit 
down  to  breakfast  as  we  came  in.  In  those  days  it  was  the  custom 
of  the  Missourians  to  ask  you  to  eat  even  though  they  were 
hostile  to  you ;  so  he  asked  us  to  take  breakfast,  and  we  were  very 
glad  of  the  invitation.  He  knew  we  were  Mormons ;  and  as  soon 
as  we  began  to  eat,  he  began  to  swear  about  the  Mormons.  He 
had  a  large  platter  of  bacon  and  eggs,  and  plenty  of  bread  on  the 
table,  and  his  swearing  did  not  hinder  our  eating,  for  the  harder 
he  swore  the  harder  we  ate,  until  we  got  our  stomachs  full ;  then 
we  arose  from  the  table,  took  our  hats,  and  thanked  him  for  our 
breakfast.  The  last  we  heard  of  him  he  was  still  swearing.  I 
trust  the  Lord  will  reward  him  for  our  breakfast. 

"In  the  early  days  of  the  Church,  it  was  a  great  treat  to  an 
elder  in  his  travels  through  the  country  to  find  a  Mormon ;  it  was 
so  with  us.  We  were  hardly  in  Arkansas  when  we  heard  of  a 
family  named  Akeman.  They  were  in  Jackson  County  in  the 
persecutions.  Some  of  the  sons  had  been  tied  up  there  and 
whipped  on  their  bare  backs,  with  hickory  switches,  by  the 
mob.  We  heard  of  their  living  on  Petit  Jean  River,  in  the 
Arkansas  Territory,  and  we  went  a  long  way  to  visit  them. 

"Recently  there  had  been  heavy  rains,  and  a  creek  that  we 
had  to  cross  was  swollen  to  a  rapid  stream  of  eight  rods  in 
width.  There  was  no  person  living  nearer  than  two  miles  from 
the  crossing,  and  no  boat.  The  people  living  at  the  last  house 


MISSION  TO  SOUTHERN  STATES,  1834-1836.        51 

on  the  road,  some  three  miles  from  the  crossing,  said  we  would 
have  to  tarry  till  the  water  fell  before  we  could  cross.  Feeling 
to  trust  in  God,  we  did  not  stop.  Just  as  we  arrived  at  the  rolling 
flood,  a  negro,  on  a  powerful  horse,  entered  the  stream  on  the  op- 
posite side  and  rode  through  it.  On  making  our  wants  known  to 
him,  he  took  us,  one  at  a  time,  behind  him  and  carried  us  safely 
over,  and  we  went  on  our  way  rejoicing. 

"We  arrived  that  night  within  five  miles  of  Mr.  Akeman's, 
and  were  kindly  entertained  by  a  stranger.  During  the  night  I 
had  the  following  dream:  I  thought  an  angel  came  to  us,  and 
told  us  we  were  commanded  of  the  Lord  to  follow  a  certain 
straight  path,  which  was  pointed  out  to  us,  let  it  lead  us  wher- 
ever it  might.  After  we  had  walked  in  it  awhile  we  came  to 
the  door  of  a  house,  which  was  in  the  line  of  a  high  wall  running 
north  and  south,  so  that  we  could  not  go  around.  I  opened  the 
door  and  saw  the  room  was  filled  with  large  serpents,  and  I  shud- 
dered at  the  sight.  My  companion  said  he  would  not  go  into  the 
room  for  fear  of  the  serpents.  I  told  him  I  would  try  to  go  through 
the  room  though  they  killed  me,  for  the  Lord  commanded  it. 
As  I  stepped  into  the  room  the  serpents  coiled  themselves  up,  and 
raised  their  heads  some  two  feet  from  the  floor,  to  spring  at  me. 
There  was  one  much  larger  than  the  rest,  in  the'  center  of  the 
room,  which  raised  his  head  nearly  as  high  as  mine  and  made 
a  spring  at  me.  At  that  instant  I  felt  as  though  nothing  but  the 
power  of  God  could  save  me,  and  I  stood  still.  Just  before  the 
serpent  reached  me  he  dropped  dead  at  my  feet;  all  the  rest 
dropped  dead,  swelled  up,  turned  black,  bust  open,  took  fire  and 
were  consumed  before  my  eyes,  and  we  went  through  the  room 
unharmed,  thanking  God  for  our  deliverance. 

"I  awoke  in  the  morning  and  pondered  upon  the  dream. 
We  took  breakfast,  and  started  on  our  journey  on  Sunday  morn- 
ing to  visit  Mr.  Akeman.  I  related  to  my  companion  my  dream, 
and  told  him  we  should  see  something  strange.  We  had  great 
anticipations  of  meeting  Mr.  Akeman,  supposing  him  to  be  a 
member  of  the  Church.  When  we  arrived  at  his  house,  he 
received  us  very  coldly,  and  we  soon  found  that  he  had  aposta- 
tized. He  brought  railing  accusations  against  the  Book  of  Mor- 
mon and  the  authorities  of  the  Church. 

"Word  was  sent  through  all  the  settlements  on  the  river  for 


52  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

twenty  miles  that  two  Mormon  preachers  were  in  the  place.  A 
mob  was  soon  raised,  and  warning  sent  to  us  to  leave  immediately 
or  we  would  be  tarred  and  feathered,  ridden  on  a  rail,  and 
hanged.  I  soon  saw  who  the  serpents  were.  My  companion 
wanted  to  leave ;  I  told  him,  no.  I  would  stay  and  see  my  dream 
fulfilled. 

"There  was  an  old  gentleman  and  lady  named  Hubbel,  who 
had  read  the  Book  of  Mormon  and  believed.  Father  Hubbel 
came  to  see  us,  and  invited  us  to  make  our  home  with  him  while 
we  stayed  in  the  place.  We  did  so,  and  labored  for  him  some 
three  weeks  with  our  axes,  clearing  land,  while  we  were  waiting  to 
see  the  salvation  of  God. 

"February  14th,  1835,  was  an  important  day  to  me.  In  com- 
pany with  Brother  Brown,  I  took  my  axe  went  into  the  woods  to 
help  Brother  Hubbel  clear  some  land.  We  chopped  till  3  o'clock 
in  the  afternoon.  The  spirit  of  the  Lord  came  upon  me  like  a 
rushing  of  mighty  wind.  The  voice  of  the  spirit  said,  'Go  up 
again  and  visit  Mr.  Akeman  and  again  bear  testimony  to  him 
of  the  truth  of  the  Book  of  Mormon  and  of  the  work  of  God/ 
I  marveled  at  this  and  told  Brother  Brown  what  the  spirit  said 
to  me.  He  replied  that  I  might  go  if  I  wished  to  do  so,  but 
that  he  would  not  go.  I  carried  my  ax  to  the  house  and  walked 
up  to  Mr.  Akeman's  about .  one  and  a  half  miles  through  a 
pleasant  grove.  While  on  my  way  I  reflected  upon  this  strange 
operation  of  the  spirit  within  me.  I  was  in  a  deep,  gloomy  frame 
of  mind  and  thought.  As  I  approached  the  house  I  saw  the  door 
open  and  Mr.  Akeman  walking  the  floor.  I  felt  particularly 
impressed  to  ask  if  he  was  well.  He  said  he  never  felt  better 
in  health.  I  told  him  I  had  come  to  bear  testimony  again  to 
him  of  the  truth  of  the  Book  of  Mormon  and  of  the  work  of 
God  and  of  the  danger  of  opposing  that  work.  He  was  soon  filled 
with  wrath  and  indignation  and  he  opposed  me  in  the  strongest 
terms  and  raged  against  the  leaders  of  the  Church.  My  mouth 
was  more  closed  up  than  ever  before.  I  felt  that  the  house  was 
filled  with  devils  and  with  an  awful  darkness.  I  felt  norrible.  I 
did  not  understand  why  the  Lord  should  send  me  into  the  midst 
of  such  spirits  to  bear  testimony  of  his  work.  I  felt  very 
strange.  My  tongue  seemed  glued  to  my  mouth.  I  could  not 


MISSION  TO  SOUTHERN  STATES,  1834-1836.        53 

speak.  I  arose  to  my  feet  to  leave  the  house.  I  felt  as  though 
the  floor  moved  under  my  feet  and  when  I  stepped  upon  the 
ground  I  felt  as  though  I  was  surrounded  by  evil  spirits.  I  had 
a  desire  to  ilec  as  Lot  did  when  he  went  out  of  Sodom,  without 
looking  behind  me.  Mr.  Akeman  followed  me  out  of  the  door 
and  kept  within  about  four  rods  of  me.  Neither  of  us  spoke  a 
word.  I  knew  he  was  following,  but  when  he  was  about  four 
rods  from  the  house,  the  strange  feeling  left  me.  When  Mr.  Ake- 
man reached  the  place  where  my  feelings  so  instantly  changed,  he 
fell  dead  at  my  feet  as  though  he  had  been  struck  with  a  thun- 
derbolt from  heaven.  I  heard  him  fall  to  the  earth,  but  I  did  not 
look  behind  me.  His  daughter  stood  in  the  doorway  and  saw  him 
fall.  She  fainted  and  fell  at  about  the  same  time.  Neither  of 
them  spoke  a  word  that  I  could  hear.  I  continued  to  walk  down 
to  Mr.  Hubbel's  as  fast  as  I  could,  meditating  all  the  while  upon 
the  strange  dealings  of  God  with  me.  I  still  did  not  know  that 
Mr.  Akeman  was  dead.  I  arrived  at  Mr.  Hubbel's  just  at  dark  in 
a  peculiar  state  of  mind.  Supper  was  ready.  We  all  sat  down 
to  the  table.  The  blessing  was  asked,  and  I  took  up  my  knife 
and  fork  and  began  to  eat,  when  I  heard  a  horse  coming  up  on 
the  full  ran.  I  dropped  my  knife  and  fork  and  listened.  A  man 
rode  up  to  our  door  and  cried  out:  'Mr.  Akeman  is  dead.  I 
want  you  to  go  there  immediately.'  In  a  moment  my  eyes  were 
opened,  so  that  I  understood  the  whole  matter.  I  felt  satisfied 
with  the  dealings  of  God  with  me  in  calling  me  to  go  and  warn 
him.  As  soon  as  his  daughter,  who  fell  to  the  ground  about 
the  same  time,  came  to  her  senses,  she  ran  to  her  nearest  brother 
and  gave  the  alarm. 

"We  walked  up  to  Mr.  Akeman's  house  as  soon  as  we  could. 
When  we  arrived  there,  we  found  all  his  sons  in  the  house  around 
his  body  wailing  in  an  awful  manner.  He  was  naturally  a  large 
man,  but  his  body  was  swollen  to  a  great  extent.  It  appeared 
as  though  his  skin  were  ready  to  burst  open.  He  was  black  as  an 
African.  We  at  once  went  to  work  and  made  a  large  box  in  which 
10  put  him.  I  continued  to  think  of  my  dream,  which  I  had  had 
some  time  before  the  events  here  related  took  place. 

"His  family,  as  well  as  ourselves,  felt  it  was  the  judgment  of 
God  upon  him.  I  preached  his  funeral  sermon.  Many  of  the 


54  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

mob  died  suddenly.  We  stayed  about  two  weeks  after  Akeman's 
death  and  preached,  baptized  Mr.  Hubbel  and  his  wife,  and  then 
continued  on  our  journey. 

"We  concluded  to  go  down  the  Arkansas  River  and  cross  in- 
to Tennessee.  We  could  not  get  passage  on  the  boat,  because 
of  the  low  water;  so  we  went  on  the  bank  of  the  river  and  cut 
down  a  sound  cottonwood  tree,  three  feet  through,  and  cut  off 
a  twelve  foot  length  from  the  butt  end;  in  two  days  we  dug  out 
a  canoe.  We  made  a  pair  of  oars  and  a  rudder,  and  on  the  llth 
day  of  March,  1835,  we  launched  our  canoe,  and  commenced  our 
voyage  down  the  Arkansas  River,  without  provisions. 

"The  first  day  we  sailed  twenty-five  miles,  and  stopped  at 
night  with  a  poor  family  who  lived  on  the  bank  of  the  river.  These 
kind  folks  gave  us  supper  and  breakfast,  and,  in  the  morning, 
gave  us  johnny-cake  and  a  piece  of  pork  to  take  with  us  on  our 
journey.  We  traveled  about  fifty  miles  that  day,  and  at  night 
stopped  at  an  old  tavern,  in  a  village  called  Cadron,  which  was 
deserted  because  it  was  believed  to  be  haunted  by  evil  spirits. 
We  made  a  fire  in  the  tavern,  roasted  a  piece  of  our  pork,  ate  our 
supper,  said  our  prayers,  went  into  a  chamber,  lay  down  on  the 
bare  floor,  and  were  soon  asleep.  I  dreamed  I  was  at  my  father's 
house  in  a  good  feather  bed,  and  I  had  a  good  night's  rest. 
When  I  awoke  the  bed  vanished,  and  I  found  myself  on  the  bare 
floor  and  well  rested,  not  having  been  troubled  with  evil  spirits 
or  anything  else. 

"We  thanked  the  Lord  for  His  goodness  to  us,  ate  the  re- 
mainder of  our  provisions,  and  continued  our  journey  down  the 
river  to  Little  Rock,  the  capital  of  Arkansas,  which  then  consisted 
of  only  a  few  cabins-.  After  visiting  the  place,  we  crossed  the 
river  and  tied  up  our  canoe,  which  had  carried  us  safely  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  miles.  We  then  took  the  old  military  road  leading 
from  Little  Rock  to  Memphis,  Tennessee.  This  road  lay  through 
swamps,  and  was  covered  with  mud  and  water  most  of  the  way 
for  one  hundred  and  seventy  miles.  We  walked  forty  miles  in 
a  day,  through  mud  and  water  knee-deep. 

"On  the  24th  of  March,  after  traveling  some  ten  miles 
through  mud,  I  was  made  lame  with  a  sharp  pain  in  my  knee, 
and  sat  down  on  a  log.  My  companion,  who  was  anxious  to  get 
to  his  home  in  Kirtland,  left  me  sitting  in  an  alligator  swamp. 


MISSION  TO  SOUTHERN  STATES,  1834-1836.         55 

I  did  not  see  him  again  for  two  years.  I  knelt  down  in  the  mud 
and  prayed,  and  the  Lord  healed  me '  and  I  went  on  my  way 
rejoicing. 

"On  the  27th  of  March  I  arrived  at  Memphis,  weary  and 
hungry.  I  went  to  the  best  tavern  in  the  place,  kept  by  Mr. 
Josiah  Jackson.  I  told  him  I  was  a  stranger  and  had  no  money, 
and  asked  him  if  he  would  keep  me  over  night.  He  inquired 
what  my  business  was,  and  I  told  him  I  was  a  preacher  of  the 
gospel.  He  laughed  and  said  that  I  did  not  look  much  like  a 
preacher.  I  did  not  blame  him,  as  most  of  the  preachers  he  ever 
had  been  acquainted  with  rode  on  fine  horses  or  in  fine  carriages, 
dressed  in  broadcloth,  had  large  salaries,  and  would  likely  see  this 
whole  world  sink  to  perdition  before  they  would  wade  through 
one  hundred  and  seventy  miles  of  mud  to  save  the  people. 

"The  landlord  wanted  a  little  fun,  so  said  he  would  keep 
me  if  I  would  preach.  He  wanted  to  see  if  I  could  preach.  I 
must  confess  that  by  this  time  I  became  a  little  mischievous,  and 
pleaded  with  him  not  to  set  me  preaching.  The  more  I  pleaded 
to  be  excused  the  more  determined  Mr.  Jackson  was  that  I  should 
preach.  He  took  my  valise,  and  the  landlady  got  me  a  good 
supper.  I  sat  down  in  a  large  hall  to  eat.  Before  I  got  through, 
the  room  began  to  be  filled  by  some  of  the  rich  and  fashionable 
people  of  Memphis,  dressed  in  their  broadcloth  and  silk,  while 
my  appearance  was  such  as  you  can  imagine,  after  traveling 
through  the  mud  as  I  had  done.  When  I  had  finished  eating,  the 
table  was  carried  out  of  the  room  over  the  heads  of  the  people. 
I  was  placed  in  the  corner  of  the  room,  with  a  stand  having  a 
Bible,  hymn  book,  and  candle  on  it,  hemmed  in  by  a  dozen  men, 
with  the  landlord  in  the  center. 

"There  were  present  some  five  hundreds  persons,  who  had 
come  together,  not  to  hear  a  gospel  sermon,  but  to  have  some 
fun.  I  read  a  hymn,  and  asked  them  to  sing.  Not  a  soul  would 
sing  a  word.  I  told  them  I  had  not  the  gift  of  singing ;  but  with 
the  help  of  the  Lord,  I  would  both  pray  and  preach.  I  knelt 
down  to  pray,  and  the  men  around  me  dropped  on  their  knees. 
I  prayed  to  the  Lord  to  give  me  His  spirit  and  to  show  me  the 
hearts  of  the  people.  I  promised  the  Lord,  in  my  prayer,  that 
I  would  deliver  to  that  congregation  whatever  He  would  give 
to  me.  I  arose  and  spoke  one  hour  and  a  half,  and  it  was  one  of 


56  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

the  best  sermons  of  my  life.  The  lives  of  the  congregation  were 
open  to  the  vision  of  my  mind,  and  I  told  them  of  their  wicked 
deeds  and  the  reward  they  would  obtain.  The  men  who  sur- 
rounded me  dropped  their  heads.  Three  minutes  after  I  closed, 
I  was  the  only  person  in  the  room. 

"Soon  I  was  shown  to  a  bed,  in  a  room  adjoining  a  large 
one  in  which  were  assembled  many  of  the  men  whom  I  had  been 
preaching  to.  I  could  hear  their  conversation.  One  man  said 
he  would  like  to  know  how  that  Mormon  boy  knew  of  their 
past  lives.  In  a  little  while  they  got  to  disputing  about  some 
doctrinal  point.  One  suggested  calling  me  to  decide  the  point. 
The  landlord  said,  'No;  we  have  had  enough  for  once.'  In  the 
morning,  I  had  a  good  breakfast.  The  landlord  said  if  I  came 
that  way  again  to  stop  at  his  house,  and  stay  as  long  as  I  might 
choose. 

" After  leaving  Memphis,  I  traveled  through  the  country  to 
Benton  County,  and  preached  on  the  way,  as  I  jiad  opportunity. 
I  stopped  one  night  with  a  Squire  Hardman,  an  Episcopalian. 
Most  of  the  night  was  spent  by  the  family  in  music  and  dancing. 
In  the  morning,  at  the  breakfast  table,  Mr,  Hardman  asked  me  if 
we  believed  in  music  and  dancing.  I  told  him  we  did  not  really 
consider  them  essential  to  salvation.  He  said  he  did,  and  therefore 
should  not  join  our  Church. 

.  "On  the  4th  of  April,  1835,  I  had  the  happy  privilege  of 
meeting  Elder  Warren  Parrish  at  the  house  of  Brother  Frye. 
He  had  been  preaching  in  that  part  of  Tennessee,  in  company 
with  David  W.  Patten,  and  had  baptized  a  number  of  persons 
and  organized  several  small  branches.  Brother  Patten  had  re- 
turned home,  and  Brother  Parrish  was  laboring  alone.  I  joined 
him  in  the  ministr/,  and  we  labored  together  three  months  and 
nineteen  days,  when  he  was  called  to  Kirtland.  During  the 
time  we  were  together,  we  traveled  through  several  counties 
in  Tennessee  for  the  distance  of  seven  hundred  and  sixty  miles, 
and  preached  the  gospel  daily,  as  we  had  opportunity.  We  bap- 
tized some  twenty  persons. 

"By  the  counsel  of  the  Prophet  Joseph  Smith  and  Oliver 
Cowdery,  Elder  Parrish  ordained  me  an  elder,  and  left  me  to 
take  charge  of  the  branches  that  had  been  raised  up  in  that 
neighborhood.  As  soon  as  I  was  left  alone  I  extended  my  cir- 


MISSION  TO  SOUTHERN  STATES,  1834-1836.        57 

cuit  and  labors.  For  a  season  I  had  large  congregations;  many 
seemed  to  believe,  and  I  baptized  a  number. 

"On  the  15th  of  August  I  had  an  appointment  at  the  house 
of  Brother  Taylor,  the  step-father  of  Abraham  O.  Smoot.  I  had 
to  cross  Bloody  River,  which  I  had  to  swim,  in  consequence  of 
heavy  rains.  While  crossing,  my  horse  became  entangled  in  a 
tree-top,  and  almost  drowned;  but  I  succeeded  in  getting  him 
loose.  We  swam  to  the  shore  separately.  He  reached  the  shore 
first,  and  waited  till  I  came  out.  I  got  into  the  saddle,  went  on  my 
way  in  good  spirits,  and  had  a  good  meeting. 

"On  the  20th  of  October  I  baptized  three  Campbellities,  one 
of  whom  was  a  deacon.  I  then  rode  twelve  miles  to  Mr.  Green- 
wood's, who  was  eighty  years  old,  and  had  been  a  soldier  under 
General  Washington.  His  wife,  who  was  ninety-three  years  old, 
I  found  quite  smart,  and  busy  carding  wool.  I  preached  at 
their  house  and  baptized  both  of  them. 

"On  the  following  day  I  preached  at  the  house  of  Ben- 
jamin L.  Clapp,  and  baptized  seven  Campbellites  and  one  Baptist. 
On  the  16th  of  November,  I  preached  at  Brother  Camp's,  and 
baptized  three.  On  the  day  following,  it  being  Sunday,  I  preached 
again  at  Brother  Clapp's,  and  baptized  five. 

"At  the  close  of  the  meeting  I  mounted  my  horse  to  ride 
to  Clark's  River,  in  company  with  Seth  Utley,  four  other  breth- 
ren, and  two  sisters.  The  distance  was  twenty  miles.  We  came 
to  a  stream  which  was  so  swollen  by  rains  that  we  could  not  cross 
without  swimming  our  horses.  To  swim  would  not  be  safe  for 
the  women,  so  we  went  up  the  stream  to  find  a  ford.  In  the  at- 
tempt we  were  overtaken  by  a  severe  storm  of  wind  and  rain, 
lost  our  way  in  the  darkness,  and  wandered  through  creeks 
and  mud.  But  the  Lord  does  not  forsake  His  Saints  in  any  of 
their  troubles.  While  we  were  in  the  woods  suffering  under 
the  blast  of  the  storm,  groping  like  the  blind  for  the  wall,  a  bright 
light  suddenly  shone  around  us,  and  revealed  to  us  our  dan- 
gerous situation  on  the  edge  of  a  gulf.  The  light  continued  with 
us  until  we  found  the  road;  we  then  went  on  our  way  rejoic- 
ing, though  the  darkness  returned  and  the  rain  continued.  We 
reached  Brother  Henry  Thomas'  in  safety  about  nine  o'clock  at 
night,  having  been  five  hours  in  the  storm,  and  forded  streams 
many  times.  None  of  us  felt  to  complain,  but  were  thankful  to 


58  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

God  for  His  preserving  care.  On  the  following  day  I  preached 
at  Damon  Creek,  and  organized  a  branch  called  Damon  Creek 
Branch,  and  ordained  Daniel  Thomas  a  teacher. 

"On  the  19th  of  December  I  again  preached  at  the  house 
of  Brother  Clapp,  and  baptized  five  persons ;  one  was  a  Campbell- 
ite  preacher.  On  the  following  day  I  preached  at  the  house  of 
Brother  Henry  Thomas,  when  a  mob  of  about  fifty  persons  col- 
lected, headed  by  a  Baptist  preacher,  who,  after  asking  one  ques- 
tion, advised  the  mob  not  to  lay  hands  on  any  man  on  account  of 
his  principles.  The  advice  was  good  and  well  taken.  At  the 
close  of  the  meeting  I  baptized  three  persons,  one  seventy-eight 
years  old. 

"This  brings  the  year  1835  to  a  close — the  first  year  uf  my 
mission — during  which  time  I  had  traveled  three  thousand  two 
hundred  and  forty-eight  miles,  held  one  hundred  and  seventy  meet- 
ings, baptized  forty-three  persons — three  of  whom  were  Campbell- 
ite  preachers — assisted  Elder  Parrish  to  baptize  twenty  more,  con- 
firmed thirty-five,  organized  three  branches,  ordained  two  teach- 
ers and  one  deacon,  procured  thirty  subscribers  for  the  Mes- 
senger and  Advocate,  one  hundred  and  seventy-three  signers  to 
the  petition  to  the  governor  of  Missouri  for  redress  of  wrongs 
done  the  Saints  in  Jackson  County,  had  three  mobs  rise  against 
me — but  was  not  harmed — wrote  eighteen  letters,  received  ten, 
and,  finally,  closed  the  labors  of  the  year  1835  by  eating  johnny 
cake,  butter  and  honey,  at  Brother  A.  O.  Smoot's. 

"  I  spent  the  fore  part  of  January,  1836,  (the  weather  being 
very  cold),  at  the  house  of  A.  O.  Smoot,  in  Kentucky,  studying 
Klrkham's  English  Grammar.  I  continued  to  travel  and  preach 
in  Kentucky  and  Tennessee  and  baptized  all  that  would  believe 
my  testimony.  On  the  26th  of  February  we  held  a  conference  at 
the  house  of  Brother  Lewis  Clapp  (father  of  B.  L.  Clapp).  There 
were  represented  one  hundred  and  three  members  in  that  mis- 
sion. I  ordained  A.  O.  Smoot  and  Benjamin  Boyston  elders, 
and  Daniel  Thomas  and  Benjamin  L.  Clapp  priests.  I  also 
ordained  one  teacher  and  two  deacons. 

"After  conference  I  took  Brothers  Smoot  and  Clapp  with  me 
to  preach.  The  former  traveled  with  me  constantly  till  the  21st 
of  April,  when  we  had  the  privilege  of  meeting  with  Elder 
David  W.  Patten,  who  had  come  direct  from  Kirtland,  and  who 


MISSION  TO  SOUTHERN  STATES,  1834-1836.        59 

had  been  ordained  one  of  the  Twelve  Apostles.  It  was  a  happy 
meeting.  He  gave  us  an  account  of  the  endowments  at  Kirt- 
land,  the  glorious  blessings  received,  the  ministration  of  angels, 
the  organization  of  the  Twelve  Apostles  and  seventies,  and  in- 
formed me  that  I.  was  appointed  a  member  of  the  second  quorum 
of  seventy.  All  this  was  glorious  news  to  me,  and  caused  my 
heart  to  rejoice.  On  the  27th  of  May  were  were  joined  by  Elder 
Warren  Parrish,  direct  from  Kirtland,  We  had  a  happy  time  to- 
gether. 

"On  the  28th,  we  held  a  conference  at  Brother  Seth  Utley's, 
where  were  represented  all  the  branches  of  the  Church  in  the  South. 
On  the  31st  of  May  I  was  ordained  a  member  of  the  second 
quorum  of  seventy,  under  the  hands  of  David  W.  Patten  and 
Warren  Parrish.  At  the  close  of  the  conference  we  separated 
for  a  short  time.  Elders  Patten  and  Parrish  labored  in  Tennes- 
see, Brother  Smoot  and  myself  in  Kentucky.  On  the  9th  of 
June  we  all  met  at  Damon  Creek  Branch,  where  Brother  Patten 
baptized  two.  One  was  Father  Henry  Thomas,  who  had  been 
a  revolutionary  war  soldier  under  General  Washington,  and 
was  father  of  Daniel  and  Henry  Thomas. 

"A  warrant  was  issued,  on  the  oath  of  a  priest,  against  D. 
W.  Patten,  W.  Parrish  and  myself.  We  were  accused  in  the 
warrant  of  the  great  'crime'  of  testifying  that  Christ  would  cotre 
in  this  generation,  and  that  we  promised  the  Holy  Ghost  to  those 
whom  we  baptized.  Brothers  Patten  and  Parrish  were  taken 
on  the  19th  of  June.  I,  being  in  another  county,  escaped  arrest. 
The  brethren  were  put  under  two  thousand  dollars  bonds  to  ap- 
pear at  court.  Albert  Petty  and  Seth  Utley  were  their  bondsmen. 
They  were  tried  on  the  22nd  of  June.  They  pleaded  their  own 
cause.  Although  men  came  forward  and  testified  that  they  did 
receive  the  Holy  Ghost  after  they  were  baptized,  trie  brethren 
were  condemned ;  but  finally  were  released  by  paying  the  expenses 
of  the  mob  court. 

"One  peculiar  circumstance  was  connected  with  this  trial 
by  a  mob  court,  which  was  armed  to  the  teeth.  When  the  trial 
was  through,  the  people  were  not  willing  to  permit  more  than  one 
to  speak.  Warren  Parrish  had  said  a  few  words,  and  they  were 
not  willing  to  let  David  Patten  say  anything;  but  he,  feeling 
the  inju:tice  of  the  court,  and  behg  filled  with  tLo  <^o—  Of 


60  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

God,  arose  to  his  feet  and  delivered  a  speech  of  about  twenty 
minutes,  holding  them  spell-bound  while  he  told  them  of  their 
wickedness  and  of  the  abominations  they  were  guilty  of,  also  of 
the  curse  of  God  that  awaited  them,  if  they  did  not  repent,  and  for 
taking  up  two  harmless,  inoffensive  men  for  preaching  the  gos- 
pel of  Christ.  When  he  had  got  through  his  speech  the  judge 
said,  'You  must  be  armed  with  secret  weapons,  or  you  would 
not  talk  in  this  fearless  manner  to  an  armed  court.'  Brother 
Patten  replied,  'I  have  weapons  that  you  know  not  of,  and  they 
are  given  me  of  God,  for  He  gives  me  all  the  power  I  have.' 
The  judge  seemed  willing  to  get  rid  of  them  upon  almost  any 
terms,  and  offered  to  dismiss  them  if  their  friends  would  pay 
the  costs,  which  the  brethren  present  freely  offered  to  do. 

"When  the  two  were  released,  they  mounted  their  horses  and 
rode  a  mile  to  Seth  Utley's ;  but  as  soon  as  they  had  left,  the 
court  became  ashamed  that  they  had  been  let  go  so  easily,  and 
the  whole  mob  mounted  their  horses  to  follow  them  to  Utley's. 
One  of  the  Saints,  seeing  the  state  of  affairs,  went  on  before 
the  mob  to  notify  the  brethren,  so  that  they  had  time  to  ride  into 
the  woods  near  by.  They  traveled  along  about  three  miles  to 
Brother  Albert  Petty's,  and  went  to  bed.  The  night  was  dark, 
and  they  fell  asleep,  but  Brother  Patten  was  warned  in  a  dream 
to  get  up  and  flee,  as  the  mob  soon  would  be  there.  They  both 
arose,  saddled  their  animals,  and  rode  into  the  adjoining  county. 
The  house  they  had  just  left  was  soon  surrounded  by  the  mob, 
but  the  brethren  escaped  through  the  mercy  of  God. 

"I  was  invited  to  hold  a  meeting  at  a  Baptist  meetinghouse ; 
this  was  on  the  27th  of  June.  On  my  arrival  I  met  a  large  con- 
gregation, but,  on  commencing  services,  Parson  Browning  ordered 
the  meeting  to  be  closed.  I  told  the  people  I  had  come  ten  miles 
to  preach  the  gospel  to  them,  and  was  willing  to  stand  in  a  cart, 
on  a  pile  of  wood,  on  a  fence,  or  any  other  place  they  would  ap- 
point, to  have  that  privilege.  One  man  said  he  owned  the  fence 
and  land  in  front  of  the  meetinghouse,  and  we  might  use  both, 
for  he  did  not  believe  Mormonism  would  hurt  either.  So  the 
congregation  crossed  the  road,  took  down  the  fence  and  made 
seats  of  it,  and  I  preached  to  them  one  hour  and  a  half.  At  the 
close,  Mr.  Randoph  Alexander  bore  testimony  to  the  truth  of 
what  had  been  said.  He  invited  me  home  with  him,  bought 


MISSION  TO  SOUTHERN  STATES,  1834-1836.        61 

a  Book  of  Mormon  and  was  baptized,  and  I  organized  a  branch 
in  that  place. 

"On  the  18th  of  July,  Brother  A.  O.  Smoot  and  I  arrived 
at  a  ferry  on  the  Tennessee  River,  and,  as  the  ferryman  was  not 
at  home,  the  woman  kindly  gave  us  permission  to  use  the  ferry- 
boat. We  led  our  horses  on  board,  and  took  the  oars  to  row 
across  the  river.  Brother  Smoot  never  had  used  an  oar,  and  I 
had  not  done  so  for  some  years,  so  we  made  awkward  work  of  it. 
Soon  he  broke  one  oar,  and  I  let  another  fall  overboard,  which 
left  us  only  one  broken  oar  to  get  to  shore  with.  We  narrowly 
escaped  running  into  a  steamboat.  We  struck  shore  half  a  mile 
below  the  landing  place,  tied  up  the  boat,  jumped  on  the  bank 
with  our  horses,  and  went  on  our  way  with  blistered  hands, 
thankful  to  get  off  so  well. 

"On  Sunday,  the  31st  of  July,  A.  O.  Smoot  and  I  preached 
at  Mr.  David  Crider's,  Weakley  County,  Tennessee.  After  the 
meeting,  Mr.  Crider  was  baptized.  A  mob  gathered  and  threat- 
ened us,  and  poisoned  our  horses,  so  that  the  one  I  rode,  belong- 
ing to  Samuel  West,  died  a  few  days  after.  This  horse  had 
carried  me  thousands  of  miles  while  preaching  the  gospel. 

"I  continued  to  travel  with  Brothers  Smoot,  Patten,  and 
Parrish  in  Tennessee  and  Kentucky,  and  we  baptized  all  who 
would  receive  our  testimony.  On  the  2nd  day  of  December  we 
held  a  general  conference  at  Damon  Creek  Branch.  Elder 
Thomas  B.  Marsh,  President  of  the  Twelve  Apostles,  presided. 
All  the  branches  in  Tennessee  and  Kentucky  were  represented. 
Brothers  Randolph  Alexander,  Benjamin  L.  Clapp,  and  Johnson 
F.  Lane  were  ordained  elders,  and  Lindsay  Bradey  was  ordained 
to  the  lesser  priesthood.  I  assisted  President  Marsh  to  obtain 
fifteen  hundred  dollars  from  the  Southern  brethren  to  enter 
land  in  Missouri  for  the  Church.  The  brethren  made  me  a  present 
of  fifty  dollars,  which  I  sent  by  President  Marsh  to  enter  forty 
acres  of  land  for  me.  Elder  Smoot  and  I  were  released  from 
the  Southern  mission,  with  permission  to  go  to  Kirtland." 

During  his  mission,  Wilford  Woodruff  organized  a  company 
of  Saints,  and  went  with  them  a  short  distance,  starting  them 
on  the  way  to  Zion — a  portion  of  the  work  of  gathering  in  which 
he  did  so  much  subsequently,  both  in  the  United  States  and  Great 
Britain.  Most  of  his  travels  for  over  two  years  had  been  on 


62  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

foot.  Since  leaving  Richland,  New  York,  he  had  journeyed  over 
six  thousand  miles.  Under  his  administration  the  sick  were 
healed,  mobacrats  were  destroyed  by  the  power  of  God,  light 
from  heaven  had  been  sent  in  the  darkness  of  the  night  to  lead 
him  from  a  lost  condition  in  the  forest  and  to  save  him  from 
being  dashed  to  pieces  over  a  rocky  percipice,  other  miracles 
were  wrought,  and  Wilford  Woodruff,  in  his  early  youth  and 
manhood,  had  become  in  a  marked  degree  a  choice  witness  for 
God  and  for  the  divine  mission  of  Joseph  Smith,  the  Prophet. 

Let  it  be  remembered,  too,  that  to  enjoy  all  this  power  it 
was  not  necessary  to  be  an  apostle,  a  patriarch,  a  high  priest, 
or  a  seventy.  For  the  greater  part  of  his  mission,  Wilford 
Woodruff  was  only  a  priest  after  the  order  of  Aaron.  Like  John 
the  Baptist,  he  magnified  his  calling;  his  soul  was  in  the  work; 
he  loved  his  fellowbeings,  and  yearned  for  their  salvation.  His 
whole  experience  is  a  striking  lesson  worthy  of  being  learned, 
and  an  example  to  be  followed  profitably  by  all  the  young  men 
and  elders  of  Israel.  More  than  once,  thousands  of  the  Saints 
have  heard  Wilford  Woodruff  .say  in  assemblies  of  worship  that 
in  all  his  life  he  never  had  enjoyed  more  of  the  spirit  and  power 
of  God  than  when  he  was  a  priest  doing  missionary  work  in 
the  Southern  States. 

His  first  mission  being  completed,  he  approached  the  city  of 
the  Saints — Kirtland — whence  he  had  departed  over  two  years 
previously.  "The  Temple  of  the  Lord,"  says  he,  "came  in  sight 
— first  in  importance  to  our  vision.  I  truly  rejoiced  when  the 
House  of  the  Lord  rose  into  view  as  we  drew  near  to  this  Stake 
of  Zion.  It  was  the  first  time  I  had  seen  the  Temple  of  God — 
the  first  Temple  built  in  this  generation.  After  my  long  absence, 
I  rejoiced  greatly  to  strike  hands  with  the  Prophet  Joseph,  and 
with  many  others  engaged  in  rolling  on  the  mighty  work  of  the 
Lord  in  the  last  days. 

"Two  years  and  a  half  had  elapsed,"  he  writes  further, 
"since  I  left  Kirtland  with  my  brethren  in  poverty  to  go  up  to 
visit  our  brethren  in  tribulation  in  Zion.  The  Saints  at  Kirt- 
land were  then  poor,  despised,  and  looked  upon  by  the  pomp 
of  Babylon  with  disdain,  and  people  watched  with  eager  eyes  to 
behold  them  sink  into  forgetfulness.  But  what  a  change  has 
come!  Now  I  behold  a  cheerfulness  beaming  from  every  coun- 


MISSION  TO  SOUTHERN  STATES,  1834-1836.        63 

tenance,  and  the  scenes  around  indicate  prosperity.  The  noise 
of  the  ax  and  the  hammer,  the  stir  of  their  bank  and  market, 
and  especially  the  presence  of  the  House  of  God,  speak  in  lan- 
guage loud  as  thunder  that  the  Saints  will  have  a  city  in  spite 
of  all  the  false  prophets  of  Baal,  and  in  spite  of  even  earth 
and  hell  combined,  because  God  is  with  them,  and  His  Temple 
stands  in  honor  of  His  Kingdom,  while  Babylon  begins  to  wonder 
and  soon  will  perish." 


CHAPTER  8. 

IN  KIRTLAND,  1836. 

Wilford's  First  Attendance  at  Meeting  in  the  Temple. — Called  to 
Speak. — Church's  Attitude  Toward  the  Use  of  Liquor. — Wilford  in 
the  First  Quorum  of  Seventy. — Receives  Temple  Endowments. — 
Troubles  in  Kirtland. — Greatness  of  the  Prophet  Joseph. — Wil- 
ford's Marriage. — Receives  a  Patriarchal  Blessing. 

The  missionary  experiences  of  Wilford  Woodruff  in  the 
Southern  States  gave  to  him  a  firmness  and  a  comprehension 
that  came  from  the  testimony  of  the  spirit  of  God.  From  the  day 
he  joined  the  Church,  he  was  in  active  service.  He  was  not 
among  those  who  required  special  training  and  who  needed  the 
constant  guidance  of  the  leaders  to  keep  them  within  the  bounds 
of  the  Church.  His  first  experience  was  in  Zion's  Camp.  He  re- 
mained a  short  time  in  Missouri  and  then  set  out  upon  his  mis- 
sion. His  life  was  therefore  governed  by  the  workings  of  the 
spirit  within  him.  That  spirit  was  his  guide — the  rock  upon  which 
his  faith  and  understanding  were  established.  His  return,  there- 
fore, to  Kirtland  did  not  subject  him  to  the  temptations  of  evil, 
nor  to  the  rebukes  of  the  Prophet.  He  knew  that  he  was  about 
his  Father's  business  and  was  not  swerved  by  the  sophistries  of 
men,  or  the  speculative  spirit  of  those  times. 

When  he  entered  the  city,  he  beheld,  to  his  great  joy,  the 
Temple  of  the  Lord.  It  contained  for  him  grand  opportunities. 
Its  ordinances  which  he  so  fervently  revered  gave  comfort  and 
consolation  to  his  life.  On  Sunday  the  27th,  1836,  he  attended 
his  first  public  meeting  in  the  Temple.  He  had  visited  the  building 
previously  and  viewed  with  pleasure  its  sacred  apartments.  On 
the  forenoon  of  that  day  in  company  with  Elders  Warren  Par- 
rish  and  A.  O.  Smoot,  he  listened  with  pleasure  to  the  words  of 
Elder  S.  Carter,  and  to  an  impressive  discourse  from  the  Prophet 
Joseph. 

In  the  afternoon  of  the  same  day,  Elders  Woodruff  and  A.  O. 
Smoot  were  invited  to  address  the  congregation.  Elder  Woodruff 
first  opened  by  prayer  and  then  turned  at  random  to  a  page  in 
the  Bible.  To  his  surprise,  he  opened  to  the  56th  chapter  of 
Isaiah,  the  syme  chapter  he  had  turned  to  on  the  night  of  his 


IN  KIRTLAND,  1836.  65 

eventful  prayer  in  Connecticut.  Here  the  memories  of  that  night 
flashed  upon  his  mind,  and  he  told  the  incidents  thereof  with  im- 
pressive force  and  inspiration  upon  the  congregation.  The  peo- 
ple were  greatly  interested.  Those  who  knew  the  voice  of  the  good 
shepherd  ^recognized  in  him  a  man  truly  born  of  the  spirit  of 
God,  a  fit  companion  of  prophets  and  apostles. 

On  the  1st  of  December,  1836,  he  attended  for  the  first  time 
in  his  life  a  meeting  called  for  the  purpose  of  giving  certain 
persons  their  patriarchal  blessings.  Father  Joseph  Smith  was 
the  patriarch  of  the  Church  in  those  days.  This  new  experience 
brought  to  him  new  evidences  that  the  God  of  the  Bible,  the  God 
of  the  patriarchs  of  old, — Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob, — was  truly 
the  God  of  the  new  dispensation  whose  spirit  and  purposes  were 
kindred  to  those  in  ancient  times  when  the  patriarchs  of  old 
blest  the  people. 

The  spiritual  manifestations  of  those  times  in  Kirtland 
brought  with  them  heartfelt  desires  to  observe  every  rule  of 
correct  living.  That  spirit  was  not  at  all  in  harmony  with  the 
use  of  intoxicating  liquors;  and  whatever  became  an  obstacle 
to  the  spirit  of  worship  must  be  removed  if  the  worship  were  to 
be  enjoyed.  It  was  important  that  the  use  of  liquor  should  be  dis- 
continued, and  Elder  Woodruff  records  in  his  journal  that  on  the 
4th  day  of  December,  that  year,  Sidney  Rigdon  called  for  a  vote 
of  the  people  on  the  discontinuance  of  the  use  of  liquor  in  the 
Church  both  in  sickness  and  in  health.  An  exception  to  the  rule 
was  made  in  the  case  of  the  washing  of  the  bodies;  and  under 
proper  regulations,  wine  might  be  used  for  the  Sacrament.  The 
vote  was  unanimous. 

On  the  llth  of  December,  the  Prophet  sharply  rebuked 
the  Kirtland  Saints  for  their  sins  and  backsliding.  He  warned 
them  to  repent,  lest  judgment  should  come  upon  them  as  it  had 
come  upon  the  Saints  in  Jackson  County,  Missouri.  Those  were 
trying  times.  They  were  days  of  separation  when  it  became  nec- 
essary to  separate  the  unworthy  from  those  who  were  of  the 
household  of  faith.  Kirtland  was  not  to  be  the  abiding  place 
of  the  Saints.  They  must  give  up  their  possessions  and  their 
love  for  the  city  they  had  striven  so  hard  to  adorn.  Many  had 
placed  themselves  in  opposition  to  a  divine  purpose  whose  wis- 
dom they  could  not  comprehend.  That  opposition  invited  the 

6 


66  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

presence  of  the  evil  one,  who  both  tempted  and  beguiled  them. 
Wilford  Woodruff,  however,  was  among  those  who  could  say 
then,  as  he  ever  after  kept  himself  in  a  condition  to  say,  "Thy  will, 
not  mine  be  done." 

Before  the  close  of  1836,  there  came  to  Elder  Woodruff  one 
of  those  choice  blessings  which  he  esteemed  so  highly.  He  was 
advanced  in  the  priesthood  to  a  place  in  the  first  quorum  of 
seventies.  His  faithful  friend  and  missionary  companion,  A.  O. 
Smoot,  was  likewise  ordained  to  the  office  of  a  seventy.  This 
ordination  of  his  friend  was  in  fulfillment  of  a  prophesy  which  he 
had  pronounced  upon  the  head  of  Elder  Smoot  on  the  30th  day  of 
June,  that  year,  while  they  were  together  in  Tennessee.  The  call 
of  Wilford  Woodruff  to  take  his  place  in  the  first  quorum  of 
seventy  took  place  on  the  3rd  day  of  January,  1837,  though  he 
had  been  ordained  to  his  new  calling  in  the  priesthood  on  the 
20th  of  the  preceeding  December.  His  love  for  missionary  ser- 
vice made  this  calling  one  of  special  honor  to  him.  To  be  a  wit- 
ness for  Jesus  Christ  to  the  nations  was  his  soul's  delight.  The 
manner  in  which  he  honored  that  calling  is  known  to  all  who 
are  at  all  familiar  with  the  early  history  of  the  Church. 

The  early  part  of  April,  1837,  Wilford  Woodruff  devoted 
himself  to  the  meetings  which  were  held  in  the  Temple  during 
those  days.  Those  who  were  absent  from  Kirtland  in  the  spring 
of  1836,  and  had  not  therefore  the  privilege  of  receiving  their 
endowments  at  that  time  were  granted  the  opportunity  to  do  so  in 
the  following  spring.  This  was  another  blessing  that  he  re- 
ceived with  feelings  of  gratitude  and  praise  to  his  Maker.  The 
influence  of  the  Temple  ordinances  is,  perhaps,  the  most  potent 
of  any  influence  in  the  Church  in  the  establishment  of  union,  in 
the  perpetuity  of  brotherly  love,  and  in  the  preservation  of  a  God- 
like purity.  It  is  not  too  much  to  say  that  one,  upon  whom  the 
spirit  of  these  ordinances  has  fastened  itself,  never  escapes  in  his 
conscience  the  sacred  obligations  they  impose  upon  him. 

Referring  to  the  administration  of  the  Temple  ordinances 
on  that  occasion,  he  writes  in  his  journal:  "The  Prophet  Joseph 
arose  and  addressed  the  congregation  for  the  space  of  three  hours. 
He  was  clothed  with  the  power,  spirit,  and  image  of  God.  He 
presented  many  things  of  great  importance  to  the  elders  of  Israel. 
O,  that  the  record  could  be  written  as  with  an  iron  pen,  of  the 


IN  KIRTLAND,  1836.  67 

light,  principles,  and  virtue  that  came  from  the  mouth  and  heart 
of  the  Prophet  Joseph,  whose  soul,  like  that  of  Enoch,  seemed 
as  wide  as  eternity!  That  day  strikingly  demonstrated  that  he 
was,  indeed,  a  prophet  of  God  raised  up  for  the  deliverance  of 
Israel.  x  He  presented  to  us  a  plan  of  the  city  of  Kirtland  which 
was  given  him  by  vision.  The  future  will  prove  that  the  visions 
of  Joseph  concerning  Jackson  County  and  concerning  the  various 
stakes  of  Zion  will  be  fulfilled  in  the  time  appointed  of  the  Lord. 
After  his  remarks,  the  Sacrament  was  administered  and  all  were 
made  glad  at  the  table  of  the  Lord  in  association  with  apostles, 
prophets,  patriarchs,  evangelists,  and  teachers.  In  the  evening  a 
meeting  was  held  in  which  many  took  part  by  speaking  in  tongues, 
giving  the  interpretations  thereof,  prophesying,  etc., — a  veritable 
feast  of  Pentecost." 

Temple  work  in  Kirtland  in  the  early  part  of  1837  afforded 
him  that  spiritual  satisfaction  which  was  so  helpful  in  those  sub- 
sequent years  of  his  life  when  he  was  employed  in  missionary 
service  and  upon  the  plains  as  a  pioneer.  He  also  learned  during 
those  days  in  Kirtland  that  the  more  remarkable  the  spiritual 
manifestations,  the  greater  the  opposition  of  the  evil  one.  He 
was  present  at  the  Sunday  services  in  the  Temple,  April  9th,  when 
Heber  C.  Kimball,  Orson  Pratt,  and  Sidney  Rigdon  laid  before 
the  Saints  the  condition  of  the  Church  respecting  temporal  af- 
fairs. 

A  financial  panic  was  on  throughout  the  United  States.  Its 
depressing  influence  was  severely  felt  in  Kirtland.  Before  it 
reached  that  place,  however,  many  of  the  leading  brethren  had 
given  their  time  and  talent  to  speculation  and  were  absorbed  in 
schemes  detrimental  to  their  religious  standing,  and  quite  con- 
trary to  the  counsel  of  the  Prophet.  Speculations  brought  on 
jealousies  and  hatreds,  and  those  evil  attributes  manifested  them- 
selves toward  Joseph  who  sought  so  diligently  to  suppress  them. 
Prominent  men — men  who  had  shown  the  highest  degree  of  loy- 
alty to  the  Prophet  became  disaffected.  Their  financial  specu- 
lations brought  on  a  spirit  of  self-sufficiency,  and  that  spirit  made 
them  wise  in  their  own  conceit.  The  affairs  of  the  Church  were 
put  to  the  test  of  "wisdom" — wisdom  as  they  understood  it.  Such 
wisdom,  however,  was  undermining  their  integrity  to  the  Church. 
The  meek  and  humble  maintained  their  fidelity  and  brought  en- 


68  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

couragement  and  solace  to  the  Prophet,  and  the  noble  men  who 
stood  with  him  in  the  hours  of  financial  distress. 

On  one  occasion  he  met  Wilford  Woodruff,  and  after  scruti- 
nizing him  very  closely  as  though  he  were  reading  his  inmost 
thoughts,  said:  "Brother  Woodruff,  I  am  glad  to  see  you.  I 
hardly  know  when  I  meet  those  who  have  been  my  brethren  in  the 
Lord,  who  of  them  are  my  friends.  They  have  become  so  scarce." 
Elder  Woodruff  felt  throughout  all  the  subsequent  years  of  his 
life  a  supreme  satisfaction  over  the  loyalty  he  had  manifested 
in  those  trying  times  to  the  Prophet  of  God.  Elder  Woodruff 
was  so  faithful  in  the  discharge  of  his  duties,  so  humble  in  his 
demeanor,  so  sincere  and  devoted  that  he  was  rewarded  by  a  dis- 
cerning spirit  which  kept  him  in  the  path  of  safety  when  some  of 
his  brethren  were  struggling  in  the  meshes  of  misgivings  and 
doubt. 

The  correctness  of  Wilford  Woodruff's  attitude  in  those  days 
was  manifested  in  his  ability  to  see  in  the  Prophet  the  same 
spiritual  power  that  had  been  manifested  to  him  on  former  oc- 
casions. Of  a  meeting  held  on  April  19th,  when  the  Prophet 
spoke,  he  writes :  "He  seemed  a  fountain  of  knowledge  from 
whose  mouth  streams  of  eternal  wisdom  flowed.  As  he  stood  be- 
fore the  people,  he  showed  clearly  that  the  authority  of  God  was 
upon  him.  When  speaking  of  those  who  professed  to  be  his 
friends  and  the  friends  of  humanity,  but  who  had  turned  against 
the  people  and  opposed  the  prosperity  of  Kirtland,  he  declared 
the  Lord  would  deal  severely  with  them.  Joseph  uttered  the 
feelings  of  his  soul  in  pain,  while  reviewing  the  poverty  and 
afflictions  of  his  people,  and  while  finding  false  brethren  whose 
course  brought  peril  upon  the  Saints.  Joseph  is  a  father  to 
Ephraim  and  to  all  Israel  in  these  last  days;  and  he  mourned 
because  of  unbelief  and  treachery  among  many  who  had  em- 
braced the  gospel.  He  feared  lest  few  in  Kirtland  should  remain 
worthy  to  receive  an  inheritance." 

"There  is  not  so  great  a  man  as  Joseph  standing  in  this 
generation,"  he  wrote  later  on.  "The  Gentiles  look  upon  him,  and 
he  is  like  a  bed  of  gold  concealed  from  human  view.  They 
know  not  his  principle,  his  spirit,  his  wisdom,  his  virtue,  his 
philanthrophy,  of  his  calling.  His  mind,  like  Enoch's,  expands 
as  eternity,  and  God  alone  can  comprehend  his  soul." 

Misfortune  and  affliction  so  often  unsettle  men's  minds  and 


KIRTLAND,  1836.  69 

move  them  from  their  moorings  that  they  are  prone  to  doubt 
the  goodness  of  God  and  His  protecting  care  over  them.  The  high- 
est type  of  saintly  life  and  divine  loyalty  among  men,  alike  in 
affliction  and  prosperity,  was  Job.  Job  was  one  of  those  beautiful 
characters  in  Old  Testament  history  that  appealed  strongly  to  the 
mind  and  heart  of  Wilford  Woodruff.  His  reference  to  Job 
in  public  discourses  shows  how  deeply  that  worthy  character  of 
Holy  Writ  had  influenced  his  life. 

At  the  time  herein  mentioned,  Wilford  had  reached  his  30th 
year.  He  now  felt  that  it  was  his  duty  to  assume  the  respon- 
sibility of  husband  and  father.  He  was,  no  doubt,  strongly  act 
uated  in  this  feeling  by  an  inspiration  which  the  new-found  mes 
sage  brought  to  his  soul.  On  the  13th  day  of  April,  1837,  he  re- 
ceived in  wedlock  Miss  Phoebe  Whitmore  Carter,  an  estimable 
young  lady  from  the  state  of  Maine.  She  was  the  daughter  of 
Ezra  Carter  of  Scarboro.  With  other  members  of  her  father's 
household,  she  had  been  baptized  some  time  previously  by  Elder 
John  F.  Boynton.  Like  her  husband,  she  belonged  to  that  sturdy 
New  England  race  that  gave  strength  and  force  to  the  new  move- 
ment. They  had  been  acquainted  only  about  two  months  when 
they  joined  hands  in  holy  wedlock.  The  ceremony  was  per- 
formed by  President  Frederick  G.  Williams.  The  Prophet  Joseph 
had  intended  to  marry  them,  but  owing  to  severe  persecution,  he 
was  compelled  to  be  absent  from  home. 

She  had  already  received  her  patriarchal  blessing  from  Fath- 
er Joseph  Smith  on  November  10,  1836.  It  contained  many  glorious 
promises  which,  so  far  as  they  related  to  this  life,  have  been 
fulfilled.  Some  were  fulfilled  in  a  remarkable  manner. 

On  the  15th  of  April,  two  days  subsequent  to  their  mar- 
riage, Elder  Woodruff  likewise  received  his  patriarchal  bless- 
ing. These  blessings  gave  hope  and  courage  to  the  new  life 
which  they  were  hereafter  to  experience  together^  Such  a  blessing 
brought  joys  and  assurances  greatly  in  excess  of  those  which  came 
from  wedding  tours.  They  therefore  began  life  together  in  faith 
and  in  perfect  reliance  upon  the  goodness  of  God.  Elder  Wood- 
ruff's blessing  contained  the  promise  that  he  should  bring  all  of 
his  relatives  into  the  Church.  The  fulfillment  of  that  promise 
was  realized  in  a  remarkable  manner,  and  was  one  of  those 
evidences  which  gave  him  support  and  comfort  throughout  all  the 
subsequent  years  of  life. 


CHAPTER  9. 
FIRST  MISSION  TO  FOX  ISLANDS,  1837. 

Troubles  at  Kirtland. — Mission  to  Fox  Islands. — Evil  Spirits  Cast  Out. 
— Healing  the  Sick. — Visits  his  Home  Enroute. — From  Connec- 
ticut to  Maine. — Description  of  Fox  Islands. — Begins  Ministry  in 
Vinal  Haven. — A  Minister  Comes  to  Grief. — Baptisms. — Excite- 
ment.— Return  to  Scarboro. 

The  condition  of  affairs  in  Kirtland  during  the  winter  of 
1836-7  was  not  at  all  to  the  liking  of  Elder  Woodruff.  To  his 
mind  there  was  no  place  in  the  Church  for  contentions,  misgiv- 
ings, and  opposition.  The  work  was  of  God — that  was  enough. 
There  were  the  properly  appointed  authorities.  Upon  them  the  re- 
sponsibilities of  the  kingdom  had  been  placed.  He  was  not  there- 
fore concerned  about  what  others  thought  was  a  lack  of  wisdom 
in  them.  He  was  not  avaricious;  and  financial  reverses,  to  his 
mind,  could  never  thwart  the  purposes  of  God;  and  he  was  not 
troubled  about  how  much  of  this  world's  goods  came  to  his  pos- 
session. A  glorious  message  had  been  given  to  the  earth,  and  he 
wanted  every  one  to  know  its  value  to  the  human  family  and  to 
understand  the  blessings  of  salvation  to  those  who  yielded  obedi- 
ence. 

Wilford  Woodruff  always  felt  out  of  place  in  the  midst  of  con- 
tention. He  shunned  it,  and  never  cared  for  the  association  of 
those  who  were  given  to  fault-finding,  criticisms,  and  personal 
griefs.  He  never  saw  the  necessity  for  them.  It  was  never  hard 
for  him  to  agree  with  his  brethren.  He  was  never  unreasonable 
iu  his  demands,  never  had  private  ends  to  foster,  and  never  hesi- 
tated when  there  was  something  important  to  be  done.  He  was 
loyal  to  the  Prophet,  true  to  his  brethren;  and  as  he  was  now  a 
seventy,  he  wanted  to  magnify  his  office  by  service  in  the  mission- 
ary field. 

He  felt  impressed  that  he  wanted  to  take  a  mission  to  Fox 
Islands,  off  the  coast  of  Maine,  although  he  was  not  at  all  fam- 
iliar with  the  locality  nor  with  the  conditions  there.  To  his 
impressions  of  the  spirit  of  God,  he  found  a  hearty  response 
in  the  minds  of  the  apostles. 

"Feeling,"  he  said,  "that  it  was  my  duty  to  start  at  once  upon 


FIRST  MISSION  TO  FOX  ISLAND,  1837.  71 

this  mission,  I  did  not  tarry  at  home  one  year  after  having  taken 
a  wife  as  the  law  of  Moses  allowed.  On  the  contrary,  I  started 
just  one  month  and  one  day  after  that  important  event.  I  left 
my  wife  with  a  Sister  Hale  with  whom  she  expected  to  stay  for 
a  season.  I  left  Kirtland  in  good  spirits,  in  company  with  Elder 
Jonathan  Hale,  and  walked  twelve  miles  to  Fairport,  where  we 
were  joined  by  Elder  Milton  Holmes.  There  we  went  aboard  the 
steamer  Sandusky,  made  our  way  to  Buffalo,  and  proceeded 
thence  to  Syracuse  by  way  of  the  Erie  Canal.  We  then  walked 
to  Richland,  Oswego  County,  New  York,  where  I  met  my  two 
brothers  whom  I  had  not  seen  for  several  years."  The  elder 
of  these  brothers  had  become,  through  trial  and  temptation, 
indifferent  to  the  Church.  This  was  a  source  of  deep  sorrow 
to  Wilford,  who  warned  him  against  opposing  the  truth,  and 
faithfully  instructed  him  in  his  duty  to  the  gospel  which  he  had 
embraced. 

From  Richland  they  proceeded  to  Sackett's  Harbor,  thence 
across  Lake  Ontario  by  steamer,  Oneida,  to  Kingston,  Upper 
Canada,  and  along  the  canal  to  Jones'  Falls,  whence  they  walked 
to  a  place  called  Bastard,  Leeds  County.  There  they  found  a 
branch  of  the  Church  presided  over  by  John  E.  Page  and  James 
Blakesly.  "We  accompanied  them  to  their  place  of  meeting," 
said  Elder  Woodruff,  "and  attended  a  conference,  at  which  three 
hundred  members  of  the  Church  were  present.  Thirty-two 
persons  presented  themselves  for  ordination.  I  was  asked  to 
officiate  in  company  with  Elder  William  Draper.  We  ordained 
seven  elders,  nine  priests,  eleven  teachers,  and  five  deacons. 

"We  addressed  the  people  several  times  during  this  confer- 
ence, and  at  its  close  were  called  to  administer  to  a  woman  who 
was  possessed  of  a  devil.  At  times  she  was  dumb  and  greatly  afflict- 
ed with  the  evil  spirits  that  dwelt  in  her.  She  believed  in  Jesus, 
and  in  us  as  His  servants,  and  wished  us  to  administer  to  her. 
Four  of  us  laid  our  hands  upon  her  head,  and  in  the  name  of 
Jesus  Christ  commanded  the  devil  to  depart  from  her.  The  evil 
spirits  left  immediately,  and  the  woman  arose  with  great  joy 
and  gave  thanks  and  praise  unto  God ;  for,  according  to  her  faith, 
she  was  made  whole  from  that  hour.  A  child  that  was  sick  was 
also  healed  by  the  laying  on  of  hands,  according  to  the  word  of 
God. 


72  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

"We  walked  thirty  miles  to  visit  another  branch  of  the 
Saints  at  Leeds,  where  we  met  with  John  Gordon  and  a  John 
Snider.  There  we  held  a  meeting,  and  bore  testimony  to  the 
people.  A  Sister  Cams  came  to  us  and  asked  that  the  ordinance 
for  the  healing  of  the  sick  be  performed  for  two  of  her  children 
who  were  afflicted.  One  was  a  nursing  babe  which  was  lying  at 
the  point  of  death.  I  took  it  in  my  arms  and  presented  it  before 
the  elders,  who  laid  their  hands  upon  it,  and  it  was  made  whole 
immediately.  I  handed  it  back  to  the  mother  entirely  healed.  We 
afterwards  laid  hands  upon  the  other,  and  it  was  also  healed. 
It  was  done  by  the  power  of  God,  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ, 
and  the  parents  praised  God  for  His  goodness." 

From  Leeds  they  went  to  Schenectady,  New  York.  On  this 
journey  they  were  accompanied  by  Elders  Isaac  Russell,  John 
Goodson,  and  John  Snider.  In  New  York  they  expected  to  join 
Apostles  Heber  C.  Kimball  and  Orson  Hyde  who  were  soon  to 
leave  on  a  mission  to  England.  Elder  Russell  seemed  to  be  troubled 
constantly  by  evil  spirits.  They  were  also  troublesome  to  him  while 
in  England,  where  Apostles  Hyde  and  Kimball  had  a  severe  con- 
test with  them,  when  administering  to  him. 

After  separating  from  the  three  brethren  named,  Elder 
Woodruff  and  his  companions  went  by  rail  to  Albany,  and  walked 
from  there  to  Canaan,  Connecticut,  where  they  found  a  branch 
of  the  Church.  Here  they  met  Jesse  and  Julian  Moses  and  Fran- 
cis K.  Benedict.  They  held  a  two  day's  meeting  at  Canaan,  and 
Elder  Woodruff  ordained  Julian  Moses  and  Francis  K.  Benedict 
to  the  office  of  an  elder. 

At  Colebrook,  Elder  Woodruff  visited  his  half-sister,  Eunice 
Woodruff,  who  taught  school  there.  "I  spent  five  hours,"  he 
wrote,  "watching  her  in  the  performance  of  her  school  duties. 
Five  years  before,  when  I  last  beheld  Eunice  at  our  father's 
house,  she  was  a  child  of  only  twelve  years ;  but  now  I  beheld  her 
an  instructor  of  the  youth.  As  I  looked  upon  her,  my  heart  was 
filled  with  admiration  for  those  accomplishments  in  her  which 
adorn  the  female  sex.  Her  spirit  was  blithe,  and  her  step,  as  she 
moved  among  her  pupils,  showed  the  energy  of  youth.  She  hand- 
ed me  a  bundle  of  letters  from  her  brother  Asahel.  The  teachings 
and  instructions  contained  in  those  letters,  if  followed  by  the 
youth,  would  lead  them  past  a  thousand  snares.  As  I  read,  I 


FIRST  MISSION  TO  FOX  ISLAND,  1837.  73 

smiled  and  wept,  and  prayed  in  my  heart,  'O  God,  protect  my 
brothers,  my  sisters,  my  wife,  and  my  parents.' ';  Wilford's 
affection  for  his  tamily  and  relatives  was  strong  and  beauti- 
ful. 

From  Colebrook  he  proceeded  to  Avon.  "There  I  visited," 
he  wrote,  "many  of  my  former  neighbors,  and  my  relatives,  also 
the  grave  of  my  mother,  Beulah  Woodruff,  who  died  June  llth, 
1808,  when  she  was  twenty-six  years  of  age.  The  following  verse 
was  upon  her  tombstone : 

.   'A  pleasing  form,  a  generous  heart, 
A  good  companion,  just  without  art; 
Just  in  her  dealings,  faithful  to  her  friend, 
Beloved  through  life,  lamented  in  the  end/ 

"At  the  close  of  the  day  I  walked  six  miles  to  Farming- 
ton,  where  my  father,  Aphek  Woodruff,  was  living,  and  I  had  the 
happy  privilege  of  once  more  meeting  him  and  my  stepmother, 
whom  I  had  not  seen  for  seven  years.  They  greeted  me  with 
great  kindness.  It  was  a  happy  meeting.  After  visiting  with  my 
father  for  a  day  or  two,  I  returned  to  Avon,  where  most  of  my 
relatives  lived,  and  held  meetings  with  them.  On  the  12th  of 
June,  1837,  I  baptized  my  uncle,  Ozem  Woodruff,  his  wife,  Han- 
nah, and  their  son,  John,  and  we  rejoiced  together;  for  this  was 
in  fulfillment  of  a  dream  I  had  in  1818,  when  I  was  eleven  years 
of  age. 

"On  the  15th  of  July  I  had  an  appointment  to  preach  at  the 
house  of  my  uncle,  Adna  Hart.  While  there  I  had  the  happy 
privilege  of  meeting  with  my  wife  Phoebe  W.  Woodruff,  who 
had  come  from  Kirtland  to  meet  me  and  accompany  me  to  her 
father's  home  in  Scarboro,  Maine.  Those  who  had  assembled 
to  hear  me  preach  were  relatives,  neighbors,  and  former  friends. 
After  meeting,  we  returned  to  Farmington,  to  my  father's  home, 
where  I  spent  the  night  with  my  father,  stepmother,  sister,  and 
wife.  Elder  Hale  was  also  with  us. 

"On  the  19th  of  July,  Elder  Hale  left  us  to  go  to  his  friends 
in  New  Rowley,  Massachusetts.  The  same  evening  I  held  a 
meeting  in  the  Methodist  meetinghouse  in  the  town  of  Farm- 
ington. I  had  a  large  congregation  of  citizens  with  whom  I 


74  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

had  been  acquainted  from  my  youth.  My  parents,  wife,  and 
sister  attended  the  meeting.  The  congregation  seemed  satisfied 
with  the  doctrines  I  taught,  and  requested  me  to  hold  another 
meeting;  but  I  felt  anxious  to  continue  my  journey,  and  on  the 
20th  of  July  I  parted  from  father,  stepmother,  and  sister,  and, 
with  my  wife,  took  stage  for  Hartford. 

"On  my  arrival  there,  not  having  money  to  pay  fare  for 
both  of  us,  I  paid  my  wife's  fare  to  Rowley,  Massachusttes, 
where  there  was  a  branch  of  the  Church  presided  over  by  Brother 
Nathaniel  Holmes,  father  of  Jonathan  and  Milton  Holmes.  I 
journeyed  on  foot.  The  first  day  I  walked  fifty-two  -miles,  the 
second  day  forty-eight,  and  the  third  day  thirty-six  miles,  arriv- 
ing at  Rowley  at  2  o'clock,  having  made  the  one  hundred  and 
thirty-six  miles  in  a  little  over  two  and  a  half  days.  On  the 
second  day,  when  within  a  mile  or  two  of  my  stopping  place, 
I  felt  so  weary  and  worn-out  that  every  step  was  made  with  pain- 
ful effort.  Just  then  a  gentleman  came  dashing  along  in  his 
carriage.  As  he  came  up  I  prayed  to  the  Lord  that  he  would 
invite  me  to  ride.  Instead  of  doing  this,  he  went  by  with  great 
speed  until  about  ten  rods  ahead,  when  his  horse,  without  being 
spoken  to,  or  reined  up,  and  for  some  cause  unknown  to  the 
driver,  came  to  a  sudden  stop.  It  appeared  as  if  a  barrier,  un- 
seen by  others,  stood  in  his  way.  Instantly  the  gentleman  turned 
and  asked  me  to  ride.  The  invitation  I  accepted  gladly,  and  we 
sped  on  our  way. 

"I  spent  eight  days  at  New  Rowley,  holding  meeting  and 
visiting  with  the  Saints,  including  the  Holmes  family,  and  left 
there  on  the  1st  of  August.  On  the  8th  of  August,  in  company 
with  my  wife  and  Elder  Hale,  I  visited  my  wife's  father,  Ezra 
Carter,  and  his  family  in  Scarboro,  Maine,  it  being  the  first  time 
I  had  ever  seen  any  of  her  relatives. 

We  were  received  very  kindly.  My  wife  had  been  absent  from 
her  father's  home  about  one  year.  I  remained  eight  days  with 
Father  Carter,  and  household,  and  one  day  I  went  out  to  sea  with 
Fabian  and  Ezra  Carter,  my  brothers-in-law,  in  a  boat  to  fish  with 
hooks.  We  caught  two  hundred  and  fifty  cod,  haddock,  and  hake, 
and  we  saw  four  whales,  two  at  a  time.  It  was  the  first  time  I 
had  ever  seen  the  kind  of  animal  which  is  said  to  have  swallowed 
Jonah. 


FIRST  MISSION  TO  FOX  ISLAND,  1837.  75 

"On  the  18th  of  August,  1837,  I  parted  with  my  wife  and 
her  father's  household,  leaving  her  with  them,  and,  in  company 
with  Jonathan  H.  Hale,  started  upon  the  mission  that  I  had  in 
view  when  I  left  Kirtland.  We  walked  ten  miles  to  Portland, 
and  took  passage  on  the  steamboat,  Bangor,  which  carried  us  to 
Owl's  Head  where  we  went  on  board  a  sloop  which  landed  us 
on  North  Fox  Island  at  2  o'clock  a.  m.  on  August  20th. 

"The  town  of  Vinal  Haven  includes  both  North  and  South 
Fox  Islands,  in  latitude  44°  north  longitude  69°  10'  west.  The 
population  numbered,  at  the  time  of  my  visit,  about  eighteen 
hundred.  The  inhabitants  were  intelligent  and  industrious,  and 
hospitable  to  strangers.  They  got  most  of  their  living  and  wealth 
by  fishing.  The  town  fitted  out  over  one  hundred  licensed  sail- 
ing vessels,  besides  smaller  craft. 

"North  Fox  Island  is  nine  miles  long  by  two  miles  in  width, 
and  has  a  population  of  eight  hundred.  They  have  a  postoffice, 
one  store,  a  Baptist  church  and  a  meetinghouse,  four  schoolhouses, 
and  a  tide  grist-mill.  The  land  is  rather  poor,  yet  there  are 
some  good  farms.  The  products  are  wheat,  barley,  oats,  potatoes, 
and  grass.  The  principal  timber  consists  of  fir,  spruce,  hem- 
lock, and  birch.  Raspberries  and  gooseberries  grow  in  great 
abundance,  and  some  upland  cranberries  are  raised.  The  principal 
stock  are  sheep. 

"South  Fox  Island  comes  as  near  being  without  definite  form 
as  any  spot  on  earth  I  ever  saw.  It  would  be  difficult  for  any 
person  to  describe  it.  It  is  about  ten  miles  in  length  by  five  in 
width,  and  is  a  mass  of  rocks,  formed  into  shelves,  hills,  and  val- 
leys, and  cut  up  into  necks  and  points  to  make  room  for  the 
coves  and  harbors  that  run  into  the  island.  The  population  is 
one  thousand.  The  inhabitants  get  their  living  entirely  by  fish- 
ing. There  is  no  chance  for  farming  upon  the  island.  There  are 
a  few  garden  patches  which  are  cultivated  at  great  expense. 
Some  few  sheep  are  raised  there.  Many  of  the  inhabitants  fish 
in  the  vicinity  of  Newfoundland,  and  bring  their  fish  home,  where 
they  cure  them  on  flakes  and  prepare  them  for  the  market.  They 
supply  the  market  with  great  quantities  of  cod,  mackeral,  and 
boxed  herring.  Upon  this  island  there  are  two  stores,  three  tide 
mills,  six  schoolhouses,  and  a  small  branch  of  the  Methodist 
church  presided  over  by  a  priest.  What  timber  there  is  upon  this 


76  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

island,  such  as  pine,  fir,  spruce,  hemlock,  and  birch,  and  likewise 
whortleberries,  raspberries,  and  gooseberries,  grow  mostly  out  of 
the  cracks  in  the  rocks. 

"Great  quantities  of  fish  in  almost  endless  variety  inhabit  the 
coves  and  harbors  around  the  islands.  The  whale,  blackfish, 
shark,  ground-shark,  pilot-fish,  horse-mackerel,  sturgeon,  salmon, 
halibut,  cod,  polleck,  torn-cod,  hake,  haddock,  mackerel,  shad-bass, 
alewife,  herring,  pohagen,  dolphin,  whiting,  frost-fish,  flounders, 
smelt,  skate,  shrimp,  skid,  cusk,  blueback,  scallop,  dog-fish, 
mutton-fish,  lumpfish,  squid,  five-fingers,  monkfish,  horse-fish, 
sun-fish,  sword-fish,  thrasher,  cat-fish,  scuppog,  tootog,  eye-nsh, 
cunner,  ling,  also  the  eel,  lobster,  clam,  mussel,  periwinkle,  por- 
poise, seal,  etc.,  are  found. 

"I  have  given  a  brief  description  of  Vinal  Haven.  It  was 
quite  dark  when  we  landed,  without  a  farthing  of  money.  We 
made  our  way  over  the  rocks  and  through  the  cedars  the  best  we 
could  until  we  found  a  house.  We  rapped  at  the  door.  A  woman 
put  her  head  out  of  the  window  and  asked  who  we  were  and 
what  was  wanted.  I  told  her  we  were  two  strangers,  and  wanted 
a  bed  to  lie  down  upon  till  morning.  She  let  us  in  and  gave  us 
a  bed.  We  slept  until  quite  late,  it  being  Sunday  morning. 

"When  we  came  out  and  took  breakfast  it  was  nearly  noon. 
I  asked  her  what  she  charged  for  our  accomodation.  She  replied 
that  we  were  welcome.  I  then  asked  her  if  there  were  any  min- 
ister or  church  on  the  island.  She  informed  us  that  there  was  a 
Baptist  minister,  named  Newton,  who  had  a  congregation  and  a 
meetinghouse  about  five  miles  from  there. 

"We  thanked  her  for  her  kindness,  walked  to  the  meeting- 
house, and  stepped  inside  the  doorway.  We  stood  there  until  a 
deacon  came  to  the  door.  I  asked  him  to  tell  the  minister  in  the 
pulpit  that  there  were  two  servants  of  God  at  the  door,  and  that 
they  had  a  message  to  give  to  the  people  and  wished  the  priv- 
ilege of  delivering  it.  He  sent  for  us  to  come  to  the  pulpit,  so  we 
walked  through  the  congregation  with  our  valises  and  took  a  seat 
by  the  side  of  the  minister,  who  was  about  to  speak  as  we  came 
to  the  door.  He  arose  and  delivered  his  discourse  to  the  people, 
occupying  about  half  an  hour.  When  he  closed  he  asked  me  what 
my  wish  was.  I  told  him  we  wished  to  speak  to  the  people  at  any 
hour  that  would  suit  his  or  their  convenience;  so  he  gave  notice 


FIRST  MISSION  TO  FOX  ISLAND,  1837.  77 

that  there  were  two  strangers  present  who  would  speak  to  the 
people  at  5  o'clock  that  evening. 

"We  were  quite  a  source  of  wonderment  to  the  people,  as  they 
had  no  idea  who  we  were.  Mr.  Newton  asked  us  home  to  tea 
with  him,  and  we  gladly  accepted  the  invitation.  When  we  ar- 
rived at  his  house,  I  opened  my  valise  and  took  out  the  Bible, 
Book  of  Mormon,  Doctrine  and  Covenants,  laid  them  upon  the 
table,  and  took  my  seat.  Mr.  Newton  took  up  the  books  and 
looked  at  them,  but  said  nothing.  I  then  inquired  if  there  were 
any  schoolhouses  upon  the  island,  and  if  so,  whether  they  were 
free  to  preach  in.  He  answered  that  there  were  four,  numbered 
respectively  from  one  to  four,  and  that  they  were  free.  Mr.  New- 
ton and  family  accompanied  us  to  the  meeting-house,  where  we 
met  a  large  congregation,  none  of  whom  knew  who  we  were  or 
anything  about  our  profession,  except  the  minister. 

Elder  Hale  and  I  went  to  the  stand,  and  1  arose  with  pe- 
culiar feelings  and  addressed  the  congregation  for  one  hour,  tak- 
ing for  my  text  Galatians  1 :  8,  9.  This  was  the  first  time  that  I, 
or  any  other  elder  of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day 
Saints,  had  (to  my  knowledge)  atempted  to  preach  the  fulness  of 
the  gospel  and  the  Book  of  Mormon  to  the  inhaibtants  of  any 
island  of  the  sea.  I  had  much  liberty  in  speaking,  and  informed  the 
people  that  the  Lord  had  raised  up  a  prophet  and  organized  His 
Church  as  in  the  days  of  Christ  and  the  ancient  apostles,  with 
prophets,  apostles,  and  the  gifts  as  anciently,  and  that  he  had 
brought  forth  the  Book  of  Mormon.  At  the  close  of  my  remarks 
Elder  Hale  bore  testimony.  I  gave  liberty  for  any  one  to  speak 
who  might  wish  to  do  so.  As  no  one  responded,  I  announced  that 
we  would  hold  meetings  the  next  four  evenings  at  the.  school- 
houses,  beginning  at  No.  1. 

"During  the  first  thirteen  days  of  our  sojourn  upon  the  island, 
we  preached  seventeen  discourses,  being  invited  by  the  people  to 
tarry  with  them.  I  left  a  copy  of  the  Doctrine  and  Covenants 
with  Mr.  Newton  for  his  perusal.  He  read  it,  and  the  spirit  of 
God  bore  testimony  to  him  of  its  truth.  He  pondered  over  it 
for  days,  and  walked  his  room  until  midnight  trying  to  decide 
whether  to  receive  or  reject  it.  He  and  his  family  attended  about 
a  dozen  of  my  first  meetings,  and  then  he  made  up  his  mind,  con- 
trary to  the  dictation  of  the  spirit  of  God  to  him,  to  reject  the 


78  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

testimony  and  come  out  against  me.  However,  we  commenced 
baptizing  his  flock.  The  first  two  we  baptized  were  a  sea-cap- 
tain, by  the  name  of  Justin  Eames,  and  his  wife.  Brother  Jona- 
than H.  Hale  went  down  into  the  sea  on  the  3rd  of  September, 
and  baptized  them;  these  were  the  first  baptisms  performed  by 
proper  authority  upon  any  of  the  islands  of  the  sea  (to  my  knowl- 
edge) in  this  dispensation. 

"Before  we  left  Kirtland  some  of  the  leading  apostates  there 
had  tried  to  discourage  Brother  Hale  about  going  on  his  mission, 
telling  him  he  never  would  baptize  anyone,  and  had  better  remain 
at  home.  When  Captain  Eames  offered  himself  for  baptism,  I 
asked  Brother  Hale  to  baptize  him,  and  prove  those  men  to  be 
false  prophets,  which  he  did.  On  the  following  Sabbath  I  bap- 
tized Justin  Eames'  brother,  Ebenezer  Eames,  another  sea-captain, 
and  a  young  lady. 

"Mr  Newton,  the  Baptist  minister,  now  commenced  a  war 
against  us,  and  sent  to  the  South  Island  for  a  Mr.  Douglass,  a 
Methodist  minister,  with  whom  he  had  been  at  variance  for  years, 
to  come  over  and  help  him  put  down  'Mormonism.'  Mr.  Douglass 
came  over  and  they  got  together  as  many  people  as  they  could,  and 
held  a  conference.  He  railed  against  Joseph,  the  Prophet,  and 
the  Book  of  Mormon,  and  taking  that  book  in  his  hand,  with  out- 
stretched arm,  declared  that  he  feared  none  of  the  judgments  of 
God  that  would  come  uponJiim  for  rejecting  it  as  the  word  of 
God.  (I  never  heard  what  his  sentiments  upon  this  subject  were 
at  the  end  of  his  term  of  fourteen  years'  imprisonment  in  the 
Thomaston  penitentiary,  for  an  outrage  upon  his  daughter.  The 
judgment  was  given  upon  the  testimony  of  his  wife  and  daught- 
er). 

"I  was  present  and  heard  Mr.  Douglass'  speech  upon  this 
occasion,  and  took  minutes  of  it.  When  he  closed  I  arose  and  in- 
formed the  people  that  I  would  meet  them  the  next  Sunday  in  the 
meeting-house  and  answer  Mr.  Douglass;  and  I  wished  him,  as 
well  as  the  people,  to  be  present.  I  informed  the  people  that  Mr. 
Douglass  had  made  many  false  statements  against  Joseph  Smith 
and  the  Latter-day  Saints,  with  whom  he  had  no  acquaintance ; 
and  he  had  misquoted  much  Scripture,  all  of  which  I  would  cor- 
rect. 

"We  continued  to  baptize  the  people  on  North  Island  until 


FIRST  MISSION  TO  FOX  ISLAND,  1837.  79 

we  baptized  every  person  who  owned  an  interest  in  the  Baptist 
meeting-house.  I  then  followed  Mr.  Douglas  home  to  South 
Island,  and  preached  the  gospel  to  the  members  of  his  church, 
and  baptized  nearly  all  of  them. 

"The  excitement  became  great  on  both  islands,  and  on  Sun- 
day, the  17th  of  September,  I  met  a  large  assembly  from  both 
islands,  and  took  up  the  same  subject  that  Mr.  Douglass  had 
dwelt  upon  in  his  remarks  against  the  Book  of  Mormon  and  our 
principles.  I  spoke  two  and  a  half  hours,  and  answered  every  ob- 
jection against  the  Book  of  Mormon,  Joseph  Smith,  or  our  prin- 
ciples. I  had  good  attention,  and  the  people  seemed  satisfied. 
At  the  close  of  the  meeting  Elder  Hale  administered  the  ordinance 
of  baptism. 

"Mr.  Newton,  in  order  to  save  his  cause,  went  to  the  main- 
land, brought  over  several  ministers,  and  held  a  protracted  meet- 
ing. They  hoped  by  this  to  stop  the  work  of  God,  but  all  to  no 
avail;  for  all  the  people  would  attend  our  meetings  and  receive 
the  word  of  God,  and  we  continued  to  baptize.  We  visited  the 
homes  of  most  of  the  inhabitants. 

"Upon  one  occasion,  while  standing  upon  Mr.  Carver's  farm, 
on  the  east  end  of  North  Island,  we  counted  fifty-five  islands  in 
that  region,  most  of  which  were  not  inhabited.  We  also  saw 
twenty  ships  under  sail  at  the  same  time.  We  did  not  lack  for 
food  while  upon  the  island,  for  if  we  did  not  wish  to  trouble  our 
friends  for  a  dinner,  we  had  only  to  borrow  a  spade  or  a  hoe  and 
a  kettle,  and  go  to  the  beach  and  dig  a  peck  of  clams.  These, 
when  boiled,  make  a  delicious  meal,  of  which  we  often  availed 
ourselves. 

"One  day  Elder  Hale  and  I  ascended  to  the  top  of  a  high 
granite  rock  on  South  Island  for  prayer  and  supplication.  We 
sat  down  under  the  shade  of  a  pine  tree  which  grew  out  of 
a  fissure  in  the  rocks,  and  Elder  Hale  read  the  sixteenth  chapter 
of  Jeremiah,  where  mention  is  made  of  the  hunters  and  fishers 
that  God  would  send  in  the  last  days  to  gather  Israel.  We  were, 
indeed,  upon  an  island  of  the  sea,  standing  upon  a  rock  where  we 
could  survey  the  gallant  ships,  and  also  the  islands  which  were  as 
full  of  rocks,  ledges,  and  caves  as  any  part  of  the  earth.  And 
what  had  brought  us  here?  To  search  out  the  blood  of  Ephraim, 
the  honest  and  meek  of  the  earth,  and  gather  them  from  these 


80  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

islands,  rocks,  holes,  and  caves  of  the  earth  unto  Zion.  We  prayed, 
and  rejoiced  together.  The  spirit  of  God  rested  upon  us.  We 
spoke  of  Christ  and  the  ancient  prophets  and  apostles  in  Jeru- 
salem ;  of  Nephi,  Alma,  Mormon,  Moroni,  in  America ;  of  Joseph, 
Hyrum,  Oliver,  and  the  apostles  in  our  own  day;  and  we  re- 
joiced that  we  were  upon  the  islands  of  the  sea  searching  out  the 
blood  of  Israel.  While  filled  with  these  meditations  and  with 
the  spirit  of  God,  we  fell  upon  our  knees  and  gave  thanks  to  the 
God  of  heaven,  and  felt  to  pray  for  all  Israel.  After  spending 
most  of  the  day  in  praise  and  thanksgiving,  we  descended  to  the 
settlement  and  held  a  meeting  with  the  people. 

"On  the  6th  of  September  we  called  upon  Captain  Ben- 
jamin Coombs,  and  visited  his  flakes,  where  he  had  one  thousand 
quintals  of  codfish  drying  for  the  market.  They  had  been  caught 
mostly  in  the  neighborhood  of  Newfoundland.  While  we  were 
passing  Carvey's  Wharf,  our  attention  was  called  to  a  large  school 
of  mackerel  playing  by  the  side  of  the  warf.  Several  men  were 
pitching  them  out  with  hooks.  We  also  caught  what  we  wanted 
and  went  on  our  way. 

"We  continued  to  labor,  to  preach,  and  to  baptize.  We  or- 
ganized a  branch  of  the  Church  upon  each  island.  Finally,  on 
the  2nd  of  October,  we  parted  with  the  Saints  on  North  Island 
to  return  to  Scarboro  for  a  short  time.  We  walked  from  Thom- 
aston  to  Bath,  a  distance  of  forty-six  miles  in  one  day,  and  at  the 
latter  place  attended  a  Baptist  convention.  I  also  preached  there 
in  the  evening  to  a  large  congregation,  and  the  people  gave  good 
attention  and  wished  to  learn  more  about  our  doctrines.  On  the 
following  day  we  walked  thirty-six  miles  to  Portland,  and  the  next 
day  to  Scarboro.  There  I  again  met  my  wife  and  her  father's 
family. 

"The  time  had  come  for  me  to  give  the  parting  hand  to  Broth- 
er Jonathan  H.  Hale.  During  the  season  we  traveled  over  two 
thousand  miles  together,  united  in  heart  and  spirit.  He  felt  it  his 
duty  to  return  to  his  family  in  Kirtland,  but  duty  called  me  to  re- 
turn to  my  field  of  labor  upon  the  islands.  On  the  9th  of  October 
I  accompanied  Brother  Hale  one  mile  on  his  journey.  We  retired 
to  a  grove  and  knelt  down  and  prayed  together,  and  had  a  good 
time;  after  commending  each  other  to  God,  we  parted,  he  to  re- 
turn to  Kirtland,  and  I  to  the  Fox  Islands. 


FIRST  MISSION  TO  FOX  ISLAND,  1837.  81 

"I  spent  fourteen  days  visiting  the  Saints  and  friends,  and 
holding  meetings  among  them.  On  the  28th  of  October  I  took 
leave  of  Father  Carter  and  family,  and,  in  company  with  my  wife, 
rode  to  Portland,  to  the  home  of  my  brother-in-law,  Ezra  Carter. 
A  severe  storm  arose,  so  we  could  not  go  to  sea  until  November 
1st,  when'  we  took  steamer  to  Owl's  Head,  carriage  to  Thomas- 
ton,  and  sloop  to  Fox  Islands." 


CHAPTER  10. 

CALLED  TO  THE  APOSTLESHIP,  1838. 

Again  on  the  Fox  Islands. — Opposition  Increases. — Manifestation  of 
the  Gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghost. — Sign  of  the  Prophet  Jonas.  Wilford 
Visits  A.  P.  Rockwood  in  Prison. — Baptizes  His  Father  and  Other 
Relatives.— Birth  of  His  First  Child.— Called  To  Be  One  of  the 
Twelve  Apostles,  and  To  Take  a  Foreign  Mission. — Assists  Fox 
Islands  Saints  in  Migrating  to  the  West. — Mrs.  Woodruff  Miracu- 
lously Healed. — They  Reach  Quincy,  Illinois. 

The  second  arrival  of  Wilford  Woodruff  at  the  Fox  Islands 
was  under  circumstances  very  different  from  those  of  the  first 
landing.  On  the  earlier  visit  he  was  an  entire  stranger,  and  knew 
not  how  he  could  obtain  a  meal  or  a  night's  comfortable  rest; 
the  people  also  were  strangers  to  the  gospel  message  which  he  had 
come  to  deliver.  On  the  second  visit,  however,  he  knew  he  would 
be  received  with  a  cordial  welcome;  and  he  met  many  Saints 
who  had  accepted  the  gospel  through  his  ministrations,  and  who 
hailed  him,  and  his  companion  also,  with  glad  hearts.  On  Sun- 
day, November  5,  he  met  with  a  large  assembly  of  Saints  and 
friends,  and  again  engaged  in  baptizing  those  who  received  his 
testimony.  A  few  days  later  he  went  with  Captain  Coombs  to 
another  island  called  the  Isle  of  Holt,  where  he  preached  to  an 
attentive  audience  at  an  evening  meeting,  and  spent  the  night  with 
John  Turner,  Esq.,  who  purchased  a  copy  of  the  Book  of  Mormon. 

"On  the  following  day,"  writes  Wilford,  "we  returned  to  Fox 
Islands,  and  as  St.  Paul  once  had  to  row  hard  to  make  land  in  a 
storm,  we  had  to  row  hard  to  make  it  in  a  calm.  After  preaching 
on  North  Island  again,  and  baptizing  two  persons  at  the  close 
of  the  meeting,  I  went  again  to  the  mainland,  in  company  with 
Mrs.  Woodruff  and  others,  and  there  spent  fifteen  days,  dur- 
ing which  time  I  visited  among  the  people,  held  twelve  meetings, 
and  baptized  several  persons.  On  the  13th  of  December  I  re- 
turned to  North  Island,  where  I  held  several  meetings,  then 
crossed  over  to  South  Island. 

"On  the  20th  of  December  I  spent  an  hour  with  Mr.  Isaac 
Crockett,  in  clearing  away  large  blocks  of  ice  from  the  water  in 


CALLED  TO  THE  APOSTLESHIP,  1838.  83 

a  cove,  in  order  to  baptize  him,  which  I  did  when  the  tide  came  in. 
I  also  baptized  two  more  in  the  same  place,  on  the  26th,  and  still 
two  others  on  the  27th.  On  the  28th  I  held  a  meeting  at  a  school- 
house,  when  William  Douglass,  the  Methodist  minister,  came 
and  wanted  me  to  work  a  miracle,  that  he  might  believe.  At  the 
same  time  he  railed  against  me.  I  told  him  what  class  of  men 
asked  for  signs,  and  that  he  was  a  wicked  and  adulterous  man.  I 
predicted  that  the  curse  of  God  would  rest  upon  him,  and  that  his 
wickedness  would  be  made  manifest  in  the  eyes  of  the  people. 
(While  visiting  the  islands  several  years  afterward,  I  learned  that 
the  prediction  had  been  fulfilled  in  his  imprisonment  for  a  four- 
teen years'  term,  for  a  beastly  crime.) 

"On  the  last  day  of  the  year  1837,  Mrs.  Woodruff  crossed 
the  thoroughfare  in  a  boat  and  walked  ten  miles,  the  length  of 
the  island,  to  meet  me.  I  held  a  meeting  the  same  day  in  the 
schoolhouse,  and  at  the  close  of  the  services  baptized  two  persons 
in  the  sea,  at  full  tide,  before  a  large  assembly. 

"January  1st,  1838,  found  me  upon  one  of  the  islands  of  the 
sea,  a  minister  of  the  gospel  of  life  and  salvation  unto  the  peo- 
ple, laboring  alone,  yet  blessed  with  the  society  of  Mrs.  Woodruff 
as  my  companion.  I  had  been  declaring  the  word  of  the  Lord 
through  the  islands  many  days,  the  spirit  of  God  was  working 
among  the  people,  prejudice  was  giving  way,  and  the  power  of 
God  was  manifest  by  signs  following  those  who  believed.  I  spent 
this  New  Year's  day  visiting  the  Saints  and  their  neighbors,  and 
met  a  congregation  at  the  home  of  Captain  Charles  Brown,  where 
I  spoke  to  them  for  a  while,  and  at  the  close  of  my  remarks  led 
three  persons  down  into  the  sea  and  baptized  them.  Two  of  these 
were  sea-captains ;  namely,  Charles  Brown  and  Jesse  Coombs,  and 
the  third  was  the  wife  of  Captain  Coombs.  After  confirming 
them,  we  spent  the  evening  in  preaching,  singing,  and  praying. 

"I  held  meetings  almost  daily  with  the  Saints  up  to  the  13th, 
when  I  crossed  to  North  Island.  There  I  found  that  the  seed 
1  had  sown  was  bringing  forth  fruit.  Six  persons  were  ready  for 
baptism.  But  my  mission  to  these  islands  was  not  an  exception  to 
the  general  rule ;  success  did  not  come  without  many  obstacles  pre- 
senting themselves.  Those  who  rejected  the  word  were  frequently 
inspired  by  the  evil  one  to  make  an  attempt  at  persecution.  Some 


84  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

of  those  who  felt  to  oppose  me  went  down  to  the  harbor  and  got 
a  swivel  and  small  arms,  planted  them  close  by  the  schoolhouse, 
near  the  sea  shore,  and  while  I  was  speaking  they  commenced  fir- 
ing their  cannon  and  guns.  I  continued  speaking  in  great  plain- 
ness, but  my  voice  was  mingled  with  the  report  of  musketry.  I 
told  the  people  my  garments  were  clear  of  the  blood  of  the  inhab- 
itants of  that  island,  and  asked  if  any  wished  to  embrace  the  gos- 
pel. Two  persons  came  forward  and  wished  to  be  baptized,  and  I 
baptized  them. 

"On  the  following  day  when  I  went  down  to  the  seaside  to 
baptize  a  man,  the  rabble  commenced  firing  guns  again,  as  on  the 
previous  night.  I  afterwards  learned  that  notices  were  posted 
up,  warning  me  to  leave  town,  but  I  thought  it  was  better  to  obey 
God  than  man,  and,  therefore,  did  not  go.  The  next  day  I  bap- 
tized three  persons,  and  two  days  subsequently  a  couple  of  others. 

"I  had  ample  evidence  of  the  fact  that  lying  spirits  had  gone 
out  into  the  world,  for  three  persons  whom  I  had  baptized  had 
been  visited  by  Mr.  Douglass,  who  told  them  that  I  denied  the 
Bible  and  could  not  be  depended  upon ;  and  they  yielded  to  his  in- 
sinuations until  the  devil  took  possession  of  them.  They  were  in  a 
disaffected  condition,  and  sent  for  me.  When  I  met  them  the) 
were  in  great  affliction,  but  when  I  instructed  them  in  the  princi- 
ples of  the  gospel  and  administered  to  them,  they  were  delivered 
from  the  evil  influence  and  rejoiced. 

"On  the  15th  of  February  I  again  crossed  to  North  Island; 
and  after  remaining  there  seven  days  visiting,  we  returned  to 
Camden,  where  I  met  Brother  James  Townsend,  who  had  just  ar- 
rived from  Scarboro.  I  ordained  Brother  Townsend  to  the  office 
of  elder.  We  then  concluded  to  take  a  journey  to  Bangor  and  offer 
the  gospel  to  the  inhabitants  of  that  city. 

"We  traveled  on  foot,  in  the  dead  of  winter  when  the  snow 
was  very  deep,  and  the  first  day  broke  the  road  for  seven  miles  to 
Scarsmont.  The  day  following  being  Sunday,  we  held  two  meet- 
ings, preached  the  Gospel  to  the  people,  and  were  kindly  enter- 
tained. On  the  evening  of  the  next  day  we  wallowed  through 
snowdrifts  for  a  mile,  to  meet  an  appointment  to  preach  in  a 
schoolhouse,  and  on  the  way  I  got  one  of  my  ears  frozen.  Not- 
withstanding the  severity  of  the  weather,  we  had  a  large  and  at- 


CALLED  TO  THE  APOSTLESHIP,  1838.  & 

tentive  audience.  We  also  spent  the  next  two  days  there,  and 
held  meetings. 

"On  the  evening  of  the  21st  of  February,  as  we  came  out  of 
the  schoolhouse,  a  light  appeared  on  the  northeastern  horizon 
and  spread  to  the  west,  and  soon  rolled  over  our  heads.  It  had 
the  appearance  of  fire,  blood,  and  smoke,  and  at  times  resembled 
contending  armies.  The  heavens  were  illuminated  for  a  period 
of  half  an  hour.  It  seemed  at  times  as  though  the  veil  were  about 
to  rend  in  twain,  and  the  elements  were  contending  with  each 
other.  We  looked  upon  it  as  one  of  the  signs  in  the  heavens  pre- 
dicted by  the  prophets  of  old  to  appear  in  the  last  days.  We 
were  wading  through  deep  snowdrifts  most  of  the  time  while  wit- 
nessing this  remarkable  scene. 

"The  following  day  we  walked  fifteen  miles  through  deep 
snow  to  Belfast,  and,  after  being  refused  lodging  for  the  night  by 
eight  families,  were  kindly  entertained  by  a  Mr.  Thomas  Tep- 
pley.  There  was  an  interesting  incident  connected  with  our  stay 
at  his  house.  After  eating  our  supper  (it  being  late  in  the  eve- 
ning) ,  a  stand  was  placed  before  me  by  Mr.  Teppley,  with  a  Bible 
upon  it,  and  he  asked  me  to  read  a  chapter  and  have  prayers  with 
them,  he  being  a  religious  man.  I  opened  the  Bible  mechanically, 
and  the  twenty-fifth  chapter  of  Matthew  being  the  first  to  catch 
my  eye,  I  read  it ;  as  I  closed  the  book  Mr.  Teppley  turned  to  his 
wife  and  said,  'Is  not  this  a  strange  thing?'  Then  he  explained 
to  us  that  he  had  just  read  that  chapter  and  closed  the  book  when 
we  rapped  at  the  door,  and  he  felt  impressed  to  say,  'Walk  in, 
gentlemen.'  There  is  probably  no  other  chapter  in  the  whole  book 
that  would  have  the  same  influence  in  causing  any  one  to  feed  a 
person  who  professed  to  be  a  servant  of  God  and  asked  for  bread. 

"After  becoming  acquainted  with  Mr.  Teppley's  circum- 
stances I  thought  it  providential  that  we  were  led  to  his  house, 
for  although  he  was  a  professor  of  religion  and  a  Methodist,  he 
was  in  a  state  of  despair,  believing  that  he  had  committed  the  un- 
pardonable sin.  However,  I  told  him  what  the  unpardonable  sin 
was,  and  that  he  had  not  commited  it,  but  that  it  was  a  trick  of  the 
devil  to  make  him  think  so,  in  order  to  torment  him.  He  then 
acknowledged  that  a  few  evenings  before  he  went  down  to  the 
wharf  with  the  intention  of  drowning  himself,  but  when  he  looked 


86  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

into  the  cold,  dark  water,  he  desisted  and  returned  home,  and 
said  nothing  about  it  to  anyone  previous  to  telling  me.  I  taught  him 
the  principles  of  the  gospel,  which  proved  a  comfort  to  him! 

"We  spent  the  next  day  in  visiting  the  people  of  Belfast,  and 
in  the  evening  preached  in  a  brick  schoolhouse,  provided  by  Mr. 
Teppley.  Many  wished  to  hear  more  from  us.  We  next  visited 
Northport  and  Frankfort,  holding  meetings  at  both  places.  On 
the  1st  of  March,  1838,  we  entered  Bangor,  which  at  that  time 
had  a  population  of  ten  thousand.  This  was  my  birthday,  I  being 
thirty-one  years  of  age.  I  visited  some  of  the  leading  men  of 
Bangor.  They  granted  me  the  use  of  the  city  hall,  where  I 
preached  to  good  audiences  for  two  successive  evenings.  This 
was  the  first  time  a  Latter-day  Saint  elder  had  preached  in  that 
town.  Many  were  anxious  to  learn  more  about  our  principles,  but 
our  visits  through  all  the  towns  from  Thomaston  to  Bangor  were 
necessarily  brief,  owing  to  our  appointments  upon  the  islands.  It 
was  like  casting  bread  upon  the  waters  and  trusting  in  God  for 
the  result. 

"On  the  5th  of  March  we  sailed  from  Penobscot  for  the  Isle 
of  Holt,  where  I  held  a  meeting  the  following  evening.  The  next 
day  I  took  passage  on  the  mail  boat  for  North  Fox  Island,  where 
I  again  had  the  privilege  of  meeting  with  the  Saints  for  prayer 
and  praise  before  the  Lord.  On  my  arrival  I  received  a  package 
of  letters  from  friends.  One  was  from  Kirtland,  and  gave  an  ac- 
count of  the  apostasy  and  tribulations  which  the  Saints  were  pass- 
ing through.  Joseph,  the  Prophet,  and  others,  with  their  families, 
had  gone  to  Far  West,  Missouri,  and  the  Saints  were  following 
him.  At  North  Island,  Brother  Townsend  left  me  and  returned 
home,  and  I  was  again  alone  in  the  ministry. 

"On  the  afternoon  of  the  22nd  of  March,  Brother  Sterrett 
and  I,  accompanied  by  our  wives,  went  several  hundred  yards 
from  the  shore  to  a  sandbar  (it  being  then  low  tide),  to  dig 
clams.  The  ground  near  the  shore  was  much  lower  than  the  bar, 
and  while  we  were  busy  digging  clams  and  talking  Mormonism 
the  dashing  of  the  waves  of  the  incoming  tide  against  the  shore 
suddenly  made  us  conscious  that  we  had  fifty  yards  of  water  be- 
tween that  desirable  place  and  ourselves.  The  surf  waves  added 
to  our  difficulty,  and,  as  we  had  no  boat,  our  only  choice  was  to 


CALLED  TO  THE  APOSTLESHIP,  1838.  87 

cross  our  four  arms,  thus  forming  a  kind  of  armchair  for  our 
wives  to  sit  upon,  and  carry  them  in  turn  to  the  shore,  wading 
through  two  and  a  half  feet  of  water.  By  the  time  we  had  our 
wives  and  clams  safely  landed,  there  was  impressed  firmly  upon 
our  minds  the  truth  of  the  old  saying,  that  'time  and  tide  wait  for 
no  man/  not  even  for  a  preacher  of  the  gospel. 

"On  the  28th  of  March  I  received  a  letter  from  Zion,  request- 
ing me  to  counsel  the  Saints  I  had  baptized  to  sell  their  property 
and  gather  to  Zion.  About  this  time  the  Lord  was  manifesting 
Himself  in  various  ways  upon  the  islands,  by  dreams,  visions, 
healings,  signs,  and  wonders.  I  will  relate  one  peculiar  circum- 
stance of  this  kind  that  occurred.  Mr.  Ebenezer  Carver  had  been 
investigating  our  doctrines  for  quite  a  length  of  time,  and  having 
a  great  desire  to  know  the  truth  of  our  religion,  walked  to  the  sea 
shore,  wishing  he  might  have  some  manifestation  in  proof  of  its 
truth.  There  came  to  his  mind  the  passage  of  Scripture  which 
says  there  will  be  no  sign  given  'but  the  sign  of  the  Prophet  Jonas.' 
While  this  thought  was  in  his  mind  a  large  fish  arose  to  the  top  of 
the  water,  out  at  sea  some  distance,  and  suddenly  sank  out  of  sight. 
He  greatly  desired  to  see  it  again,  and  it  soon  arose  the  second 
time,  accompanied  by  another  fish  of  about  the  same  size,  and  one 
of  them  swam  on  the  water  in  a  straight  line  towards  Mr.  Carver, 
as  he  stood  upon  the  shore.  It  came  as  near  as  the  water  would  per- 
mit, stopped  and  gazed  at  him  with  a  penetrating  eye,  as  if  it  had 
a  message  for  him,  then  returned  to  its  mate  in  the  ocean,  and 
swam  out  of  sight.  Mr.  Carver  retraced  his  steps  homeward,  med- 
itating upon  the  scene  and  the  wonderful  condescension  of  the 
Lord.  It  is  proper  to  say  that  this  occurred  at  a  season  of  the 
year  when  fish  of  that  size  are  never  known  upon  those  shores  or 
seas,  and  they  are  never,  at  any  season,  known  to  come  so  far 
inshore  as  in  the  case  mentioned.  Mr.  Carver  was  convinced  that 
it  was  intended  by  the  Lord  as  a  sign  to  him. 

"Two  days  after  this  event  I  visited  Mr.  Carver  at  his  house, 
where  his  wife  was  confined  to  bed  with  a  fever,  and  was  requested 
to  administer  to  her.  I  placed  my  hands  upon  her  head,  the  power 
of  God  rested  upon  me,  and  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  I  com- 
manded her  to  arise  and  walk.  She  arose  and  was  healed  from 
that  instant;  she  walked  down  to  the  sea,  and  I  baptized  her  in 


88  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

the  same  place  where  the  fish  visited  her  husband.  I  also  con- 
firmed her  there,  and  she  was  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost  and  re- 
turned to  her  home  rejoicing. 

"I  called  the  people  together  and  exhorted  them  to  sell  their 
property  and  prepare  to  accompany  me  to  the  land  of  Zion.  I 
had  labored  hard  for  many  days  for  the  temporal  and  spiritual 
welfare  of  the  inhabitants  of  those  islands,  and  the  Lord  had 
blessed  my  labors  and  given  me  many  souls  as  seals  of  my  minis- 
try, for  which  I  felt  to  praise  Him ;  and  now  I  felt  to  labor  quite  as 
zealously  to  gather  out  those  who  had  embraced  the  gospel,  and 
lead  them  to  Zion." 

Among  the  sad  experiences  of  Wilford  Woodruff  during  his 
mission  to  the  Fox  Islands  was  the  fact  that  his  former  missionary 
comrade,  Warren  Parrish,  with  others  in  Kirtland,  had  aposta- 
tized and  left  the  Church.  Wilford  had  been  especially  attached 
to  Warren  Parrish,  because  of  their  former  missionary  companion- 
ship. Elders  who  travel  in  the  mission  field  realize  how  great  is 
the  love  of  missionaries  for  each  other  when  they  enjoy  the  spirit 
of  their  calling.  He  was  pained  severely  to  learn  that  Warren  Par- 
rish had  made  shipwreck  of  his  faith  and  taken  the 
downward  road.  The  cause  thereof  he  explained  as  follows : 
"It  might  be  stated  here  that  Warren  Parrish  fell  through 
disappointed  ambition.  He  aspired  to  the  Quorum  of  the 
Twelve,  or  to  be  a  leading  spirit  of  the  Church.  He 
was  what  is  termed  a  smart  man,  and  through  his  smartness, 
which  was  distorted  by  ambition,  envy,  and  bitterness,  he  turned 
against  Joseph  and  the  Church,  having  fallen  into  darkness  and 
given  himself  up  to  the  power  of  Satan."  The  failure  of  War- 
ren Parrish  was  but  one  instance  out  of  many.  Joseph,  the  Proph- 
et, warned  the  elders  against  being  thus  envious  and  striving  to 
excel  each  other  through  envy,  instead  of  being  excellent  in  doing 
good.  At  this  period  the  Prophet  and  Saints  were  moving  to  Mis- 
souri. Apostasy  and  rebellion  were  rampant  at  Kirtland ;  but  Wil- 
ford Woodruff  was  undaunted,  and  continued  his  labors  and  bap- 
tized a  considerable  number  who  listened  to  his  message.  A  scur- 
rilous letter  sent  by  Warren  Parrish  to  the  postmaster  at  Vinal 
Haven  aroused  a  strong  opposition,  but  did  not  hinder  the  work 
of  the  Lord  there. 


CALLED  TO  THE  APOSTLESHIP,  1838.  89 

On  the  llth  of  April,  Elders  Milton  Holmes,  James  Towns- 
end,  and  Abner  Rogers,  who  had  come  to  the  islands  to  attend  the 
conference,  again  met  with  Elder  Woodruff,  and  on  April  13th 
conference  was  held  on  North  Fox  Island,  with  a  goodly  repre- 
sentation of  the  various  branches  of  the  Church  on  the  islands. 
"On  the  17th  of  April,"  writes  Wilford,  "Mrs.  Woodruff  left  the 
islands,  returning  to  her  father's  home  in  Scarboro,  Maine,  and 
a  few  days  afterwards  I  called  the  Saints  of  North  Island  to- 
gether and  gave  them  some  instructions.  I  also  informed  them 
that  the  spirit  of  God  bore  record  to  me  that  it  was  our  duty  to 
leave  the  islands  for  a  season,  and  take  a  mission  westward.  They 
had  been  faithfully  warned,  and  the  Saints  were  established  in 
the  truth,  while  the  wicked  were  contending  against  us  and  some 
were  disposed  to  take  our  lives  if  they  had  the  power.  On  the 
28th  of  April  we  left  the  island  in  an  open  sailboat,  made  our  way 
to  Owl's  Head,  and  from  there  walked  twenty  miles.  The  follow- 
ing day  we  walked  forty  miles  and  suffered  some  from  weary 
limbs  and  blistered  feet,  but  we  felt  it  was  for  the  gospel's  sake, 
and  did  not  wish  to  complain.  The  next  day  a  walk  of  thirty 
miles  brought  us  to  Scarboro,  where  we  spent  the  night  at  Father 
Carter's.  On  the  8th  of  May  I  parted  with  Mrs.  Woodruff  and 
Father  Carter  and  family,  and  in  company  with  Milton  Holmes 
walked  thirty-three  miles  towards  Portsmouth,  which  city  we 
reached  the  following  day,  spending  several  hours  there,  visiting 
the  navy  yard.  We  then  walked  to  Georgetown,  formerly  New 
Rowley,  and  spent  the  night  with  Father  Nathaniel  Holmes. 

"On  the  llth  of  May  I  visited  Charleston  and  the  Bunker  Hill 
Monument,  and  spent  several  hours  in  the  city  of  Boston,  which 
then  contained  a  population  of  one  hundred  thousand.  I  ascended 
to  the  cupola  of  the  courthouse,  from  which  I  had  a  fine  view  of 
the  city ;  then  I  visited  several  of  the  Saints,  and  walked  over  the 
long  bridge  to  Cambridge  and  Cambridgeport.  I  visited  the  jail 
there  to  have  an  interview  with  Brother  A.  P.  Rockwood,  who 
had  been  cast  into  prison  on  a  charge  of  debt,  to  trouble  and  dis- 
tress him  because  he  was  a  Mormon.  This  was  the  first  time  he 
and  I  had  met.  The  jailer  permitted  me  to  enter  the  room  where 
he  was.  It  was  the  first  time  in  my  life  that  I  had  entered  a 
prison ;  the  jailer  turned  the  key  upon  us,  and  locked  us  both  in. 


90  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

I  found  Brother  Rockwood  strong  in  the  faith  of  the  gospel.  He 
had  the  Bible,  Book  of  Mormon,  Voice  of  Warning,  and  Evening 
and  Morning  Star  as  companions,  and  read  them  daily.  We  con- 
versed together  for  three  hours  in  his  solitary  abode.  He  in- 
formed me  of  many  things  which  had  occurred  at  the  jail  while 
he  was  confined  there  as  a  prisoner.  Among  other  things  he  re- 
lated that  the  jail  had  taken  fire  a  few  days  previous  to  my  visit. 
He  said  it  looked  a  little  like  a  dark  hour;  the  fire  was  roaring 
over  his  head,  while  uproar  and  confusion  were  upon  every  hand ; 
fire-engines  were  playing  rapidly  around  the  building;  the  water 
was  pouring  into  every  room ;  the  people  were  hallooing  in  the 
streets ;  prisoners  were  begging  for  mercy's  sake  to  be  let  out,  or 
they  would  be  consumed  in  the  fire;  one  was  struggling  in  the 
agonies  of  death ;  while  others  were  cursing  and  swearing.  Brother 
Rockwood  said  he  felt  composed  in  the  midst  of  it  all.  The  fire 
was  finally  extinguished.  At  8  o'clock  the  jailer  unlocked  the 
prison  door  and  let  me  out,  and  I  gave  the  parting  hand  to  the 
prisoner.  We  had  spent  a  pleasant  time  together,  and  he  rejoiced 
at  my  visit ;  and  who  would  not,  to  meet  with  a  friend  in  a  lonely 
prison?  I  left  him  in  good  spirits,  and  wended  my  way  back  to 
Boston. 

"After  spending  several  days  in  Boston,  holding  meetings 
with  the  Saints,  I  walked  to  Providence,  Rhode  Island,  preaching 
by  the  way.  There  I  took  steamer,  and  arrived  in  New  York 
on  the  18th  of  May,  where  I  met  Elder  Orson  Pratt,  his  family, 
Elijah  Fordham  and  nearly  one  hundred  Saints  who  had  been 
baptized  in  the  city  of  New  York.  I  remained  in  New  York  three 
days,  visiting  the  Saints  and  holding  meetings ;  several  new  con- 
verts were  baptized  while  I  was  there.  Leaving  New  York,  I 
traveled  through  New  Jersey  and  returned  to  Farmington,  Con- 
necticut, to  the  residence  of  my  father,  where  I  arrived  on  the 
12th  of  June.  It  was  with  peculiar  sensations  that  I  walked  over 
my  native  land  where  I  had  spent  my  youth,  and  cast  my  eyes  over 
the  Farmington  meadows  and  the  hills  and  dales  where  I  had 
roamed  in  my  boyhood  with  my  father,  stepmother,  brothers,  and 
sister. 

"On  my  arrival  at  my  father's  home,  I  had  the  happy  priv- 
ilege of  again  taking  my  parents  and  sister  by  the  hand.  I  also 


CALLED  TO  THE  APOSTLESHIP,  1838.  91 

met  my  uncle,  Ozem  Woodruff,  who  was  among  the  number  I  had 
baptized  the  year  before.  After  spending  an  hour  in  conversa- 
tion, we  sat  down  around  father's  table,  supped  together,  and 
were  refreshed.  Then  we  bowed  upon  our  knees  in  the  family  cir- 
cle, and  offered  up  the  gratitude  of  our  hearts  to  God  for  pre- 
serving our  lives  and  reuniting  us.  I  spent  the  next  eighteen  days 
in  Farmington  and  Avon,  visiting  my  father's  household,  my 
uncles,  aunts,  cousings,  neighbors,  and  friends,  preaching  to  them 
the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  striving  to  bring  them  into  the 
Kingdom  of  God. 

''On  the  1st  of  July,  1838,  there  occurred  one  of  the  most  inter- 
esting events  of  my  whole  life  in  the  ministry.  When  Father 
Joseph  Smith  gave  me  my  patriarchal  blessing,  among  the  many 
wonderful  things  he  promised  me  was  that  I  should  bring  my 
father's  household  into  the  Kingdom  of  God;  and  I  felt  that  if  I 
ever  obtained  that  blessing,  the  time  therefor  had  come.  By 
the  help  of  God  I  preached  the  gospel  faithfully  to  my  father's 
household  and  to  all  who  were  with  him,  as  well  as  to  my  other 
relatives,  and  I  appointed  a  meeting  at  my  father's  home  on  Sun- 
day, the  1st  of  July.  My  father  was  believing  my  testimony,  as 
were  all  in  his  household;  but  upon  this  occasion  it  appeared  as 
if  the  devil  were  determined  to  hinder  the  fulfillment  of  the  prom- 
ise of  the  patriarch  to  me.  It  seemed  as  if  Lucifer,  the  son  of  the 
morning,  had  gathered  together  the  hosts  of  hell,  and  was  ex- 
erting his  powers  upon  us  all.  Distress  overwhelmed  the  whole 
household,  and  all  were  tempted  to  reject  the  work;  and  it  seemed 
as  if  the  same  power  would  devour  me.  I  had  to  take  to  my  bed 
for  an  hour  before  the  time  of  meeting.  There  I  prayed  to  the 
Lord  with  my  whole  soul  for  deliverance ;  for  I  knew  then  that  the 
power  of  the  devil  was  exercised  to  hinder  me  from  accomplishing 
what  God  had  promised  I  should  do.  The  Lord  heard  my  prayer 
and  answered  my  petition.  When  the  hour  of  meeting  came,  I 
arose  from  my  bed  and  could  sing  and  shout  for  joy  to  think  I 
had  been  delievered  from  the  power  of  the  evil  one.  Filled  with 
the  power  of  God,  I  stood  in  the  midst  of  the  congregation  and 
preached  unto  the  people  in  great  plainness  the  gospel  of  Jesus 
Christ. 

"At  the  close  of  the  meeting  we  assembled  on  the  banks  of  the 


92  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

Farmington  River,  'because  there  was  much  water  there,'  and  I 
led  six  of  my  friends  into  the  river  and  baptized  them  for  the  re- 
mission of  their  sins.  All  of  my  father's  household  were  included 
in  this  number,  as  the  patriarch  had  promised,  and  all  were  rel- 
atives except  Dwight  Webster,  who  was  a  Methodist  class-leader, 
and  was  boarding  with  my  father's  family.  I  organized  the  small 
number  of  nine  persons,  eight  of  whom  were  my  relatives,  into  a 
branch  of  the  Church,  ordained  Dwight  Webster  to  the  office  of 
priest,  and  administered  unto  them  the  Sacrament.  It  was  truly 
a  day  of  joy  to  my  soul.  I  had  baptized  my  father,  stepmother, 
and  sister,  and  I  afterwards  added  a  number  of  other  relatives.  I 
felt  that  the  work  of  this  day  alone  amply  repaid  me  for  all  my 
labors  in  the  ministry. 

"While  upon  Fox  Islands  I  was  impressed  to  visit  my  father's 
home.  Now  that  the  .purpose  of  the  mission  had  been  accom- 
plished I  felt  it  my  duty  to  return  to  the  Islands.  Monday,  July 
2,  1838,  was  the  last  day  and  night  I  spent  at  my  father's  home 
while  upon  this  mission.  At  the  setting  of  the  sun  I  took  with  my 
sister  the  last  walk  I  ever  had  with  her  in  my  native  state.  We 
walked  by  the  canal,  viewed  the  river  and  the  fields,  and  con- 
versed about  the  future.  After  evening  prayer  with  the  family, 
my  father  retired  to  rest,  and  I  visited  awhile  with  my  stepmother, 
who  had  reared  me  from  infancy.  In  conversation  we  felt  sensibly 
the  weight  of  the  power  of  temptation  out  of  which  the  Lord  had 
delivered  us.  I  also  spent  a  short  time  with  my  sister  Eunice,  the 
only  sister  I  ever  was  blessed  with  in  my  father's  family.  I  had 
baptized  her  into  the  Church  and  Kingdom  of  God, and  we  mingled 
our  sympathies,  prayers,  and  tears  together  before  the  throne  of 
grace. 

"How  truly  the  bonds  of  consanguinity  and  the  blood  of 
Christ  unite  the  hearts  of  the  Saints  of  God!  'How  bless- 
ings brighten  as  they  take  their  flight!'  This  being  the  last 
night  I  was  to  spend  beneath  my  father's  roof  while  upon  this 
mission,  I  felt  its  importance,  and  my  prayer  was,  'O  Lord,  pro- 
tect my  father's  house,  and  bring  them  to  Zion!'  My  prayer 
was  granted. 

"On  the  morning  of  July  3rd,  I  took  leave  of  my  relatives  and 
my  native  state,  and  started  on  my  return  to  Maine.  I  arrived  in 


CALLED  TO  THE  APOSTLESHIP,  1838. 

Scarboro  on  the  16th,  and  on  the  14th  my  first  child,  a  daughter, 
was  born,  at  Father  Carter's  house.  We  named  her  Sarah  Emma. 
On  the  30th  of  July  I  left  my  wife  and  child  at  Father  Carter's, 
and  started  for  Fox  Islands. 

"While  holding  meeting  with  the  Saints  at  North  Vinal 
Haven,  on  the  9th  of  August,  I  received  a  letter  from  Elder 
Thomas  B.  Marsh,  who  was  then  President  of  the  Twelve  Apos- 
tles, informing  me  that  the  Prophet  Joseph  Smith  had  received  a 
revelation  from  the  Lord,  naming  as  persons  to  be  chosen  to  fill 
the  places  of  those  of  the  Twelve  who  had  fallen.  Those  named 
were  John  E.  Page,  John  Taylor,  Wilford  Woodruff  and  Willard 
Richards.  In  his  letter  President  Marsh  added:  'Know  then, 
Brother  Woodruff,  by  this,  that  you  are  appointed  to  fill  the  place 
of  one  of  the  Twelve  Apostles,  and  that  it  is  agreeble  to  the  word 
of  the  Lord,  given  very  lately,  that  you  should  come  speedily  to  Far 
West,  and,  on  the  26th  of  April  next,  take  your  leave  of  the  Saints 
here  and  depart  for  others  climes,  across  the  mighty  deep/  The 
substance  of  this  letter  had  been  revealed  to  me  several  weeks  be- 
fore, but  I  had  not  named  it  to  any  person." 

It  was  on  the  8th  of  July,  just  one  week  after  Wilford's  mem- 
orable experience  at  his  father's  home,  that  this  humble,  faith- 
ful, diligent  elder  was  called  by  the  voice  of  God,  through  His 
prophet,  to  be  one  of  the  Twelve  Apostles  of  the  Lamb  in  this  dis- 
pensation ;  and  Wilford  being  at  the  time  many  hundreds  of  miles 
distant  from  the  Prophet,  the  Lord  then  revealed  to  him  the  fact  of 
that  calling.  Wilford  had  been  true  to  the  Lord  as  a  teacher, 
priest,  elder,  and  seventy  in  His  Church,  and  thus  was  worthy  of 
the  higher  call  that  had  come,  and  to  be  trusted  with  its  increased 
responsibility.  He  was  prepared  by  the  revelations  of  heaven  to 
his  own  soul  to  be  an  apostle  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  and  his  or- 
dination and  leave-taking  of  the  Saints  at  the  designated  place,  on 
the  26th  of  the  succeeding  April,  under  the  circumstances  then  ex- 
isting, were  a  manifestation  of  the  miraculous  power  of  God  in 
witness  of  the  prophetic  office  and  gift  that  had  been  conferred 
from  heaven  upon  Joseph  Smith,  the  great  Prophet  of  this  dis- 
pensation. 

"The  time  having  come  for  me  to  prepare  to  leave  Fox  Isl- 
ands," wrote  Wilford,  "I  had  a  desire  to  take  with  me  all  the 


94  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

Saints  I  could  get  to  go  to  Zion.  Already  there  had  been  a  line 
drawn  between  the  Saints  and  those  on  the  islands  who  had  re- 
jected the  Gospel,  and  enemies  were  very  bitter  against  me  and 
against  the  work  of  God  I  had  labored  to  establish.  They  threat- 
ened my  life,  but  the  Saints  were  willing  to  stand  by  me.  I  spent 
four  days  with  the  Saints,  visiting  them,  holding  meetings,  and  en- 
couraging them,  while  the  devil  was  raging  upon  every  hand.  I 
baptized  into  the  Church  and  organized,  while  upon  the  islands, 
nearly  one  hundred  persons ;  and  there  seemed  a  prospect  of  gath- 
ering with  me  about  half  of  them,  but  the  devil  raged  to  such  an 
extent  that  some  of  them  were  terrified. 

"The  inhabitants  of  the  islands  had  but  little  acquaintance 
with  the  management  of  horses  or  wagons ;  in  fact,  most  of  them 
knew  more  about  handling  a  shark  than  a  horse.  However,  in 
company  with  Nathaniel  Thomas,  who  had  sold  his  property  and 
had  money,  I  went  to  the  mainland  and  purchased  ten  new  wag- 
ons, ten  sets  of  harness,  and  twenty  horses.  When  I  had  every- 
thing prepared  for  the  company  to  start,  I  left  affairs  with 
Brother  Thomas  and  went  ahead  of  the  company  to  Scarboro,  to 
prepare  my  own  family  for  the  journey.  The  outfit  which  I  pur- 
chased for  the  company  cost  about  two  thousand  dollars.  Before 
leaving  Brother  Thomas  I  counseled  him  regarding  the  course 
to  pursue,  and  charged  him  to  be  not  later  than  the  1st  of  Sep- 
tember in  starting  from  the  mainland.  I  arrived  at  Father  Carter's 
on  the  19th  of  August,  and  waited  with  great  anxiety  for  the  com- 
pany from  the  islands,  but  instead  of  reaching  here  by  the  1st  of 
Sepember,  they  did  not  come  till  the  3rd  of  October;  and  when 
they  did  arrive  the  wagon  covers  were  all  flying  in  the  breeze.  It 
took  a  good  day's  work  to  nail  down  the  covers,  paint  the  wagons 
and  get  them  ready  for  the  journey." 

It  should  be  remarked  that  in  the  very  starting  of  this  com- 
pany Nathaniel  Thomas  cheerfully  stepped  forward  to  the  as- 
sistance of  the  poor  and  invested  about  one  thousand  dollars  in 
wagons,  horses,  tents,  etc.,  to  fit  out  this  company.  While  others 
who  possessed  this  world's  goods  drew  back  and  did  not  go  with 
the  poor  lest  they  should  be  under  the  necessity  of  helping  them. 

At  this  time  Wilford  had  still  another  trial,  and  the  integrity 
of  his  wife  was  further  tested.  Her  parents,  relatives,  and  friends 


CALLED  TO  THE  APOSTLESHIP,  1838.  95 

strongly  opposed  her  starting  upon  the  journey,  and  used  every  in- 
fluence and  argument  they  could  against  her  accompanying  her 
husband.  They  had  been  very  kind  to  him,  but  when  it  came  to 
parting  with  her  on  a  journey  of  such  a  distance  at  such  a  time 
of  the  year,  and  to  a  land  where  her  people  were  subjects  of  such 
bitter  persecutions  as  were  being  inflicted  upon  the  Saints  in  Mis- 
souri at  that  time,  it  was  too  much  for  them  to  acquiesce  in.  They 
knew  that  he  must  go,  but  they  insisted  that  she  must  stay.  Like 
her  husband,  she  was  of  a  spirit  that  did  not  shrink  from  duty 
when  she  knew  it.  Wilford  said  of  her  at  the  time :  "Yes,  Phoebe 
possessed  too  much  firmness  and  faith  and  confidence  in  God  to 
put  her  hand  to  the  plough  and  then  look  back,  or  to  give  way  to 
trials,  however  great.  Like  Ruth,  she  was  determined  to  forsake 
kindred  and  country  for  my  sake  and  for  the  cause  in  which  we 
were  engaged."  Under  these  circumstances,  and  with  a  realizing 
sense  of  the  dangers  and  hardships  of  the  journey,  and  of  painful 
conditions  prevailing  at  their  destination,  they  did  not  falter. 

"On  the  afternoon  of  the  9th  of  October,"  wrote  Wilford, 
"we  took  leave  of  Father  Carter  and  family,  and  started  upon  our 
journey  of  two  thousand  miles  at  this  late  season  of  the  year, 
taking  with  me  my  wife,  her  nursing  babe,  to  lead  a  company  of 
fifty-three  souls  from  Maine  to  Illinois,  and  to  spend  nearly  three 
months  traveling  in  wagons,  through  rain,  mud,  snow,  and  frost. 
It  was  such  a  trial  as  I  never  before  had  attempted  during  my  ex- 
perience as  a  minister  of  the  gospel. 

"We  were  joined  at  Georgetown  by  Elder  Milton  Holmes, 
and  traveled  each  day  as  far  as  we  could  go,  camping  wherever 
night  overtook  us.  On  the  13th  of  October,  while  crossing  the 
Green  Mountains,  I  was  attacked  by  something  resembling  chol- 
era, and  was  very  sick ;  I  stopped  at  a  house  about  two  hours,  and 
the  elders  having  administered  to  me,  I  revived.  On  the  24th  I 
was  taken  sick  again,  and  my  wife  and  child  also  were  stricken 
down.  Several  others  of  the  company  were  sick,  through  ex- 
posure. On  the  31st  we  had  our  first  snowstorm,  and  the  horses 
dragged  our  wagons  all  day  through  mud,  snow,  and  water.  On 
the  2nd  of  November  Elder  Milton  Holmes  left  us,  and  took 
steamer  for  Fairport;  two  days  later,  Nathaniel  Thomas'  little 
child,  about  six  years  of  age,  died,  and  we  had  to  bury  it  at  West- 


96  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

field.  The  roads  finally  became  so  bad  and  the  cold  so  severe 
that  Nathaniel  Thomas  and  James  Townsend  concluded  to  stop 
for  the  winter;  we  parted  with  them  on  the  21st  of  November, 
near  New  Portage,  Ohio. 

"My  wife  Phoebe  was  attacked  on  the  23rd  of  November  by 
a  severe  headache,  which  terminated  in  brain  fever;  she  grew 
more  and  more  distressed  daily  as  we  continued  our  journey.  It 
was  a  terrible  ordeal  for  a  woman  to  travel  in  a  wagon  over  such 
rough  roads,  afflicted  as  she  was.  At  the  same  time  our  child 
was  also  very  sick. 

"The  1st  of  December  was  a  trying  day  to  my  soul.  My  wife 
continued  to  fail,  and  about  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  ap- 
peared to  be  stricken  with  death.  I  stopped  my  team,  and  it 
seemed  as  if  she  then  would  breathe  her  last,  lying  there  in  the 
wagon.  Two  of  the  sisters  sat  beside  her,  to  see  if  they  could  do 
anything  for  her  in  her  last  moments.  I  stood  upon  the  ground,  in 
deep  affliction,  and  meditated.  Then  I  cried  to  the  Lord,  praying 
that  she  might  live  and  not  be  taken  from  me,  and  claiming  the 
promises  the  Lord  had  made  to  me  through  the  Prophet  and  Patri- 
arch. Her  spirit  revived,  and  I  drove  a  short  distance  to  a  tav- 
ern, got  her  into  a  room  and  worked  over  her  and  her  babe  all 
night,  praying  to  the  Lord  to  preserve  their  lives. 

"In  the  morning  circumstances  were  such  that  I  was  under 
the  necessity  of  removing  them  from  the  inn,  as  there  was  so 
much  noise  and  confusion  there  that  my  wife  could  not  endure  it. 
I  carried  her  out  to  her  bed  in  the  wagon  and  drove  two  miles, 
when  I  alighted  at  a  house  and  carried  my  wife  and  her  bed  into 
it,  with  a  determination  to  tarry  there  until  she  recovered  her 
health  or  passed  away.  This  was  on  Sunday  morning,  December 
2nd.  After  getting  my  wife  and  things  into  the  house  and  pro- 
viding wood  to  keep  up  a  fire,  I  employed  my  time  in  taking  care 
of  her.  It  looked  as  if  she  had  but  a  short  time  to  live.  She  called 
me  to  her  bedside  in  the  evening,  and  said  she  felt  as  if  a  few 
moments  more  would  end  her  existence  in  this  life.  She  manifest- 
ed great  confidence  in  the  cause  we  had  embraced,  and  exhorted 
me  to  have  confidence  in  God,  and  to  keep  His  commandments. 
To  all  appearances  she  was  dying.  I  laid  hands  upon  her  and 


98  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

entered  her  tabernacle,  and  she  saw  the  messengers  carry  the 
coffin  out  of  the  door. 

"On  the  morning  of  the  6th  of  December,  the  spirit  said  to 
me,  ' Arise,  and  continue  thy  journey,'  and  through  the  mercy  of 
God  my  wife  was  enabled  to  arise  and  dress  herself;  she  walked 
to  the  wagon,  and  we  went  on  our  way  rejoicing. 

"The  weather  being  very  cold,  on  the  night  of  the  llth  I 
stopped  for  the  night  at  an  inn.  I  there  learned  of  the  sudden 
death  of  my  brother,  Asahel  H.  Woodruff,  a  merchant  of  Terre 
Haute,  Indiana.  I  had  anticipated  that  the  following  day  I  should 
have  a  joyful  meeting  with  this  brother;  instead  of  this,  I  had 
only  the  privilege  of  visiting  his  grave,  in  company  with  my  wife, 
and  of  examining  a  little  into  his  business.  I  was  offered  the  po- 
sition of  administrator  of  his  affairs,  but  I  was  leading  a  company 
of  Saints  to  Zion,  and  could  not  stop  to  attend  to  his  temporal  bus- 
iness. Strangers  settled  his  affairs  and  took  possession  of  his 
property ;  his  relatives  obtained  nothing  from  his  effects  but  a  few 
trifling  mementoes. 

"I  left  this  place  on  the  13th  of  December  and  crossed  into 
Illinois,  arriving  at  Rochester  on  the  19th.  Getting  information 
there  of  the  severe  persecutions  of  the  Saints  in  Missouri,  and  of 
the  unsettled  state  of  the  Church  at  that  time,  we  concluded  to 
stop  at  Rochester  and  spend  the  winter  there. 

"Thus  ended  my  journey  of  two  months  and  sixteen  days.  I 
had  led  the  Fox  Island  Saints  to  the  West,  through  all  the  perils 
of  a  journey  of  nearly  two  thousand  miles,  in  the  midst  of  sick- 
ness and  great  severity  of  weather.  In  the  spring  I  took  my 
family  and  removed  to  Quincy,  Illinois,  where  I  could  mingle 
with  my  brethren;  and  I  felt  to  praise  God  for  His  protecting 
care  over  me  and  my  family  in  all  our  afflictions." 


CHAPTER  11. 

CALL  TO   GREAT   BRITAIN,   1838. 

Mobocrats  Seek  To  Prevent  the  Fulfillment  of  a  Revelation  Given 
Through  the  Prophet  Joseph  Smith,  but  Are  Disappointed. — Temple 
Cornerstone  at  Far  West  Laid. — Wilford  Returns  to  Illinois. — The 
Prophet  Joseph  Liberated  from  Prison  in  Missouri. — A  Survivor 
of  Haun's  Mill  Massacre. — Selection  of  Nauvoo  as  a  Place  for  the 
Settlement  of  the  Saints. — A  Day  of  God's  Power. — Many  Sick  Are 
Healed,  and  a  Dying  Man  Raised  to  Life. — Incident  of  Wilford 
Receiving  a  Hankerchief  from  the  Prophet  Joseph. — Instructed 
as  to  What  He  Shall  Preach  on  His  Mission. — Lesson  in  Humility. 
— Warning  against  Treachery. — Wilford  Starts  on  His  Mission, 
Sick  and  without  Money. — Experiences  of  His  Journey  to  New 
York. — Sails  for  Liverpool,  England. 

The  revelation  calling  Wilford  Woodruff  to  the  apostleship, 
and  directing  him,  with  others,  to  engage  in  missionary  labors 
abroad,  fixed  a  time  and  a  place  for  the  departure  of  these  apostles 
on  their  mission  to  Great  Britain.  It  was  the  declared  purpose  of 
the  mob  to  prevent  the  fulfillment  of  this  revelation.  When  the 
word  of  the  Lord  was  given  on  this  matter,  all  was  peace  and 
quiet  in  Far  West,  Missouri,  the  city  where  most  of  the  Latter- 
day  Saints  dwelt  at  that  time;  but  before  the  day  of  fulfillment 
came,  the  Saints  had  been  driven  out  of  the  State  of  Missouri  into 
the  State  of  Illinois,  under  the  edict  of  Governor  Boggs ;  and  the 
Missourians  had  sworn  that  if  all  the  other  revelations  to  Joseph 
Smith  were  fulfilled,  this  one  should  not  be.  But  man  cannot  stay 
the  purposes  of  God ;  this  occasion  was  no  exception  to  the  rule, 
and  it  affords  one  of  many  notable  instances  that  show  how  the  Al- 
mighty maintains  a  special  guidance  over  the  work  of  this  dispen- 
sation which  He  has  committed  to  the  Latter-day  Saints.  In  this 
revelation,  given  July  8,  1838,  He  said : 

"Let  them  take  leave  of  my  Saints  in  the  city  of  Far  West, 
on  the  26th  day  of  April  next,  on  the  building  spot  of  my  house, 
saith  the  Lord.  Let  my  servant  John  Taylor,  and  also  my  servant 
John  E.  Page,  and  also  my  servant  Wilford  Woodruff,  and  also 
my  servant  Willard  Richards,  be  appointed  to  fill  the  places  of 
those  who  have  fallen,  and  be  officially  notified  of  their  appoint- 
ment." 

Of  this  period,  Wilford  writes  in  his  journal  that,  "it  seemed 


100  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

as  though  the  Lord,  having  a  foreknowledge  of  what  would  take 
place,  had  given  the  revelation  in  this  manner  to  see  whether  or 
not  the  Apostles  would  obey  it  at  the  risk  of  their  lives.  When 
the  time  drew  near  for  the  fulfillment  of  this  commandment,  Brig- 
ham  Young  was  the  President  of  the  Twelve  Apostles,  Thomas 
B.  Marsh,  who  had  been  the  senior  apostle,  had  fallen.  Brother 
Brigham  called  together  those  of  the  Twelve  who  were  then  at 
Quincy,  Illinois,  to  see  what  their  minds  would  be  about  going  to 
Far  West  in  fulfillment  of  the  revelation.  The  Prophet  Joseph, 
his  brother  Hyrum,  Sidney  Rigdon,  Lyman  Wight,  and  Parley  P. 
Pratt,  were  in  prison  in  Missouri;  but  Father  Joseph  Smith,  the 
patriarch,  was  at  Quincy,  Illinois.  He  and  others  who  were  pres- 
ent did  not  think  it  wisdom  for  us  to  attempt  the  journey,  as  our 
lives  would  be  in  great  jeopardy.  They  thought  the  Lord  would 
take  the  will  for  the  deed.  But  when  President  Young  asked 
the  Twelve  what  their  feelings  were,  all  of  them,  as  the  voice  of 
one  man,  said  the  Lord  God  had  spoken,  and  it  was  for  them  to 
obey.  It  was  the  Lord's  business  to  take  care  of  His  servants,  and 
they  would  fulfill  the  commandment,  or  die  trying. 

"To  understand  fully  the  risk  the  Twelve  ran  in  making  this 
journey,  it  should  be  understood  that  Lilburn  W.  Boggs,  govern- 
or of  the  state  of  Missouri,  had  issued  a  proclamation  in  which 
all  the  Latter-day  Saints  were  required  to  leave  Missouri  or  be 
exterminated.  Far  West  had  been  captured  by  the  militia,  who 
really  were  only  an  organized  mob;  the  citizens  had  been  com- 
pelled to  give  up  their  arms ;  all  the  leading  men  who  could  be  got 
hold  of  had  been  taken  prisoners;  the  rest  of  the  Saints — men, 
women,  and  children — had  to  flee  out  of  the  state  as  best  they 
could  to  save  their  lives,  leaving  their  houses,  lands  and  other 
property,  which  they  could  not  carry  with  them,  to  be  taken  by 
the  mob.  The  latter  shot  down  the  cattle  and  hogs  of  the  Saints 
wherever  they  could  find  them,  and  robbed  the  people  of  nearly 
everything  they  could  lay  their  hands  on.  The  Saints  were  treat- 
ed with  merciless  cruelty,  and  had  to  endure  the  most  outrageous 
abuses.  It  was  with  the  greatest  difficulty  that  many  of  them,  es- 
pecially the  prominent  ones,  got  out  of  Missouri,  for  at  that  time 
many  people  of  that  state  acted  as  though  they  thought  it  no  more 
harm  to  shoot  a  Mormon  than  to  shoot  a  mad  dog.  From  this 


CALL  TO  GREAT  BRITAIN,  1838.  101 

brief  explanation  it  will  be  understood  why  some  of  the  brethren 
thought  we  were  not  required  to  go  back  to  Far  West,  to  start 
from  there  upon  our  mission  across  the  ocean  to  Europe. 

"Having  determined  to  carry  out  the  requirements  of  the  rev- 
elation," continues  Wilford  Woodruff,  "on  the  18th  of  April,  1839, 
I  took  into  my  wagon  Brigham  Young  and  Orson  Pratt;  Father 
Cutler  took  into  his  wagon  John  Taylor  and  George  A.  Smith,  and 
we  started  for  Far  West.  On  the  way  we  met  John  E.  Page,  who 
was  going  with  his  family  to  Quincy,  Illinois.  His  wagon  had 
turned  over,  and  when  we  met  him  he  was  trying  to  gather  up 
with  his  hands  a  barrel  of  soft  soap.  We  helped  him  with  his 
wagon.  He  then  drove  into  the  valley  below,  left  his  wagon,  and 
accompanied  us  on  our  way.  On  the  night  of  the  25th  of  April  we 
arrived  at  Far  West,  and  spent  the  night  at  the  home  of  Morris 
Phelps.  He  had  been  taken  a  prisoner  by  the  mob,  and  was  still  in 
prison. 

"On  the  morning  of  the  26th  of  April,  1839,  notwithstanding 
the  threats  of  our  enemies  that  the  revelation  which  was  to  be  ful- 
filled this  day  should  not  be  fulfilled ;  notwithstanding  ten  thou- 
sand of  the  Saints  had  been  driven  out  of  the  state  by  the  edict  of 
the  governor;  and  notwithstanding  the  Prophet  Joseph  and  his 
brother  Hyrum  Smith,  with  other  leading  men,  were  in  the  hands 
of  our  enemies  in  chains  and  in  prison,  we  moved  on  to  the 
Temple  grounds  in  the  city  of  Far  West,  held  a  council,  and  ful- 
filled the  revelation  and  commandment  given  to  us.  We  also  ex- 
communicated from  the  Church  thirty-one  persons  who  had  apos- 
tatized and  become  its  enemies.  The  'Mission  of  the  Twelve'  was 
sung,  and  we  repaired  to  the  southeast  corner  of  the  Temple 
ground,  where,  with  the  assistance  of  Elder  Alpheus  Cutler,  the 
master  workman  of  the  building  committee,  we  laid  the  southeast 
chief  cornerstone  of  the  Temple,  according  to  revelation.  There 
were  present  of  the  Twelve  Apostles :  Brigham  Young,  Heber  C 
Kimball,  Orson  Pratt,  John  E.  Page,  and  John  Taylor ;  they  pro- 
ceeded to  ordain  Wilford  Woodruff  and  George  A.  Smith  to  the 
apostleship. 

"Darwin  Chase  and  Norman  Shearer,  who  had  just  been  lib- 
erated from  Richmond  prison,  were  then  ordained  to  the  office  of 
seventy. 


102  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

"The  Twelve  then  gave  the  parting  hand  to  the  following 
Saints,  agreeable  to  revelation :  A.  Butler,  Elias  Smith,  Norman 
Shearer,  William  Burton,  Stephen  Markham,  Shadrach  Roundy, 
William  O.  Clark,  John  W.  Clark,  Hezekiah  Peck,  Darwin  Chase, 
Richard  Howard,  Mary  Ann  Peck,  Artimesia  Granger,  Martha 
Peck,  Sarah  Granger,  Theodore  Turley,  Hiram  Clark,  and  Daniel 
Shearer. 

"Bidding  good-by  to  this  small  remnant  of  the  Saints  who  re- 
mained on  the  Temple  ground  to  see  us  fulfill  the  revelation  and 
commandment  of  God,  we  turned  our  backs  on  Far  West,  Mis- 
souri, and  returned  to  Illinois.  We  had  accomplished  the  mis- 
sion without  a  dog  moving  his  tongue  at  us,  or  any  man  saying, 
'Why  do  ye  so?'  We  crossed  the  Mississippi  river  on  the  steam 
;erry,  entered  Quincy  on  the  2nd  of  May,  and  all  of  us  had  tne 
joy  of  reaching  our  families  once  more  in  peace  and  safety.  Thus 
the  word  of  God  was  complied  with. 

"While  on  our  way  to  fulfill  the  revelation,  Joseph,  the  Proph- 
et, and  his  companions  in  chains  were  liberated,  through  the  bless- 
ings of  God,  from  their  enemies  and  prison,  and  passed  us.  We 
were  not  far  distant  from  each  other,  but  neither  party  knew  it 
at  the  time.  They  were  making  their  way  to  their  families  in 
Illinois,  while  we  were  traveling  to  Far  West  into  the  midst  of  our 
enemies;  so  they  came  home  to  their  families  and  friends  before 
our  return. 

"May  3rd,  1839,  was  a  very  interesting  day  to  me,  as  well  as 
to  others.  In  company  with  five  others  of  the  quorum  of  the 
Twelve,  I  rode  to  Mr.  Cleveland's,  four  miles  out  of  town,  to  visit 
Brother  Joseph  Smith  and  his  family.  Once  more  I  had  the  happy 
privilege  of  taking  Brother  Joseph  by  the  hand.  Two  years  had 
rolled  away  since  I  had  seen  his  face.  He  greeted  us  with  great 
joy,  as  did  Hyrum  Smith  and  Lyman  Wight,  all  of  whom  had  es- 
caped together  from  their  imprisonment.  They  had  been  confined 
in  prison  six  months,  and  had  been  under  sentence  of  death  three 
times;  yet  their  lives  were  in  the  hands  of  God.  He  delivered 
them,  and  now  they  were  mingling  with  their  wives,  children,  and 
friends,  out  of  the  reach  of  the  mob.  Joseph  was  frank,  open,  and 
familiar  as  usual,  and  our  rejoicing  was  great.  No  man  can  un- 
derstand the  joyful  sensations  created  by  such  a  meeting,  except 
one  who  has  been  in  tribulation  for  the  gospel's  sake. 


CALL  TO  GREAT  BRITAIN,  .1838.  103 

"After  spending  the  day  together  we  returned  to  our  families 
at  night.  The  day  following  was  May  4th ;  we  met  in  conference 
at  Quincy,  the  Prophet  Joseph  presiding,  his  presence  causing 
great  joy  to  all  the  Saints  On  Sunday,  May  5th,  Joseph  Smith 
addressed  the  assembly.  He  was  followed  by  Sidney  Rigdon  and 
the  Twelve  Apostles.  The  spirit  of  the  Lord  was  poured  out  upon 
us,  and  we  had  a  glorious  day. 

"On  May  6th  I  met  with  the  seventies,  and  we  ordained 
sixty  men  into  the  quorums  of  elders  and  seventies.  Brother  Jos- 
eph met  with  the  Twelve,  and  with  bishops  and  elders,  at  Bishop 
Partridge's  house.  There  were  with  us  a  number  who  were 
wounded  at  Haun's  Mill ;  among  these  was  Isaac  Laney,  who,  in 
company  with  about  twenty  others,  had  been  at  the  mill  when  a 
large  and  armed  mob  fired  among  them  with  rifles  and  other 
weapons,  shot  down  seventeen  of  the  brethren,  and  wounded  oth- 
ers. Brother  Laney  fled  from  the  scene,  but  they  sent  a  volley  of 
lead  after  him,  piercing  his  body  in  many  places.  He  showed  me 
eleven  bullet  holes  in  his  body.  There  were  twenty-seven  bullet 
holes  in  his  shirt,  and  seven  in  his  pantaloons.  His  coat  was  lit- 
erally cut  to  pieces.  One  ball  entered  one  armpit  and  came  out  at 
the  other ;  another  entered  his  back  and  came  out  at  the  breast ;  a 
ball  passed  through  each  hip,  each  leg,  and  each  arm.  All  these 
were  received  while  he  was  running  for  his  life;  and,  strange  as 
it  may  appear,  though  he  also  had  one  of  his  ribs  broken,  he  was 
able  to  outrun  his  enemies,  and  his  life  was  saved.  We  can 
acknowledge  this  deliverance  to  be  only  through  the  mercy  of 
God.  President  Joseph  Young  was  also  among  the  number  who 
escaped  at  Haun's  Mill.  As  he  fled,  the  balls  flew  around  him 
like  hail,  yet  he  was  not  even  wounded.  How  mysterious  are  the 
ways  of  the  Lord! 

"Before  starting  on  our  mission  to  England,  we  were  under 
the  necessity  of  locating  our  families.  A  place  called  Commerce, 
afterwards  named  Nauvoo,  was  selected  as  the  site  on  which 
our  people  should  settle.  In  company  with  Brother  Brigham 
Young  and  our  families,  I  left  Quincy  on  the  15th  of  May,  ar- 
riving in  Commerce  on  the  18th.  After  an  interview  with  Joseph, 
we  crossed  the  river  at  Montrose,  Iowa.  President  Brigham 
Young  and  myself,  with  our  families,  occupied  one  room  about 


104  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

fourteen  feet  square.  Finally  Brother  Young  obtained  another 
room  and  moved  into  it;  then  Brother  Orson  Pratt  and  family 
moved  into  the  same  room  with  myself  and  family. 

"While  I  was  living  in  this  cabin  in  the  old  barracks  we  ex- 
perienced, with  the  Prophet  Joseph,  a  day  of  God's  power.  It 
was  a  very  sickly  time;  Joseph  had  given  up  his  home  in  Com- 
merce to  the  sick,  and  had  a  tent  pitched  in  his  dooryard  and 
was  living  in  that  himself.  The  large  number  of  Saints  who  had 
been  driven  out  of  Missouri  were  flocking  into  Commerce,  but  had 
no  homes  to  go  to,  and  were  living  in  wagons,  in  tents,  and  on 
the  ground ;  many,  therefore,  were  sick  through  the  exposure  to 
which  they  were  subjected.  Brother  Joseph  had  waited  on  them 
until  he  was  worn  out  and  nearly  sick  himself. 

"On  the  morning  of  the  22nd  of  July,  1§39,  he  arose,  reflect- 
ing upon  the  situation  of  the  Saints  of  God  in  their  persecutions 
and  afflictions.  He  called  upon  the  Lord  in  prayer,  the  power  of 
God  rested  upon  him  mightily,  and  as  Jesus  healed  all  the  sick 
around  Him  in  His  day,  so  Joseph,  the  Prophet  of  God,  healed  all 
around  on  this  occasion.  He  healed  all  in  his  house  and  dooryard ; 
then,  in  company  with  Sidney  Rigdon  and  several  of  the  Twelve, 
went  among  the  sick  lying  on  the  bank  of  the  river,  where  he  com- 
manded them  in  a  loud  voice,  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ,  to  rise 
and  be  made  whole,  and  they  were  all  healed.  When  he  had  healed 
all  on  the  east  side  of  the  river  that  were  sick,  he  and  his  com- 
panions crossed  the  Mississippi  River  in  a  ferry-boat  to  the  west 
side,  where  we  were,  at  Montrose.  The  first  house  they  went  into 
was  President  Brigham  Young's.  He  was  sick  on  his  bed  at  the 
time..  The  Prophet  went  into  his  house  and  healed  him,  and  they 
all  came  out  together. 

"As  they  were  passing  by  my  door,  Brother  Joseph  said: 
'Brother  Woodruff,  follow  me.'  These  were  the  only  words  spok- 
en by  any  of  the  company  from  the  time  they  left  Brother  Brig- 
ham's  house  till  they  crossed  the  public  square,  and  entered 
Brother  Fordham's  house.  Brother  Fordham  had  been  dying  for 
an  hour,  and  we  expected  each  minute  would  be  his  last.  I  felt  the 
spirit  of  God  that  was  overpowering  His  Prophet.  When  we 
entered  the  house,  Brother  Joseph  walked  up  to  Brother  Ford- 
ham  and  took  him  by  the  right  hand,  his  left  hand  holding  his  hat. 


CALL  TO  GREAT  BRITAIN,  1838.  105 

He  saw  that  Brother  Fordham's  eyes  were  glazed,  and  that  he 
was  speechless  and  unconscious. 

"After  taking  his  hand,  he  looked  down  into  the  dying  man's 
face  and  said:  'Brother  Fordham,  do  you  not  know  me?'  At 
first  there  was  no  reply,  but  we  all  could  see  the  effect  of  the  spirit 
of  God  resting  on  the  afflicted  man.  Joseph  again  spoke.  'Elijah, 
do  you  not  know  me?'  With  a  low  whisper  Brother  Fordham 
answered,  'Yes.'  The  Prophet  then  said :  'Have  you  not  faith  to 
be  healed?'  The  answer,  which  was  a  little  plainer  than  before, 
was :  'I  am  afraid  it  is  too  late ;  if  you  had  come  sooner,  I  think  I 
might  have  been.'  He  had  the  appearance  of  a  man  waking  from 
sleep;  it  was  the  sleep  of  death.  Joseph  then  said:  'Do  you  be- 
lieve that  Jesus  is  the  Christ?'  'I  do,  Brother  Joseph,'  was  the 
response.  Then  the  Prophet  of  God  spoke  with  a  loud  voice,  as  in 
the  majesty  of  Jehovah:  'Elijah,  I  command  you,  in  the  name  of 
Jesus  of  Nazareth,  to  arise  and  be  made  whole.' 

"The  words  of  the  Prophet  were  not  like  the  words  of  man, 
but  like  the  voice  of  God.  It  seemed  to  me  that  the  house  shook 
on  its  foundation.  Elijah  Fordham  leaped  from  his  bed  like  a 
man  raised  from  the  dead.  A  healthy  color  came  to  his  face,  and 
life  was  manifested  in  every  act.  His  feet  had  been  done  up  in 
Indian  meal  poultices;  he  kicked  these  off  his  feet,  scattered  the 
contents,  then  called  for  his  clothes  and  put  them  on.  He  asked 
for  a  bowl  of  bread  and  milk,  and  ate  it.  He  then  put  on  his  hat 
and  followed  us  into  the  street,  to  visit  others  who  were  sick. 

"The  unbeliever  may  ask,  'Was  there  not  deception  in  this?' 
If  there  is  any  deception  in  the  mind  of  the  unbeliever,  there  was 
certainly  none  with  Elijah  Fordham,  the  dying  man,  or  with  those 
who  were  present  with  him ;  for  in  a  few  minutes  he  would  have 
been  in  the  spirit  world,  if  he  had  not  been  rescued.  Through  the 
blessing  of  God  he  lived  up  till  1880,  when  he  died  in  Utah;  while 
all  who  were  with  him  on  that  occasion,  with  the  exception  of  one 
(myself),  are  in  the  spirit  world.  Among  the  number  present 
were  Joseph  and  Hyrum  Smith,  Sidney  Rigdon,  Brigham  Young, 
Heber  C.  Kimball,  George  A.  Smith,  Parley  P.  Pratt,  Orson 
Pratt,  and  Wilford  Woodruff. 

"As  soon  as  we  left  Brother  Fordham's  house,  we  went  into 
the  home  of  Joseph  B.  Noble,  who  was  very  low.  When  we  en- 


106  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

tered  the  house,  Brother  Joseph  took  Brother  Noble  by  the  hand, 
and  commanded  him,  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ,  to  arise  and  be 
made  whole.  He  did  arise,  and  was  healed  immediately. 

"While  this  was  going  on,  the  wicked  mob  in  the  place,  led 
by  one  Kilburn,  had  become  alarmed,  and  followed  us  into  Brother 
Noble's  house.  Before  they  arrived  there,  Brother  Joseph  called 
upon  Brother  Fordham  to  offer  prayer.  While  he  was  praying, 
the  mob  entered,  with  all  the  evil  spirits  accompanying  them.  As 
soon  as  they  entered,  Brother  Fordham,  who  was  praying,  fainted, 
and  sank  to  the  floor.  When  Joseph  saw  the  mob  in  the  house, 
he  arose  and  had  the  room  cleared  of  both  that  class  of  men  and 
their  attendant  devils.  Then  Brother  Fordham  immediately  re- 
vived, and  finished  his  prayer. 

"The  case  of  Brother  Noble  was  the  last  one  of  healing  upon 
that  day.  It  was  the  greatest  day  for  the  manifestation  of  the 
power  of  God  through  the  gift  of  healing  since  the  organization  of 
the  Church.  When  we  left  Brother  Noble's,  the  Prophet  Joseph, 
with  those  who  had  accompanied  him  from  the  other  side,  went  to 
the  bank  of  the  river,  to  return  home. 

"While  waiting  for  the  ferry-boat,  a  man  of  the  world,  know- 
ing of  the  miracles  which  had  been  performed,  came  to  Joseph 
and  asked  him  if  he  would  not  go  and  heal  twin  children  of 
his,  about  five  months  old,  who  were  both  lying  sick  nigh  unto 
death.  They  were  some  two  miles  from  Montrose.  The  Prophet 
said  he  could  not  go ;  but,  after  pausing  some  time,  said  he  would 
send  some  one  to  heal  them ;  and  he  turned  to  me  and  said :  'You 
go  with  the  man  and  heal  his  children.'  He  took  a  red  silk  hand- 
kerchief out  of  his  pocket,  gave  it  to  me, told  me  to  wipe  their  faces 
with  the  handkerchief  when  I  administered  to  them,  and  they 
should  be  healed.  He  also  said  to  me :  'As  long  as  you  will  keep 
that  handkerchief,  it  shall  remain  a  league  between  you  and  me.' 
I  went  with  the  man,  did  as  the  Prophet  commanded  me,  and  the 
children  were  healed.  I  have  possession  of  the  handkerchief  unto 
this  day. 

"On  the  first  of  July,  1839,  Joseph  Smith  and  his  counselors, 
Sidney  Rigdon  and  Hyrum  Smith,  crossed  the  river  to  Montrose, 
to  spend  the  day  with  the  Twelve,  and  to  set  them  apart  and  bless 


CALL  TO  GREAT  BRITAIN,  1838.  107 

them  before  they  started  upon  their  missions.  There  were  twelve 
of  us  who  met  there,  and  we  dined  in  my  house. 

"After  dinner  we  assembled  at  Brother  Brigham  Young's 
house  for  our  meeting.  Brother  Hyrum  Smith  opened  by  prayer ; 
after  which  the  Presidency  laid  their  hands  upon  our  heads  and 
gave  each  of  us  a  blessing.  President  Rigdon  was  mouth  in  bless- 
ing me,  and  also  blessed  Sisters  Young,  Taylor,  and  Woodruff. 
The  Prophet  Joseph  promised  us  that  if  we  were  faithful  we 
would  be  blessed  upon  our  mission,  save  many  souls  as  seals  of 
our  ministry,  and  return  again  in  peace  and  safety  to  our  friends ; 
all  of  which  was  fulfilled. 

"Brother  Hyrum  advised  me  to  preach  the  first  principles  of 
the  gospel ;  he  thought  that  was  about  as  much  as  this  generation 
could  endure.  Then  Joseph  arose  and  preached  some  precious 
things  of  the  Kingdom  of  God  unto  us,  in  the  power  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  some  of  which  I  here  copy :  'Ever  keep  in  exercise  the  prin- 
ciple of  mercy,  and  be  ready  to  forgive  your  brethren  on  the  first 
intimation  of  their  repentance  and  desire  for  forgiveness ;  for  your 
heavenly  Father  will  be  equally  merciful  to  you.  We  ought  also 
to  be  willing  to  repent  of  and  confess  our  sins,  and  keep  nothing 
back.  Let  the  Twelve  be  humble  and  not  be  exalted,  and  beware 
of  pride,  and  not  seek  to  excel  one  another,  but  act  for  each  other's 
good,  and  honorably  make  mention  of  each  other's  names  in 
prayer  before  the  Lord  and  before  your  fellowmen.  Do  not 
backbite  or  injure  a  brother.  The  elders  of  Israel  should  seek  to 
learn  by  precept  and  example  in  this  late  age  of  the  world,  and 
not  be  obliged  to  learn  by  sad  experience  everything  they  know. 
I  trust  the  remainder  of  the  Twelve  will  learn  wisdom,  and  will 
not  follow  the  example  of  those  who  have  fallen.  When  the 
Twelve,  or  any  other  witnesses  of  Jesus  Christ,  stand  before  the 
congregations  of  the  earth,  and  preach  in  the  power  and  demon- 
stration of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  the  people  are  astonished  and  con- 
founded at  the  doctrine  and  say,  "those  men  have  preached 
powerful  sermons,"  then  let  them  take  care  that  they  do  not 
ascribe  the  glory  unto  themselves,  but  be  careful  to  be  humble, 
and  to  ascribe  the  glory  to  God  and  the  Lamb;  for  it  is  by  the 
power  of  the  Holy  Priesthood  and  the  Holy  Ghost  that  they  have 


108  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

the  power  thus  to  speak.  Who  art  thou,  O  man,  but  dust!  and 
from  whom  dost  thou  receive  thy  power  and  blessings,  but  from 
God !  Then  let  the  Twelve  Apostles  and  elders  of  Israel  observe 
this  key,  and  be  wise :  Ye  are  not  sent  out  to  be  taught,  but  to 
teach.  Let  every  man  be  sober,  be  vigilant,  and  let  all  his  words 
be  seasoned  with  grace,  and  keep  in  mind  that  it  is  a  day  of  warn- 
ing, and  not  of  many  words.  Act  honestly  before  God  and  man ; 
beware  of  sophistry,  such  as  bowing  and  scraping  unto  men  in 
whom  you  have  no  confidence.  Be  honest,  open,  and  frank  in  all 
your  intercourse  with  mankind.  I  wish  to  say  to  the  Twelve, 
and  to  all  the  Saints :  profit  by  this  important  key,  that  in  all 
your  trials,  troubles,  temptations,  afflictions,  bonds,  imprisonments, 
and  deaths,  you  do  not  betray  Jesus  Christ,  that  you  do  not  be- 
tray the  revelations  of  God,  whether  in  the  Bible,  Book  of  Mor- 
mon, or  Doctrine  and  Covenants,  or  in  any  of  the  words  of  God. 
Yea,  in  all  your  troubles,  see  that  you  do  not  this  thing,  lest  in- 
nocent blood  be  found  upon  your  skirts,  and  ye  go  down  to  hell. 
We  "may  ever  know  by  this  sign  that  there  is  danger  of  our  being 
led  to  a  fall  and  apostasy  when  we  give  way  to  the  devil,  so  as 
to  neglect  the  first  known  duty ;  but  whatever  you  do,  do  not  be- 
tray your  friend.' 

"The  foregoing  are  some  of  the  instructions  given  by  the 
Prophet  Joseph,  before  the  Apostles  started  upon  their  missions. 

"Inasmuch  as  the  devil  had  been  thwarted  in  a  measure  by 
the  Twelve  going  to  Far  West  and  returning  without  harm,  it 
seemed  as  though  the  destroyer  was  determined  to  make  some 
other  attempt  upon  us  to  hinder  us  from  performing  our  missions ; 
for  as  soon  as  any  one  of  the  Apostles  began  to  prepare  for  start- 
ing he  was  smitten  with  chills  and  fever,  or  sickness  of  some  kind. 
Nearly  all  of  the  quorum  of  the  Twelve  or  their  families  began  to 
be  sick,  so  it  still  required  the  exercise  of  a  good  deal  of  faith  and 
perseverance  to  start  oflf  on  a  mission. 

"On  the  25th  of  July,  I  was  attacked  with  chills  and  fever, 
for  the  first  time  in  my  life ;  this  I  had  every  other  day,  and  when- 
ever attacked,  I  was  laid  prostrate.  My  wife,  Phoebe,  was  also 
taken  down  with  the  chills  and  fever,  as  were  quite  a  number  of 
the  Twelve. 

"I  passed  thirteen  days  in  Montrose  with  my  family,  after 


CALL  TO  GREAT  BRITAIN,  1838.  109 

I  was  taken  sick,  before  I  started  on  my  mission.  The  7th  of 
August  was  the  last  day  I  spent  at  home  in  Montrose.  Although 
sick  with  the  chills  and  fever  most  of  the  day,  I  made  what  prep- 
arations I  could  to  start  on  the  morrow  on  a  mission  of  four 
thousand  miles,  to  preach  the  gospel  to  the  nations  of  the  earth; 
and  this,  too,  without  purse  or  scrip,  with  disease  resting  upon  me, 
and  an  attack  of  fever  and  ague  afflicting  me  once  every  two  days. 

"Early  upon  the  morning  of  the  8th  of  August,  I  arose  from 
my  bed  of  sickness,  laid  my  hands  upon  the  head  of  my  sick  wife, 
Phoebe,  and  blessed  her.  I  then  departed  from  the  embrace  of 
my  companion,  and  left  her  almost  without  food  or  the  necessaries 
of  life.  She  suffered  my  departure  with  the  fortitude  that  be- 
comes a  saint,  realizing  the  responsibilities  of  her  companion.  I 
quote  from  my  journal :  'Phoebe,  farewell !  Be  of  good  cheer  ;  re- 
member me  in  your  prayers.  I  leave  these  pages  for  your  perusal 
when  I  am  gone.  I  shall  see  your  face  again  in  the  flesh.  I  go  to 
obey  the  commands  of  Jesus  Christ.' 

"Although  feeble,  I  walked  to  the  banks  of  the  Mississippi 
River.  There  President  Young  took  me  in  a  canoe  (having  no 
other  conveyance),  and  paddled  me  across  the  river.  When 
we  landed,  I  lay  down  on  a  side  of  sole,  leather,  by  the  postoffice, 
to  rest.  Brother  Joseph,  the  Prophet  of  God,  came  along  and 
looked  at  me.  'Well,  Brother  Woodruff,'  said  he,  'you  have 
started  upon  your  mission.'  'Yes,'  said  I,  'but  I  feel  and  look 
more  like  a  subject  for  the  dissecting  room  than  a  missionary.' 
Joseph  replied :  'What  did  you  say  that  for  ?  Get  up,  and  go 
along;  all  will  be  right  with  you.' 

"I  name  these  incidents  that  the  reader  may  know  how  the 
brethren  of  the  Twelve  Apostles  started  upon  their  missions  to 
England  in  1839.  Elder  John  Taylor  was  going  with  me ;  we  were 
the  first  two  of  the  quorum  of  the  Twelve  who  started  upon  that 
mission.  Brother  Taylor  was  about  the  only  man  in  the  quorum 
who  was  not  sick. 

"Soon  a  brother  came  along  with  a  wagon,  and  took  us  in. 
As  we  were  driving  through  the  place,  we  came  to  Parley  P.  Pratt, 
who  was  stripped  to  his  shirt  and  pants,  with  his  head  and  feet 
bare.  He  was  hewing  a  log,  preparatory  to  building  a  cabin.  He 
said :  'Brother  Woodruff,  I  have  no  money,  but  I  have  an  empty 


110  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

purse,  which  I  will  give  you.'  He  brought  it  to  me,  and  I  thanked 
him  for  it.  We  went  a  few  rods  farther  and  met  Brother  Heber 
C.  Kimball,  in  the  same  condition,  also  hewing  a  log  to  build  a 
cabin.  He  said :  'As  Parley  has  given  you  a  purse,  I  have  got  a 
dollar  I  will  give  you  to  put  in  it.'  He  gave  me  both  a  dollar  and 
a  blessing. 

"We  drove  sixteen  miles  across  a  prairie,  and  spent  the  night 
with  a  Brother  Merrill.  The  day  following  we  rode  ten  miles  to  a 
Brother  Perkins'.  He  took  us  in  his  wagon  to  Macomb,  and  from 
there  to  Brother  Don  Carlos  Smith's.  During  the  day  I  rode 
four  hours  over  a  very  rough  road  of  stones  and  stumps,  lying  on 
my  back  in  the  bottom  of  the  wagon,  shaking  with  the  ague,  and 
suffering  very  much.  We  held  a  meeting  in  a  grove  near  Don 
Carlos  Smith's,  and  there  Elder  Taylor  baptized  George  Miller, 
who  afterwards  was  ordained  a  bishop.  At  the  meeting  the  Saints 
gave  us  nine  dollars,  and  George  Miller  gave  us  a  horse  to  help 
us  on  our  journey. 

"I  rode  to  Rochester  with  Father  Coltrin,  and  there  had  an 
interview  with  several  families  of  the  Fox  Islands  Saints,  whom 
I  had  brought  with  me  from  the  Fox  Islands  in  1838.  I  spent  sev- 
eral days  with  them  and  at  Springfield,  where  Elder  Taylor  pub- 
lished, in  pamphlet  form,  fifteen  hundred  copies  of  a  brief  sketch 
of  the  persecutions  and  sufferings  of  the  Latter-day  Saints,  in- 
flicted by  the  inhabitants  of  Missouri.  We  sold  our  horse,  and, 
in  company  with  Father  Coltrin,  Brother  Taylor  and  myself  left 
Springfield  and  continued  our  journey.  I  had  the  chills  and  fever 
nearly  every  other  day.  This  made  riding  in  a  lumber  wagon  very 
Distressing  to  me,  especially  when  I  shook  with  the  ague. 

"On  the  24th  of  August  we  rode  to  Terre  Haute,  and  spent 
the  night  with  Dr.  Modisett.  I  suffered  much  with  the  chills  and 
fever.  Up  to  this  time,  Elder  John  Taylor  had  appeared  to  enjoy 
excellent  health,  but  the  destroyer  did  not  intend  to  make  him  an 
exception'  to  the  rest  of  the  apostles.  On  the  28th  of  August  he 
fell  to  the  ground  as  though  he  had  been  knocked  down.  He  faint- 
ed, but  soon  revived.  On  the  following  day  the  enemy  made  a 
powerful  attack  upon  his  life.  He  fainted  several  times,  and  it 
seemed  as  if  he  would  die.  We  stopped  several  hours  with  him 
at  a  house  by  the  wayside.  We  then  took  him  into  the  wagon, 


CALL  TO  GREAT  BRITAIN,  1838.  Ill 

drove  to  Horace  S.  Eldredge's  and  spent  the  remainder  of  the  day 
and  night  doctoring  him.  In  the  morning  he  was  so  far  recovered 
that  he  thought  he  would  be  able  to  ride;  so  we  started  on  our 
journey  on  the  morning  of  the  30th,  traveled  forty  miles  to  Louis- 
vill,  and  spent  the  night  with  the  family  of  Brother  James  Towns- 
end.  We  felt  terribly  shaken  up,  being  in  such  a  weak  state. 
Brother  Townsend  was  away  from  home,  but  we  were  kindly 
entertained  by  Sister  Townsend.  In  the  morning,  Elder  Taylor, 
though  very  weak,  felt  disposed  to  continue  the  journey,  and  we 
traveled  fourteen  miles  to  Germantown.  Elder  Taylor  was  quite 
sick  that  night,  and  a  bilious  fever  seemed  to  settle  upon  him.  I 
was  also  very  feeble. 

"The  day  following  being  Sunday,  September  1st,  Brother 
Taylor  concluded  to  remain  for  the  day,  and  hold  a  meeting.  It 
was  a  German  settlement.  He  wished  me  to  speak,  and  I  did  so, 
dwelling  upon  the  first  principles  of  the  gospel.  He  followed  me, 
and  spoke  until  he  was  exhausted.  After  we  returned  to  the  inn 
where  we  were  stopping,  I  was  taken  with  a  chill  and  fever,  and 
had  a  very  bad  night.  Brother  Taylor  also  was  very  sick. 

"The  next  day,  September  2nd,  was  a  painful  day  to  my  feel- 
ings. It  was  evident  that  Brother  Taylor  had  a  settled  fever  upon 
him,  and  would  not  be  able  to  travel.  Father  Coltrin  was  resolved 
to  continue  his  journey,  and,  in  conversing  with  Brother  Taylor, 
the  latter  thought  it  better  for  one  sick  man  to  be  left  than  for 
two,  as  I  was  so  ill  with  chills  and  fever  that  I  was  not  able  to 
render  him  any  assisance,  nor,  indeed,  to  take  care  of  myself.  Un- 
der these  circumstances,  Brother  Taylor  advised  me  to  continue 
my  journey  with  Brother  Coltrin,  and  make  the  best  of  my  way 
to  New  York. 

"After  committing  Elder  Taylor  into  the  hands  of  the  Lord, 
I  gave  him  the  parting  hand — though  painful  to  me — and  started. 
I  left  him  in  Germantown,  Wayne  County,  Indiana,  in  the  hands 
of  a  merciful  God  and  a  kind  and  benevolent  family  who  prom- 
ised to  do  everything  in  their  power  to  make  him  comfortable  till 
his  recovery.  This  they  did,  though  he  passed  through  a  severe 
course  of  bilious  fever,  and  was  sick  nigh  unto  death.  Through 
the  mercy  of  God,  however,  he  recovered  from  his  sickness,  and 
continued  his  journey.  We  next  met  in  the  city  of  New  York. 


112  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

"I  continued  on  with  Father  Coltrin,  and  reached  Cleveland 
on  the  18th  of  September.  There  we  took  steamer  for  Buffalo, 
but  were  in  a  storm  three  days  before  we  made  the  harbor.  We 
landed  at  midnight,  and  in  doing  so  ran  into  a  schooner  and  stove 
it  in.  From  Buffalo  I  traveled  to  Albany  in  a  canal  boat,  and  had 
an  attack  of  the  ague  daily.  At  Albany  I  took  a  stage  in  the  night, 
and  rode  to  my  father's  home  in  Farmington,  reaching  there  on 
the  21st  of  September.  I  was  glad  to  meet  with  my  father's  fam- 
ily, and  the  other  members  of  the  small  branch  of  the  Church 
which  existed  there  upon  this  occasion,  as  I  found  them  all  strong 
in  the  faith  of  the  gospel,  and  glad  to  meet  me.  I  was  still  suffer- 
ing with  the  ague.  On  the  27th  of  September,  my  grandmother 
(on  my  mother's  side),  Anna  Thompson,  died  at  Avon.  She  was 
eighty-four  years  of  age.  It  was  a  singular  coincidence  that  she, 
with  her  husband,  Lot  Thompson,  also  Mercy  Thompson,  and 
Samuel  Thompson,  all  of  one  family,  died  when  they  were 
eighty-four  years  of  age.  I  was  not  able  to  attend  my  grand- 
mother's funeral. 

"On  the  4th  of  October,  1839,  my  uncle,  Adna  Hart,  died, 
aged  forty-three  years.  I  had  visited  him  in  his  sickness,  preached 
the  gospel  to  him,  and  he  was  believing.  I  had  been  associated 
with  him  from  my  youth  up.  On  his  death  bed  he  sent  me  a  re- 
quest that  I  preach  his  funeral  sermon.  I  was  having  the  chills 
and  fever  daily  at  the  time,  attended  with  a  very  severe  cough, 
so  much  so  that  my  father  thought  I  would  never  leave  his  home 
alive ;  but  when  they  brought  me  the  request  of  my  dying  uncle, 
and  the  day  came  for  his  burial,  I  told  my  father  to  get  his  horse 
and  buggy  ready,  as  I  was  going  to  attend  the  funeral.  He 
thought  I  was  very  reckless  about  my  own  life,  as  I  had  suffered 
with  chills  and  fever  some  fifteen  days,  and  to  attempt  to  speak 
in  my  weak  state,  and  to  begin  at  the  same  hour  that  my  chill  was 
to  come  on,  seemed  to  him  foolhardy.  My  parents  were  quite 
alarmed,  yet  according  to  my  request  my  father  got  up  his  team, 
and  I  rode  with  him  and  my  stepmother  five  miles,  through  a  cold, 
chilly  wind,  and  commenced  speaking  to  a  large  congregation  at 
the  same  hour  that  my  chills  had  been  accustomed  to  come  on. 
I  spoke  with  great  freedom  for  over  an  hour;  my  chills  left  me 
for  that  time,  and  I  had  no  more  attacks  for  many  days. 

"On  the  Monday  following,  October  17th,  I  felt  sufficiently 


CALL  TO  GREAT  BRITAIN,  1838.  113 

restored  to  health  to  continue  my  journey.  I  took  leave  of  my 
father  and  sister,  and  left  for  New  York,  where  I  arrived  on  the 
morning  of  the  8th  of  November.  I  spent  two  months  and  seven 
days  after  my  arrival  in  New  York,  in  traveling  and  preaching  in 
that  city,  and  in  New  Jersey  and  Long  Island,  a  portion  of  the 
time  with  Parley  and  Orson  Pratt.  During  this  period  I  had  fre- 
quent attacks  of  the  chills  and  fever,  but  I  preached  almost  daily. 

"On  the  13th  of  December,  I  attended  our  conference  in  New 
York  City,  with  Elder  Parley  P.  Pratt,  who  prophesied  that  the 
mission  of  the  Twelve  to  Great  Britain  would  be  known  to  all  na- 
tions, as  it  surely  has  been.  On  this  day  Elder  John  Taylor  ar- 
rived in  our  midst.  It  was  a  happy  meeting ;  he  had  passed  through 
a  severe  siege  of  sickness  after  we  parted,  but  through  the  mercy 
of  God  had  been  preserved,  and  was  able  to  continue  his  journey. 
He  informed  us  that  others  of  the  Twelve  had  suffered  a  great  deal 
of  sickness,  and  that  it  was  with  difficulty  that  they  could  travel. 

"After  spending  six  days  in  New  York,  Elder  John  Taylor,  in 
company  with  Elder  Theodore  Turley  and  myself,  sailed  out  of 
New  York  harbor  on  the  19th  of  December,  1839,  on  board  the 
packet  ship  Oxford.  We  took  steerage  passage,  which  cost  fifteen 
dollars  each.  We  had  storms  and  rough  weather,  but  most  of  the 
winds  were  favorable  to  a  quick  passage.  While  on  the  5hip,  a 
Methodist  minister  got  into  a  discussion  with  some  Catholics  who 
were  in  the  company,  and  the  arguments  of  the  minister  ran  rather 
more  into  abuse  than  sound  argument.  Elder  Taylor  told  the 
Methodist  minister  that  he  did  not  think  it  was  becoming  in  a 
daughter  to  find  so  much  fault  with  the  mother ;  for,  as  the  Meth- 
odists came  out  of  the  Catholics,  Elder  Taylor  thought  the  mother 
had  as  much  right  to  enjoy  her  religion  unmolested  as  the  daughter 
had.  That  ended  the  argument.  Our  company  consisted  of  one 
hundred  and  nine  souls,  composed  of  Americans,  English,  Scotch, 
Irish,  Welsh,  and  Dutch." 

While  in  New  York  preparing  for  his  departure  for  Europe, 
Elder  Woodruff  twice  saw  his  wife  in  a  dream.  The  second  time 
she  was  weeping,  and  both  times  was  in  great  affliction.  Upon  his 
inquiring  after  their  little  daughter,  Sister  Woodruff  answered, 
"She  is  dead."  The  warning  in  this  dream  received  fulfilment  on 
the  17th  of  the  following  July  ,  the  child  dying  on  that  date,  while 
he  was  in  England. 


CHAPTER  12. 

MISSION  IN  GREAT  BRITAIN,  1840. 

Wilford's  Arrival  in  England. — Missionary  Work  Begun. — Casting 
Out  a  Devil. — Directed  by  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  to  Another  Field 
of  Labor. — Meets  with  the  United  Brethren. — Many  Conversions 
to  the  Gospel. — Ministers  Hold  a  Convention  To  Ask  Parliament 
for  Legislation  against  the  Mormons. — First  Publication  of  the 
Book  of  Mormon  and  the  Hymn  Book  in  England. — The  Millennial 
Star. — In  the  British  Metropolis. — Unable  to  Secure  a  Hall  To 
Preach  in,  the  Elders  Hold  Street  Meetings. — First  Baptism  in 
London. — Opposition  from  Preachers. — Work  of  God  Makes  Mar- 
velous Progress. 

The  voyage  across  the  Atlantic  ocean  was  made  in  twenty 
three  days,  and  Wilford  Woodruff  and  his  companions  landed  at 
Liverpool,  England,  on  the  llth  day  of  January,  1840.  After 
visiting  George  Cannon,  father  of  President  George  Q.  Cannon, 
and  family,  they  left  Liverpool  on  January  13th,  going  to  Preston, 
where  a  branch  of  the  Church  had  been  built  up  in  1837,  by  Elders 
Heber  C.  Kimball,  Orson  Hyde,  and  Willard  Richards.  The  latter 
had  remained  in  England,  while  Elders  Kimball  and  Hyde  had  re- 
turned to  America.  The  meeting  with  Elder  Richards  was  very 
pleasant.  On  January  17th  a  council  was  held  at  his  home  to  de- 
termine the  future  actions  of  the  elders. 

"After  consultation  as  to  the  best  course  for  us  to  pursue," 
says  Elder  Woodruff,  "it  was  finally  resolved  that  Elders  John 
Taylor  and  Joseph  Fielding  should  go  to  Liverpool ;  Elder  Wood- 
ruff, to  Staffordshire  Potteries;  Elder  Theodore  Turley,  to  Bir- 
mingham; Elder  Richards,  wherever  the  spirit  might  direct  him; 
and  that  Elder  William  Clayton  preside  over  the  branch  in  Man- 
chester. After  various  principles  of  the  Church  had  been  expound- 
ed by  the  Apostles  present,  the  council  adjourned.  Elder  Willard 
Richards  had  been  called  to  be  one  of  the  quorum  of  the  Twelve 
Apostles,  but  had  not  yet  received  his  ordination. 

"On  the  day  following  I  parted  with  Elders  Taylor  and  Field- 
ing, who  went  to  Liverpool,  and  with  Elder  Richards,  who  tarried 
in  Preston.  Elder  Turley  and  I  went  to  Manchester;  it  was  the 
first  time  I  had  visited  that  city.  There  I  met  for  the  first  time 
Elder  William  Clayton.  As  soon  as  I  was  introduced  to  him,  he 
informed  me  that  one  of  the  sisters  in  that  place  was  possessed  of 


MISSION  IN  GREAT  BRITAIN,  1840.  115 

a  devil.  He  asked  me  if  I  would  not  go  and  cast  it  out  of  her. 
He  thought  one  of  the  Twelve  Apostles  could  do  most  anything 
in  such  a  case.  I  went  with  him  to  the  house  where  the  woman 
lay,  in  the  hands  of  three  men,  in  a  terrible  rage.  She  was  trying 
to  tear  her  clothing  from  her.  I  also  found  quite  a  number  of 
Saints  present,  and  some  unbelievers,  who  had  come  to  see  the 
devil  cast  out  and  a  miracle  wrought. 

"Had  I  acted  upon  my  own  judgment  I  should  have  refrained 
from  administering  to  her  in  the  company  of  those  present;  but 
as  I  was  a  stranger  there,  and  Brother  Clayton  presided  over  the 
branch,  I  joined  with  him  in  administering  to  the  woman.  The 
unbelief  of  the  wicked  who  were  present  was  so  great  that  we  could 
not  cast  the  devil  out  of  her,  and  she  raged  worse  than  ever ;  I  then 
ordered  the  room  to  be  cleared,  and  when  the  company,  except  the 
few  attending  her,  had  left  the  house,  we  laid  hands  upon  her  head, 
and  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  I  commanded  the  devil  to  come 
out  of  her.  The  devil  left,  and  she  was  entirely  healed  and  fell 
asleep. 

"The  next  day  being  the  Sabbath,  the  woman  came  before  a 
large  congregation  of  people,  and  bore  testimony  to  what  the  Lord 
had  done  for  her.  We  had  a  large  assembly  through  the  day  and 
evening,  to  whom  I  preached  the  gospel.  On  Monday  morning, 
the  devil,  not  being  satisfied  with  being  cast  out  of  the  woman, 
entered  into  her  little  child,  which  was  but  a  few  months  old.  I 
was  called  upon  to  visit  the  child,  and  found  it  in  great  distress, 
writhing  in  its  mother's  arms.  We  laid  hands  upon  it  and  cast  the 
devil  out ;  the  evil  spirits  thereafter  had  no  power  over  that  house- 
hold. This  was  done  by  the  power  of  God,  and  not  of  man.  We 
laid  hands  upon  twenty  in  Manchester  who  were  sick,  and  most  of 
them  were  healed. 

"On  January  21st,  I  arrived  in  Burslem  by  coach,  and  for  the 
first  time  met  Elder  Alfred  Cordon.  This  being  my  field  of  labor. 
I  began  my  work  there.  Elder  Turley  stopped  in  the  Pottery  dis- 
trict some  eight  days,  then  went  to  Birmingham,  his  field  of  labor. 
On  the  10th  of  February  I  received  a  letter  from  Elder  John  Tay- 
lor, who  was  at  Liverpool,  saying  they  had  commenced  there,  and 
had  baptized  ten  persons. 

"I  labored  in  the  Staffordshire  Potteries,  in  Burslem,  Han- 


116  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

ley,  Stoke,  Lane  End,  and  several  other  villages,  from  the  22nd 
of  January  until  the  2nd  of  March,  preaching  every  night  in  the 
week  and  two  or  three  times  on  the  Sabbath.  I  baptized,  con- 
firmed and  blessed  many,  and  we  had  a  good  field  open  for  labor. 
Many  were  believing,  and  it  appeared  as  though  we  had  a  door 
open  to  bring  into  the  Church  many  in  that  part  of  the  vineyard. 

"March  1st,  1840,  was  my  birthday;  I  was  thirty-three  years 
of  age.  It  being  Sunday,  I  preached  twice  during  the  day  to  a 
large  assembly  in  the  city  hall,  in  the  town  of  Hanley,  and  admin- 
istered the  Sacrament  to  the  Saints.  In  the  evening  I  again  met 
with  a  large  assembly  of  the  Saints  and  strangers,  and  while  sing- 
ing the  first  hymn  the  spirit  of  the  Lord  rested  upon  me  and  the 
voice  of  God  said  to  me,  'This  is  the  last  meeting  that  you  will  hold 
with  this  people  for  many  days.'  I  was  astonished  at  this,  as  I 
had  many  appointments  out  in  that  district.  When  .  I  arose  to 
speak  to  the  people,  I  told  them  that  it  was  the  last  meeting  I  should 
hold  with  them  for  many  days.  They  were  as  much  astonished  as 
I  was.  At  the  close  of  the  meeting  four  persons  came  forward  for 
baptism;  we  went  down  into  the  water  and  baptized  them. 

"In  the  morning  I  went  in  secret  before  the  Lord,  and  asked 
Him  what  was  His  will  concerning  me.  The  answer  I  received 
was  that  I  should  go  to  the  south ;  for  the  Lord  had  a  great  work 
for  me  to  perform  there,  as  many  souls  were  waiting  for  His 
word.  On  the  3rd  of  March,  1840,  in  fulfillment  of  the  directions 
given  me,  I  took  coach  and  rode  to  Wolverhampton,  twenty-six 
miles,  spending  the  night  there.  On  the  morning  of  the  4th  I 
again  took  coach,  and  rode  through  Dudley,  Stourbridge,  Stour- 
port,  and  Worcester,  then  walked  a  number  of  miles  to  Mr.  John 
Benbow's,  Hill  Farm,  Castle  Frome,  Ledbury,  Herefordshire.  This 
was  a  farming  country  in  the  south  of  England,  a  region  where  no 
elder  of  the  Latter-day  Saints  had  visited. 

"I  found  Mr.  Benbow  to  be  a  wealthy  farmer,  cultivating 
three  hundred  acres  of  land,  occupying  a  good  mansion,  and  hav 
ing  plenty  of  means.  His  wife,  Jane,  had  no  children.  I  presented 
myself  to  him  as  a  missionary  from  America,  an  elder  of  the 
Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints,  who  had  been  sent  to 
him  by  the  commandment  of  God  as  a  messenger  of  salvation,  to 
preach  the  gospel  of  life  to  him  and  his  household  and  the  inhab- 


MISSION  IN  GREAT  BRITAIN,  1840.  117 

itants  of  the  land.  He  and  his  wife  received  me  with  glad  hearts 
and  thanksgiving.  It  was  in  the  evening  when  I  arrived,  having 
traveled  forty-eight  miles  by  coach  and  on  foot  during  the  day, 
but  after  receiving  refreshments  we  sat  down  together,  and  con- 
versed until  two  o'clock  in  the  morning.  Mr.  Benbow  and  his 
wife  rejoiced  greatly  at  the  glad  tidings  which  I  brought  them. 

"I  also  rejoiced  greatly  at  the  news  Mr.  Benbow  gave  me, 
that  there  was  a  company  of  men  and  women — over  six  hundred 
in  number — who  had  broken  off  from  the  Wesleyan  Methodists, 
and  taken  the  name  of  United  Brethren.  They  had  forty-five 
preachers  among  them,  and  for  religious  services  had  chapels 
and  many  houses  that  were  licensed  according  to  the  law  of  the 
land.  This  body  of  United  Brethren  were  searching  for  light  and 
truth,  but  had  gone  as  far  as  they  could,  and  were  calling  upon 
the  Lord  continually  to  open  the  way  before  them  and  send  them 
light  and  knowledge,  that  they  might  know  the  true  way  to  be 
saved.  When  I  heard  these  things  I  could  clearly  see  why  the 
Lord  had  commanded  me,  while  in  the  town  of  Hanley,  to  leave 
that  place  of  labor  and  go  to  the  south ;  for  in  Herefordshire  there 
was  a  great  harvest-field  for  gathering  many  saints  into  the 
Kingdom  of  God.  After  offering  my  prayers  and  thanksgiving  to 
God,  I  retired  to  my  bed  with  joy,  and  slept  well  until  the  rising 
of  the  sun. 

"I  arose  on  the  morning  of  the  5th,  took  breakfast,  and  told 
Mr.  Benbow  I  would  like  to  commence  my  Master's  business  by 
preaching  the  gospel  to  the  people.  He  had  in  his  mansion  a 
large  hall  which  was  licensed  for  preaching,  and  he  sent  word 
through  the  neighborhood  that  an  American  missionary  would 
preach  at  his  house  that  evening.  As  the  time  drew  nigh,  many 
of  the  neighbors  came  in,  and  I  preached  my  first  gospel  sermon 
in  the  house.  I  also  preached  at  the  same  place  on  the  following 
evening,  and  baptized  six  persons,  including  Mr.  John  Benbow, 
his  wife,  and  four  preachers  of  the  United  Brethren.  I  spent  most 
of  the  following  day  in  clearing  out  a  pool  of  water  and  preparing 
it  for  baptizing,  as  I  saw  that  many  would  receive  that  ordinance. 
I  afterwards  baptized  six  hundred  persons  in  that  pool  of  water. 

"On  Sunday,  the  8th,  I  preached  at  Frome's  Hill  in  the  morn- 
ing, at  Standley  Hill  in  the  afternoon,  and  at  John  Benbow's,  Hill 


118  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

Farm,  in  the  evening.  The  parish  church  that  stood  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  Brother  Benbow's,  presided  over  by  the  rector  of  the 
parish,  was  attended  during  the  day  by  only  fifteen  persons,  while 
I  had  a  large  congregation,  estimated  to  number  a  thousand,  at- 
tend my  meetings  through  the  day  and  evening. 

"When  I  arose  to  speak  at  Brother  Benbow's  house,  a  man 
entered  the  door  and  informed  me  that  he  was  a  constable,  and  had 
been  sent  by  the  rector  of  the  parish  with  a  warrant  to  arrest  me. 
I  asked  him,  'For  what  crime?'  He  said,  'For  preaching  to  the 
people.'  I  told  him  that  I,  as  well  as  the  rector,  had  a  license  for 
preaching  the  gospel  to  the  people,  and  that  if  he  would  take  a 
chair  I  would  wait  upon  him  after  meeting.  He  took  my  chair 
and  sat  beside  me.  For  an  hour  and  a  quarter  I  preached  the  first 
principles  of  the  everlasting  gospel.  The  power  of  God  rested 
upon  me,  the  spirit  filled  the  house,  and  the  people  were  convinced. 
At  the  close  of  the  meeting  I  opened  the  door  for  baptism,  and  sev- 
en offered  themselves.  Among  the  number  were  four  preachers  and 
the  constable.  The  latter  arose  and  said,  'Mr.  Woodruff,  I  would 
like  to  be  baptized.'  I  told  him  I  would  like  to  baptize  him.  I 
went  down  into  the  pool  and  baptized  the  seven.  We  then  came 
together.  I  confirmed  thirteen,  administered  the  Sacrament,  and 
we  all  rejoiced  together. 

"The  constable  went  to  the  rector  and  told  him  that  if  he 
wanted  Mr.  Woodruff  taken  for  preaching  the  gospel,  he  must 
go  himself  and  serve  the  writ;  for  he  had  heard  him  preach  the 
only  true  gospel  sermon  he  had  ever  listened  to  in  his  life.  The 
rector  did  not  know  what  to  make  of  it,  so  he  sent  two  clerks  of 
the  Church  of  England  as  spies,  to  attend  our  meeting,  and  find 
out  what  we  did  preach.  They  both  were  pricked  in  their  hearts, 
received  the  word  of  the  Lord  gladly,  and  were  baptized  and  con- 
firmed members  of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day 
Saints.  The  rector  became  alarmed,  and  did  not  venture  to  send 
anybody  else. 

"The  ministers  and  rectors  of  the  south  of  England  called  a 
convention  and  sent  a  petition  to  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury, 
to  request  Parliament  to  pass  a  law  prohibiting  the  Mormons  from 
preaching  in  the  British  dominions.  In  this  petition  the  rectors 
stated  that  one  Mormon  missionary  had  baptized  fifteen  hundred 


MISSION  IN  GREAT  BRITAIN,  1840.  119 

persons,  mostly  members  of  the  English  Church,  during  the  past 
seven  months.  But  the  Archbishop  and  council,  knowing  well  that 
the  laws  of  England  afforded  toleration  to  all  religions  under  tha 
British  flag,  sent  word  to  the  petitioners  that  if  they  had  the  worth 
of  souls  at  heart  as  much  as  they  valued  ground  where  hares,foxes, 
and  hounds  ran,  they  would  not  lose  so  many  of  their  flock. 

"I  continued  to  preach  and  baptize  daily.  On  the  21st  day 
of  March  I  baptized  Elder  Thomas  Kington.  He  was  superin- 
tendent of -both  preachers  and  members  of  the  United  Brethren. 
The  first  thirty  days  after  my  arrival  in  Herefordshire,  I  had  bap- 
tized forty-five  preachers  and  one  hundred  and  sixty  members  of 
the  United  Brethren,  who  put  into  my  hands  one  chapel  and  forty- 
five  houses,  which  were  licensed  according  to  law  to  preach  in. 
This  opened  a  wide  field  for  labor,  and  enabled  me  to  bring  into 
the  Church,  through  the  blessings  of  God,  over  eighteen  hundred 
souls  during  eight  months,  including  all  of  the  six  hundred  Unit- 
ed Brethren  except  one  person.  In  this  number  there  were  also 
some  two  hundred  preachers  of  various  denominations.  This  field 
of  labor  embraced  Herefordshire,  Gloucestershire,  and  Worces- 
tershire, and  formed  the  conferences  of  Garway,  Gadfield  Elm,  and 
Frome's  Hill.  During  this  time  I  was  visited  by  President  Young 
and  Dr. -Richards." 

On  the  14th  of  April,  1840,  Elder  Woodruff  records  the  or- 
dination of  Willard  Richards  to  the  apostleship.  Two  days  later 
the  Twelve,  in  council,  voted  to  publish  a  Church  periodical  in 
Great  Britain.  Elder  Woodruff  proposed  that  it  be  called  the 
Millennial  Star,  and  it  was  so  named. 

"Brother  John  Benbow  furnished  us  with  £300  to  print  the 
first  edition  of  the  Book  of  Mormon  that  was  published  in  Eng- 
land," wrote  Elder  Woodruff;  "and  on  the  20th  of  May,  1840, 
Brigham  Young,  Willard  Richards,  and  I  held  a  council  on  top 
of  Malvern  Hill,  and  there  decided  that  Brigham  Young  should 
go  direct  to  Manchester  and  publish  three  thousand  copies  of 
the  Book  of  Mormon  and  the  Hymn  Book. 

"The  power  of  God  rested  upon  us  and  upon  the  mission," 
said  Elder  Woodruff,  in  our  field  of  labor  in  Herefordshire,  Wor- 
cestershire, and  Gloucestershire.  "The  sick  were  healed,  devils 
were  cast  out,  and  the  lame  made  to  walk.  One  case  I  will  men- 


120  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

tion :  Mary  Pitt,  who  died  later  in  Nauvoo,  sister  of  William 
Pitt,  who  died  years  after  in  Salt  Lake  City,  had  not  walked 
upon  her  feet  for  eleven  years.  We  carried  her  into  the  water, 
and  I  baptized  her.  On  the  evening  of  the  18th  of  May,  1840, 
at  Brother  Kington's  house  in  Dymock,  Elders  Brigham  Young, 
Willard  Richards,  and  I  laid  hands  upon  her  head  and  confirmed 
her.  Brigham  Young  being  mouth,  rebuked  her  lameness  in  the 
name  of  the  Lord,  and  commanded  her  to  arise  and  walk.  The 
lameness  left  her,  and  she  never  afterwards  used  a  staff  or  crutch. 
She  walked  through  the  town  of  Dymock  next  day,  and  created  a 
stir  among  the  people  thereby;  but  the  wicked  did  not  feel  to 
give  God  the  glory. 

"The  whole  history  of  this  Herefordshire  mission  shows  the 
importance  of  listening  to  the  still  small  voice  of  the  spirit  of 
God,  and  the  revelations  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  The  people  were  pray- 
ing for  light  and  truth,  and  the  Lord  sent  me  to  them.  I  declared 
the  gospel  of  life  and  salvation,  some  eighteen  hundred  souls  re- 
ceived it,  and  many  of  them  have  been  gathered  to  Zion  in  these 
mountains.  Many  of  them  have  also  been  called  to  officiate  in 
the  bishopric,  and  have  done  much  good  in  Zion.  In  all  these 
things  we  should  ever  acknowledge  the  hand  of  God,  and  give 
Him  the  honor,  praise,  and  glory,  forever  and  ever.  Amen. 

"On  the  llth  of  August,  1840,  I  took  the  parting  hand  of  the 
Saints  in  Herefordshire,  and  started  on  a  mission  to  London,  in 
company  with  Apostles  Heber  C.  Kimball  and  George  A.  Smith. 
We  rode  from  Leigh  to  Cheltenham,  where  we  tarried  for  the 
night,  and  in  the  morning  took  coach  and  rode  forty  miles  through 
a  most  delightful  country,  which  everywhere  wore  the  golden 
hue  of  a  plentiful  harvest.  We  passed  through  Oxfordshire,  in 
sight  of  Stowe,  the  family  residence  of  the  Duke  of  Buckingham, 
and  at  Farmington  station  took  train  for  London,  where  we  ar- 
rived at  4  p.  m.  We  changed  conveyances  and  went  to  the  center  of 
the  city  by  omnibus,  walked  across  London  Bridge  into  the  Bor- 
ough, and  called  upon  Mrs.  Allgood,  the  sister  of  Elder  Theodore 
Turley's  wife.  She  treated  us  with  kindness,  gave  us  refresh- 
ments, and  then  directed  us  to  a  public  house,  the  King's  Arms, 
King  Street,  Borough.  There  we  tarried  for  the  night. 

"We  were  now  in  England's  great  metropolis,  to  sound  there- 


MISSION  TO  GREAT  BRITAIN,  1840.  121 

in  the  first  proclamation  of  the  latter-day  work.  Heber  C.  Kim- 
ball,  George  A.  Smith,  and  myself  were  the  first  three  elders  in 
London  to  preach  the  gospel  and  establish  the  Church  of  Latter- 
day  Saints.  We  took  a  walk  into  the  city,  passed  London  Bridge 
twice,  and  returned  and  spent  the  night  at  King's  Arms.  On 
the  following  day  we  called  upon  the  Rev.  J.  E.  Smith,  Lincoln's 
Inn  Fields,  also  visited  John  Pye,  16  Curiosity  Street,  Chancery 
Lane.  He  was  a  strong  believer  in  the  prophecies  of  Joanna 
Southcott,  and  was  one  of  the  society.  We  then  returned  and 
had  a  view  of  St.  Paul's  Cathedral,  the  largest  in  the  world  ex- 
cept St.  Peter's  at  Rome.  We  crossed  London  Bridge,  took  tea 
at  19  King  Street,  then  went  to  Union  Chapel,  Waterloo  Road, 
and  heard  a  comical  sermon  delivered  by  an  Aitkenite  preacher. 
I  spent  the  night  at  58  King  Street,  at  Mrs.  Loftus.' 

"The  next  day,  August  21st,  was  the  most  interesting  sight- 
seeing day  in  my  life.  I  started  in  company  with  Elders  Heber  C. 
Kimball  and  George  A.  Smith  for  a  walk  over  the  city  of  Lon- 
don. We  crossed  London  Bridge,  passed  through  King  William 
Street  and  several  other  streets,  and  visited  Covent  Garden ;  then 
through  St.  Martin  Street  and  Court,  Leicester  Square,  Sidney 
Alley,  Coventry  Street,  Picadilly,  Glass  House  Street,  and 
through  most  of  Regent  Street — one  of  the  most  splendid  streets 
in  the  world.  We  passed  through  Langham  Place  and  All  Souls' 
Church — which  has  a  spire  naked  from  its  base  to  the  top — then 
through  Oxford  Street,  and  returned  by  way  of  St.  Paul's,  end- 
ing our  sight-seeing  of  the  day  by  visiting  the  noted  monument 
erected  in  commemoration  of  the  great  fire  in  London  in  1666, 
and  built  under  the  direction  of  that  famous  architect,  Sir  Chris- 
topher Wren.  We  entered  a  door  at  its  base,  paid  sixpence  on 
entering,  and  ascended  three  hundred  and  forty-five  black  mar- 
ble steps,  which  brought  us  up  two  hundred  feet  into  the  air, 
and  about  one  hundred  feet  higher  than  the  highest  houses.  We 
stepped  on  the  outside  of  the  pillar,  which  is  surrounded  by  an 
iron  railing,  and  there  was  presented  to  our  view  on  every  hand 
the  wonderful  scenery  of  the  greatest  city  in  the  world,  a  city 
that  boasted  of  a  history  covering  nearly  two  thousand  years.  At 
our  feet,  as  it  were,  lay  a  historical  panorama,  stretching  out  to 
our  view  in  all  directions. 


122  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

"We  were  located  so  as  to  overlook  nearly  every  part  of 
the  city.  East  of  us  lay  the  ancient  Tower  of  London ;  east  of  us 
also  lay  the  Mint;  north  the  Mansion  House  of  the  Lord  Mayor 
of  London;  northwest,  St.  Paul's  Church;  west,  Westminster 
Abbey  and  the  House  of  Parliament ;  south  lies  the  river  Thames, 
with  five  of  the  large  bridges  across  in  full  view,  and  one  not  seen 
from  the  monument,  making  six.  These  six  bridges  are  fine 
sights  in  themselves.  They  are  the  architectural  monuments  of 
the  Thames,  and  our  view  of  them  from  our  high  pinnacle,  with 
their  crowds  of  moving  and  everchanging  human  masses,  and 
cabs,  omnibuses,  carriages,  drays,  etc.,  which  dash  along,  pre- 
sented to  us  a  picturesque  sight.  In  addition  to  all  this,  within  our 
view  was  London  Borough,  on  the  south  of  the  river,  and  all 
around  us  hundreds  of  churches,  chapels  and  spires,  standing  in 
the  midst  of  one  universal  mass  of  buildings,  covering  six  square 
miles  of  ground.  While  viewing  this  prospect  on  a  clear  day,  we 
conversed  with  a  Prussian  traveler,  a  citizen  of  Berlin,  who  had 
traveled  much  over  Europe  and  Asia  and  other  parts  of  the  world, 
and  he  declared  that  there  was  not,  to  his  knowledge,  another  spot 
on  the  face  of  the  earth  that  presented  to  view  such  a  grand  scene 
as  that  before  us. 

"August  23rd  we  went  to  Zion's  chapel  and  heard  the  cele- 
brated Rev.  Robert  Aitken  preach  two  sermons.  He  delivered 
a  powerful  warning  to  the  Gentiles,  and  presented  some  of  the 
most  sublime  truths  I  ever  heard  from  a  sectarian  priest;  but  he 
was  building  without  the  foundation.  On  the  24th  we  removed 
our  lodgings  to  Mr.  Robert  Merryfield's,  No.  15  Gloucester  Row, 
Grange  Road,  where  we  obtained  a  room  for  all  three  of  us. 

"On  the  25th  of  August  we  attended  a  meeting  of  the  Tem- 
perance Society,  at  their  hall,  which  we  secured  for  the  7th  of 
the  next  month.  Brother  Smith  made  a  short  speech.  On  the  fol- 
lowing day  we  started  out  in  quest  of  places  in  which  we  might 
preach.  Brother  Kimball  went  to  one  part  of  the  city  and  Brother 
Smith  and  myself  to  another.  We  called  upon  two  Baptist  min- 
isters and  asked  one  for  his  chapel.  In  the  evening  we  attended 
a  Methodist  meeting  in  Long  Lane. 

"Next  day  we  again  went  to  the  Temperance  Hall,  in  St. 
George's  Road,  near  the  Elephant  and  Castle,  and  by  the  request 


MISSION  TO  GREAT  BRTAIN,  1840.  123 

of  the  committee  I  addressed  the  meeting  upon  the  subject  of 
temperance.  I  was  followed  by  George  A.  Smith.  We  gave  out 
an  appointment  to  preach  the  gospel  at  that  place  September  7th. 

"The  day  after,  we  all  started  to  go  through  the  city  of  Lon- 
don to  see  if  we  could  find  a  man  with  the  spirit  of  God ;  and  after 
wandering  through  the  city,  not  knowing  whither  we  went,  we 
came  upon  a  man  whom  we  stopped,  and  to  whom  we  spoke. 
Brother  Kimball  asked  him  if  he  was  a  preacher.  He  said  he  was. 
He  seemed  to  have  a  good  spirit,  and  informed  us  that  he  had 
been  in  America,  and  had  come  to  London  for  the  purpose  of  go- 
ing to  South  Australia,  but  had  just  buried  one  child  and  another 
lay  at  the  point  of  death.  Brother  Kimball  told  him  his  child 
should  live.  He  gave  us  some  information  where  we  could  preach. 
On  the  same  day  we  called  upon  him  and  found  his  child  better, 
but  he  was  not  at  home.  We  then  went  and  heard  a  Calvinist 
preach,  and  he  gave  us  an  invitation  to  call  and  see  him.  Next 
day  we  again  went  over  the  city  to  see  if  we  could  find  any  of  the 
children  of  God.  We  found  one  man  and  his  household  who  re- 
ceived our  testimony,  and  he  opened  his  doors  for  us  to  preach. 
We  appointed  a  meeting  at  his  house  for  Sunday  evening.  His 
name  was  Corner,  and  he  lived  at  52  Ironmonger  Row,  St.  Luke's 
Parish,  near  the  church. 

"We  had  spent  twelve  days  in  going  to  and  fro  through  Lon- 
don, trying  to  find  a  people  willing  to  receive  our  testimony;  but 
finding  the  doors  shut  against  us,  we  determined  to  go  into  the 
streets  and  lift  up  our  voices  in  the  name  of  God.  Accordingly, 
Elders  Kimball,  Smith,  and  myself  started  on  Sunday  morning, 
August  30,  walked  three  miles,  and  stopped  in  Tabernacle  Square, 
Old  Street,  where  we  found  an  Aitkenite  preaching  to  the  people. 
He  was  followed  by  a  Presbyterian.  Just  as  the  latter  was  about 
to  begin,  Elder  Kimball  informed  him  that  there  was  a  preacher 
from  America  present  who  would  like  to  speak  when  he  got 
through.  The  preacher  then  informed  the  people  that  there  was 
an  American  minister  present,  and  proposed  that  he  should  speak 
first.  Elder  George  A.  Smith  got  into  the  chair  and  spoke  about 
twenty  minutes ;  then  the  Presbyterian  spoke.  George  A.  had 
informed  the  people  that  there  were  two  other  American  preach- 
ers present  who  would  like  to  address  them,  and,  when  the  Pres- 


124  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

byterian  closed,  Elder  Kimball  asked  him  if  there  would  be  any 
objection  to  our  preaching  there  at  3  o'clock.  He  answered,  'No, 
not  at  all.  To  what  denomination  do  you  belong?'  'To  the 
Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints,'  was  the  reply.  'Oh, 
I  have  heard  of  them,'  he  said ;  'they  are  a  bad  people ;  they  have, 
done  much  hurt;  they  divide  churches;  we  don't  want  to  hear 
you.'  He  then  mounted  the  chair  again  and  said  to  the  people: 
'I  have  just  heard  that  the  last  man  who  spoke  belongs  to  the 
Latter-day  Saints,'  and  he  began  to  rail  against  us.  Elder  Kim- 
ball  asked  him  to  let  him  step  into  the  chair  to  give  out  an  ap- 
pointment for  a  3  o'clock  meeting,  but  he  would  not.  Brother 
Kimball  then  raised  his  voice  and  informed  the  people  that  some 
American  preachers  would  speak  there  at  3  o'clock. 

"At  the  appointed  time  we  were  at  the  place.  The  conduct 
of  the  preacher  and  the  excitement  upon  the  subject  brought  a 
large  congregation  to  hear  us.  I  opened  the  meeting  by  singing 
and  prayer,  and  spoke  about  twenty  minutes,  from  Gal.  i :  8  and  9, 
and  was  followed  by  Elder  Kimball,  for  about  the  same  length  of 
time.  The  people  gave  good  attention  and  seemed  to  be  much 
interested  in  what  they  heard. 

"After  meeting,  Mr.  Corner  invited  us  home ;  but  soon  after 
we  arrived  at  his  house  Elder  Kimball  felt  impressed  to  return  to 
the  place  where  we  had  preached.  When  he  got  there  he  found 
a  large  company  talking  about  the  things  which  they  had  heard, 
and  they  wished  him  to  speak  to  them  again.  He  did  so,  and  ad- 
dressed them  at  considerable  length,  and  afterwards  several  in- 
vited him  home  to  their  houses.  While  he  was  away,  a  man  who 
had  been  a  preacher  came  to  Mr.  Corner's ;  I  gave  him  a  brief  ac- 
count of  the  great  work  of  God  in  the  last  days,  and  he  and  the 
others  who  were  listening  received  the  things  which  I  spoke  unto 
them.  Mr.  Corner  offered  himself  for  baptism;  he  was  the  first 
man  in  London  to  do  so.  We  appointed  the  next  evening  as  the 
time  to  administer  the  ordinance  of  baptism  to  him.  After  supping 
with  him,  we  returned  home.  I  was  weary  and  ill  during  the 
night,  but  felt  thankful  unto  the  Lord  for  the  privilege  of  preach- 
ing to  the  inhabitants  of  that  great  city,  and  of  having  gained  one 
soul  as  a  seal  to  our  ministry. 

"On  the  31st  of  August  we  reaped  the  first  fruits  of  our 


MISSION  TO  GREAT  BRITAIN,  1840.  125 

labors,  and  laid  the  first  living  stone  of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ 
in  England's  great  metropolis.  We  walked  into  the  city  and  called 
upon  Mr.  Corner,  who  went  forward  with  us  to  the  public  baths, 
and  received  the  initiatory  ordinance  of  the  gospel.  Returning  to 
the  house  of  Brother  Corner,  Elders  Kimball,  Smith,  and  myself 
laid  our  hands  upon  his  head  and  confirmed  him  a  member  of  the 
Church.  We  returned  to  our  homes  that  night,  thankful  to  God 
for  His  goodness  in  blessing  our  labors  even  thus  much. 

"On  the  2nd  of  September  I  was  quite  ill.  I  had  not  been 
well  for  several  days,  but  now  I  was  obliged  to  keep  in  my  room. 
Elders  Kimball  and  Smith  went  into  the  city  to  visit  the  people, 
and  found  some  who  hearkened  favorably  to  them.  By  this  time 
we  had  learned  that  London  was  the  hardest  place  for  a  mission 
that  we  had  ever  undertaken;  but  we  did  not  feel  discouraged 
in  the  least,  and  were  determined  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  to  set 
up  the  standard  of  Christ's  Kingdom  in  that  city.  The  following 
day  I  was  still  confined  to  my  room  most  of  the  time,  but  on  the 
next,  Elders  Kimball  and  Smith  went  to  Debtford,  and  I  took 
a  walk  into  the  city,  called  upon  Brother  Corner,  and  found  him 
in  good  spirits.  I  also  called  upon  Mr.  Panther,  17  Warf,  City 
Road,  Basin,  who  was  a  director  of  a  Methodist  chapel ;  I  asked 
him  for  the  chapel  to  preach  in.  He  said  he  had  a  schoolhouse 
which  would  hold  two  hundred  persons,  and  I  might  have  that  on 
Sunday,  so  I  gave  out  an  appointment  at  Bowl  Court,  137  Shore- 
ditch.  I  conversed  with  several  others  who  received  my  testimony, 
and  one  woman  said  she  would  be  baptized. 

"Next  day  I  wrote  to  Elder  Browett  of  my  Herefordshire 
field  of  labor,  walked  to  Brother  Corner's  and  visited  several  other 
friends.  Two  offered  themselves  for  baptism.  I  visited  St.  Paul's, 
then  returned  home.  Elders  Kimball  and  Smith  had  just  returned 
from  a  visit  to  the  Rev.  Robert  Aitken.  He  received  them  kindly, 
acknowledged  their  doctrine  to  be  true,  but  was  afraid  of  decep- 
tion. His  mind  was  in  a  disturbed  condition.  In  the  evening  we 
held  a  meeting  in  the  Temperance  Hall;  but  we  had  almost  the 
bare  walls  to  preach  to,  there  being  only  about  thirty  present.  I 
preached  to  those  for  about  an  hour,  and  Elder  Kimball  followed 
me.  After  paying  seven  shillings  and  sixpence  for  the  use  of  the 
hall,  we  returned  to  our  lodgings. 


126  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

"On  September  9th  I  paid  my  bills,  called  upon  friends  in 
company  with  Brothers  Kimball  and  Smith,  and  on  the  day  follow- 
ing I  parted  from  the  brethren  and  friends  in  London  to  return 
to  Herefordshire.  We  had  spent  twenty-three  days  in  the  great 
Babylon  of  modern  times,  and  had  found  it  harder  to  establish 
the  Church  there  than  in  any  other  place  we  had  ever  been.  We 
had  baptized  one  man,  and  ordained  him  a  priest ;  six  others  had 
given  in  their  names  to  be  baptized  on  the  following  Sunday ;  and 
at  this  time  there  was  some  little  prospect  of  the  Rev.  Robert 
Aitken  receiving  the  work.  I  therefore  left  London,  feeling  that 
our  mission  and  labors  had  not  been  altogether  in  vain. 

"I  was  rejoiced  on  my  return  to  the  churches  to  find  tha*t  in 
Herefordshire  the  work  was  rapidly  progressing.  In  some  cases 
it  was  even  reaching  the  nobility,  and  a  lady  of  title  had  become 
convinced,  through  our  ministry,  of  the  work  of  God.  Lady  Rob- 
erts was  of  the  nobility  of  England,  and  a  lady  of  wealth ;  she  had 
withdrawn  from  the  Church  of  England  and  had  traveled  much 
in  search  of  truth,  looking  for  the  fulfillment  of  the  prophets.  She 
became  acquainted  with  the  fulness  of  the  gospel  through  a  fe- 
male servant  in  the  employ  of  Squire  Dowdswell,  and  began  to 
investigate  the  subject.  The  spirit  of  God  rested  upon  her  and 
convinced  her  of  the  truth  of  the  work.  She  obtained  the  four 
published  numbers  of  the  Millennial  Star,  and,  fearing  that  she 
would  not  be  able  to  obtain  them  for  herself,  copied  the  whole  of 
them  with  her  pen.  She  also  read  the  Book  of  Mormon  and  copied 
a  part  of  that,  and  became  perfectly  convinced  of  the  truth  of  the 
work  of  which  she  read ;  she  said  she  would  go  a  thousand  miles 
if  necessary  to  see  some  of  the  Twelve  and  be  baptized  under  their 
hands.  Hearing  that  I  was  in  London,  she  was  about  to  take  a 
journey  there  to  see  me  and  the  other  brethren,  and  be  baptized. 
She  had  two  brothers  who  were  ministers  of  the  Church  of  Eng- 
land. 

"On  the  21st  of  September,  1840,  we  held  the  Frome's  Hill 
conference,  at  which  were  represented  24  churches  with  754  mem- 
bers, 14  elders,  51  priests,  9  teachers,  and  1  deacon.  The  Bran 
Green  and  Frome's  Hill  conferences  were  now  composed  of  40 
churches,  1007  members,  19  elders,  78  priests,  15  teachers,  and 
1  deacon.  These  two  conferences,  with  their  forty  branch  churches 


MISSION  TO  GREAT  BRITAIN,  1840.  127 

and  over  a  thousand  organized  members,  under  the  direction  of 
one  hundred  and  thirteen  ordained  officers,  had  been  raised  up 
within  six  and  one-half  months.  Surely  the  work  of  God  had 
been  marvelous — unparalleled  perhaps  in  the  history  of  any  new 
religious  movement. 

"I  meditated  upon  these  things,  and  in  my  journal  of  Septem- 
ber 21st,  1840,  I  wrote  thus :  'This  has  been  a  busy  day  with  me. 
After  standing  upon  my  feet  from  morning  till  evening,  I  am 
called  to  shake  hands  with  hundreds  of  Saints  who  have  glad 
hearts  and  cheerful  countenances.  It  is  with  no  ordinary  feelings 
that  I  meditate  upon  the  cheering  fact  that  a  thousand  souls  have 
been  baptized  into  the  new  and  everlasting  covenant  in  about  half 
a  year,  in  one  field  which  God  has  enabled  me  to  open.  I  pray 
Him  to  accept  the  gratitude  of  my  heart  for  His  mercies  and  bless- 
ings unto  me  in  this  thing,  and  to  enable  me  to  stand  with  these 
Saints  and  all  the  righteous  in  His  celestial  kingdom.'  This  day 
I  stood  upon  my  feet  eight  hours  in  conference,  conversed  much  of 
the  time  in  suggesting,  speaking,  etc. ;  ordained  about  thirty,  con- 
firmed some,  healed  many  who  were  sick,  shook  hands  with  about 
four  hundred  Saints,  walked  two  miles,  and  ended  with  about  four 
hours  chimney-corner  preaching.  I  then  lay  down  to  rest,  and 
dreamed  of  catching  fish. 

"The  church  ministers  in  this  region  were  stirred  up  very 
much  at  this  time,  because  of  the  success  of  the  work  of  God  in 
the  midst  of  the  people,  and  every  exertion  was  made  by  them 
to  stay  its  progress.  They  were  finding  that  the  Lord  was  deliv- 
ering their  flocks  out  of  their  hands  and  giving  them  unto  the 
shepherds  of  the  Church  of  the  Saints.  They  were  alarmed,  and 
were  holding  conventions  and  meetings  to  contrive  plans  and  adopt 
means  to  overthrow  the  latter-day  work  of  God,  which  they  un- 
derstood not,  and  believed  not,  yet  feared  its  power.  And  well 
indeed  they  might ;  for  in  some  instances  they  did  not  have  more 
than  ten  or  fifteen  at  their  churches  on  the  Sabbath,  while  around 
them  on  every  hand  they  had  seen  forty  branches  of  two  organ- 
ized conferences  of  the  Church  of  Latter-day  Saints  spring  up  in 
about  six  months,  with  over  a  thousand  members  and  between 
one  and  two  hundred  officers  ordained  to  scatter  the  seed  of  the 
gospel  everywhere  in  this  prolific  field. 


128  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

"On  the  25th  of  September  I  again  took  leave  of  the  Saints 
in  my  Herefordshire  field  of  labor,  to  attend  the  Staffordshire  con- 
ference which  was  held  at  Hanley.  The  day  after  the  conference 
I  baptized  one,  and  preached  at  Tunstell ;  and  on  the  next  evening 
I  preached  at  Burslem  to  a  crowded  house.  The  power  of  God 
rested  upon  me,  and  great  solemnity  pervaded  the  congregation. 
The  spirit  of  God  was  moving  the  people,  and  they  felt  that  the 
Lord  was  doing  a  work  in  their  midst. 


CHAPTER  13. 

BRITISH  MISSION,  1840-'41. 

Rapid  Increase  of  the  Church  in  Great  Britain. — Mysterious  Spirit  Per- 
sonage Attempts  to  Strangle  Wilford  Woodruff,  and  Wounds  Him 
Severely. — He  Is  Relieved  and  Healed  by  Three  Heavenly  Visit- 
ors.— First  Placard  of  the  Church  Posted  in  London. — Death  of 
Wilford's  Daughter. — Difficult  Missionary  Work  in  and  around 
London. — Arrival  of  Lorenzo  Snow  To  Take  Charge  of  the  British 
Mission. — All  of  the  Twelve  Called  Home. — Attending  Various  Con- 
ferences.— Springing  of  the  Spaulding  Story. — Wilford  Bids  Fare- 
well to  the  Saints  in  Fields  Where  He  Had  Labored. — General  Con- 
ference of  the  British  Mission,  and  Only  Occasion  of  the  Twelve 
Apostles  Acting  as  a  Quorum  in  a  Foreign  Land. — Wilford's  De- 
parture for  Home,  and  Arrival  at  Nauvoo. — Made  a  Member  of  the 
*Nauvoo  City  Council. 

A  general  conference  of  the  British  Mission  was  held  at 
Manchester,  England,  on  the  6th  of  October,  1840,  at  which 
there  were  present  six  of  the  Twelve  Apostles — Brigham  Young, 
Heber  C.  Kimball,  Willard  Richards,  Orson  Pratt,  George  A. 
Smith,  and  Wilford  Woodruff.  Tht  presiding  officers  in  the 
mission  represented  twenty-seven  conferences,  besides  other 
churches  or  branches  not  yet  included  in  organized  conferences. 
The  Church  membership  in  Great  Britain  was  given  as  3,621, 
being  an  increase  of  1,113  members  since  the  conference  held  the 
April  previous.  On  the  evening  of  October  7th,  the  first  dis- 
cussion of  any  note  of  Mormonism,  held  in  Great  Britain,  took 
place  at  Manchester,  between  Elder  Alfred  Cordon  and  a  min- 
ister of  one  of  the  denominations  whom  Elder  Woodruff  does 
not  name.  It  was  attended  by  the  members  of  the  Twelve  then 
in  England.  The  subject  under  discussion  was  the  Book  of 
Mormon ;  and  although  the  view  of  the  Latter-day  Saints  was 
upheld  therein  by  an  elder  of  less  prominence  than  one  of  the 
Apostles,  the  result  evidently  was  very  satisfactory  to  the  Saints, 
and  their  cause  received  further  favorable  impression  in  the 
minds  of  a  great  majority  of  the  fifteen  hundred  persons  present 
on  the  occasion. 

"I  left  Manchester  on  the  14th  of  October,"  writes  Wilford 

10 


130  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

Woodruff,  "to  return  to  my  labors  in  London;  anci  on  my  way, 
with  Elder  Alfred  Cordon,  I  visited  the  Staffordshire  Potteries 
and  Birmingham.  On  the  17th  I  arrived  in  London,  where  I 
found  Elder  George  A.  Smith,  and  we  were  glad  to  meet  each 
other  again.  We  hired  lodgings,  board,  and  sitting-room  at  No. 
40  Ironmonger  Row,  St.  Luke's.  Everything  was  costly,  and  we 
found  that  with  the  greatest  economy  we  could  not  do  with  much 
less  than  a  pound  per  week  each.  What  few  Saints  there  were  in 
London  were  very  poor,  and  unable  to  assist  us.  Most  of  the 
means  used  in  my  labors  in  London  was  supplied  by  my  converts 
in  Herefordshire. 

"The  prospect  in  London  at  that  time  was  the  darkest  it  had 
ever  been  in  since  entering  the  vineyard;  but  the  Lord  was  with 
us,  and  we  were  not  discouraged.  On  Sunday  we  met  with  the 
Saints  three  times  at  Brother  Corner's,  read  the  Book  of  Mormon, 
gave  instruction,  and  broke  bread  unto  them.  We  had  a  good 
time,  though  there  were  only  about  half  a  dozen  present.  I  felt 
the  spirit  bear  testimony  that  there  would  be  a  work  done  in 
London. 

"Having  retired  to  rest  in  good  season,  I  fell  asleep  and 
slept  until  midnight,  when  I  awoke  and  meditated  upon  the 
things  of  God  until  3  o'clock  in  the  morning;  and,  while  forming 
a  determination  to  warn  the  people  in  London  and  by  the  as- 
sistance and  inspiration  of  God  to  overcome  the  power  of  dark- 
ness, a  person  appeared  to  me,  whom  I  consider  was  the  prince  of 
darkness.  He  made  war  upon  me,  and  attempted  to  take  my  life. 
As  he  was  about  to  overcome  me  I  prayed  to  the  Father, 
in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ,  for  help.  I  then  had  power  over 
him  and  he  left  me,  though  I  was  much  wounded.  Afterwards 
three  persons  dressed  in  white  came  to  me  and  prayed  with  me, 
and  I  was  healed  immediately  of  all  my  wounds,  and  delivered  of 
all  my  troubles. 

"During  the  following  week  we  visited  the  British  Museum 
and  other  notable  places,  also  attended  a  Wesleyan  mission 
meeting  over  which  the  Lord  Mayor  of  London  presided.  While 
in  the  performance  of  our  missionary  labors  we  circulated  and 
posted  handbills.  The  following  is  a  copy  of  the  first  placard  of 
the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints  posted  in  Eng- 
land's great  metropolis :  '  "He  that  judgeth  a  matter  before  he 


BRITISH  MISSION,  i840-'4i.  isi 

heareth  it  is  not  wise."  The  Latter-day  Saints  meet  for  public 
worship  at  Mr.  J.  Barrett's  Academy,  57  King's  Square,  Gos- 
well  Road  (entrance  door  in  President  Street)  every  Sabbath 
at  3,  and  half-past  6  o'clock  p.  m. ;  also  on  Tuesday  and  Thursday 
evenings  each  week,  at  8  o'clock.  Lectures  will  be  delivered  by 
Elders  Woodruff  and  Smith  (late  from  America),  who  respect- 
fully invite  the  citizens  of  London  to  attend.  The  first  prin- 
ciples of  the  Everlasting  Gospel  in  its  fulness;  the  gathering  of 
Israel;  the  second  coming  of  the  Savior;  and  "the  restitution 
of  all  things"  spoken  of  by  all  the  holy  prophets,  will  be  among 
the  subjects  discussed.  The  Latter-day  Saints'  Millennial  Star, 
published  monthly,  and  other  publications,  can  be  had  at  52 
Ironmonger  Row,  St.  Luke's.  (City  Press,  Long  Lane,  Doudney 
&  Scryngour.)' 

"The  following  Sunday,  at  3  o'clock,  we  preached  for  the 
first  time  in  Barrett's  Academy.  There  were  present  about  fify 
persons  to  whom  I  preached,  and  to  whom  Elder  Smith  preached 
in  the  evening;  but  it  was  the  most  difficult  task  I  had  ever 
found  to  awaken  in  the  people  an  interest  on  the  subject.  There 
was  so  much  going  on  in  this  great  modern  Babylon  to  draw 
the  attention  of  the  people,  that  it  seemed  to  require  almost  the 
trumpet  blast  from  heaven  to  awaken  the  attention  of  the  inhabi- 
tants to  our  proclamation  of  the  restortaion  of  the  fulness  of  the 
gospel.  We  were  there  like  the  apostles  of  old,  witliout  purse 
or  scrip,  to  warn  the  city  of  London,  where  we  had  to  pay  high 
prices  for  everything  we  required,  and  to  pay  for  a  place  to 
preach  in ;  we  were  at  this  time  about  out  of  money,  but  still  we 
felt  to  trust  in  God.  Next  day  after  this  meeting,  I  received  a 
package  of  letters  from  America,  one  from  my  wife  announcing 
the  death  of  my  little  daughter  Sarah  Emma. 

"November  1st  I  preached  at  the  Academy  in  the  after- 
noon to  about  thirty,  and  in  the  evening  to  about  fifty.  We 
broke  bread  unto  the  Saints,  and  this  evening  there  seemed  to 
be  some  interest  manifested  by  inquiry  about  the  work.  We 
preached  again  on  the  following  Sunday.  During  the  week  we 
received  counsel  from  our  brethren  of  the  Twelve  for  George 
A.  Smith  to  go  immediately  to  the  Potteries,  and  spend  his  time 
with  the  churches  there.  After  his  departure  I  felt  very  lonely 
for  several  days,  but  Elder  William  Pitt  came  from  Dymock 


132  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

and  labored  with  me  a  short  time,  after  which  he  took  a  mission 
to  Ipswich. 

"Brother  Hulme,  a  captain  of  one  of  the  Tickford's  Boats' 
on  the  London  Canal,  was  present  at  my  next  preaching  after  the 
departure  of  Elder  Pitt,  and  with  him  were  two  of  his  hands 
whom  he  had  baptized.  On  the  following  day  I  dined  with 
him  and  with  the  two  brethren  on  board  their  boat. 

"On  the  afternoon  and  evening  of  Sunday,  the  22nd  of  Oc- 
tober, I  held  a  public  meeting  at  the  Academy,  when  four  offered 
themselves  for  baptism;  and  on  the  following  Sunday  I  again 
preached  twice,  and  baptized  three  more  applicants.  These  were 
the  first  fruits  of  my  labors  in  London.  Next  day  I  took  a  very 
interesting  walk  with  Dr.  Wm.  Copeland,  through  every  part  of 
the  College  of  Surgeons  at  Lincoln's  Inn  Fields,  and  on  my  re- 
turn home  was  joined  by  Elders  Brigham  Young  and  Heber  C. 
Kimball,  who  had  come  to  spend  a  week  or  two  in  London.  This 
was  the  first  time  President  Brigham  Young  was  in  the  metropolis 
of  England.  We  met  for  service  on  Wednesday  evening,  at  the 
Academy,  when  Brother  Brigham  preached,  followed  by  Brother 
Heber.  We  had  a  good  time. 

"In  company  with  Presidents  Young  and  Kimball,  on  the  3rd 
of  December,  I  visited  the  Tower  of  London,  without  seeing 
which,  the  traveler  would  lose  a  capital  page  in  the  history  of  his 
travels  in  Europe.  During  the  week  we  also  visited  St.  Paul's, 
Buckingham  Palace,  Westminster  Abbey,  the  Queen's  stables,  and 
many  other  noted  sights  of  London. 

"Sunday  we  held  a  public  meeting  at  the  Academy,  at  which 
there  were  about  fifty  present.  Brother  Kimball  preached.  An 
Independent  minister  invited  me  home  to  take  tea  with  him.  I 
accepted  his  invitation,  had  an  interesting  time,  and  preached  the 
gospel  to  him.  He  received  my  testimony  and  offered  me  his 
chapel,  which  held  eight  hundred  people.  He  said  he  thought  he 
would  be  baptized,  and  would  try  and  get  his  society  to  do  the 
same.  We  met  again  in  the  evening,  and  had  more  at  our  meet- 
ing than  ever  before.  Brother  Brigham  Young  preached,  and 
was  followed  by  Brothers  Kimball,  Williams,  Corner,  Hulme, 
and  myself.  We  had  a  very  interesting  time,  and  one  person 
offered  himself  for  baptism.  There  were  present  some  of  the 
Aitkenites,  one  of  whom  purchased  a  hymn  book.  '  They  wished 


BRITISH  MISSION,   1840-'41.  133 

us  to  call  upon  them,  and  thought  they  would  be  baptized.  We 
then  met  at  Father  Corner's,  and  communed  with  the  Saints  and 
had  a  good  time.  I  rejoiced  at  the  prospect  which  was  opening 
before  us,  for  we  had  labored  a  long  time  and  the  work  had  gone 
slow ;  but  now  a  wide  opening  was  being  made  to  roll  on  the  work 
of  the  Lord  in  the  metropolis  of  England. 

"Having  spent  about  ten  days  in  London,  President  Young 
left  for  Cheltenham.  On  the  same  day  I  visited  Mr.  James  Albion, 
a  minister  of  the  Independent  order,  who,  with  his  household,  be- 
lieved our  doctrine,  and  on  the  Sunday  we  found  more  than  ever 
an  interest  being  awakened  in  London;  our  prayer  meeting  the 
next  evening  was  attended  by  the  Reverend  James  Albion,  who 
received  our  testimony.  We  walked  home  with  him,  and  found 
his  household  growing  in  the  faith  and  ready  for  the  work  of  the 
Lord. 

"Two  days  after,  in  the  evening,  we  baptized  four  persons— 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Morgan,  with  whom  we  lodged,  Christopher  Smith, 
their  apprentice,  and  Henry  Corner,  Jun.  Dr.  Copeland  spent  the 
afternoon  of  the  following  day  with  us ;  he  received  our  testimony, 
and  in  the  evening  we  preached  at  our  meeting  place. 

"I  visited  Rev.  James  Albion  several  times,  and  gave  him  an 
account  of  the  rise  and  progress  of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ 
of  Latter-day  Saints.  He  believed  in  our  mission  and  offered  me 
his  chapel,  which  would  seat  about  a  thousand  persons.  On  Sun- 
day morning  we  accompanied  our  reverend  friend  and  convert  to 
his  chapel,  and  were  introduced  to  the  committee,  one  of  whom 
was  a  preacher  who  had  traveled  much  in  Russia  and  other  parts 
of  the  world.  At  the  close  of  the  meeting  the  Rev.  James  Albion 
gave  out  an  appointment  for  us  to  preach  on  the  next  Sabbath  eve- 
ning. In  the  afternoon  we  met  with  the  Saints,  had  a  full  house, 
and  confirmed  four  new  members;  in  the  evening  we  preached 
again,  and  a  good  feeling  prevailed.  After  meeting,  the  Rev. 
James  Albion  called  upon  us  at  our  room  and  told  us  that  he  had 
given  out  our  appointment  to  preach  in  his  chapel ;  he  also  had  in- 
formed his  congregation  that  he  was  a  Latter-day  Saint,  and 
would  be  baptized  and  join  our  Church,  and  that  they  need  not 
longer  consider  him  a  member  of  their  body  unless  they  joined 
the  Saints  with  him.  He  told  us  this  made  a  division  among  the 


134  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

committee ;  some  were  for  going  with  him,  and  some  were  against 
following  their  pastor  into  the  true  fold,  which  he  had  found. 

"On  the  following  Sunday  evening  we  preached,  by  the  ap- 
pointment of  its  minister,  in  the  Independent  chapel,  to  the  largest 
congregation  we  had  ever  before  addressed  in  London.  There 
were  present  priests  and  people  of  many  denominations.  I  ad- 
dressed them  for  the  space  of  about  one  hour.  A  Wesleyan  min- 
ister arose  and  opposed  me ;  this  had  a  good  effect,  for  the  congre- 
gation, seeing  the  spirit  he  was  of,  turned  against  him,  and  the 
committee  refused  him  permission  to  speak  there  again.  I  was 
much  bound  by  the  opposing  spirit ;  still  the  conduct  of  the  enemy 
gave  us  friends.  The  next  evening  we  attended  what  was  said  to 
be  the  largest  temperance  meeting  ever  held  in  London ;  and  the 
next  two  days  brought  us  to  the  close  of  the  year. 

"I  give  here  a  synopsis  of  my  travels  and  labors  in  1840: 
places  visited  or  labored  in — Liverpool,  Preston,  Manchester, 
Newcastle,  Tunstall,  Burslem,  Hanley,  Stoke,  Longton,  Stafford, 
Wolverhampton,  Birmingham,  Worcester,  Hereford,  Ledbury, 
Malvern  Hill,  Gloucester,  Cheltenham,  Oxford,  London.  I  trav- 
eled 4,469  miles,  held  230  meetings,  established  53  places  for 
preaching,  and  planted  47  churches  and  jointly  organized  them. 
These  churches  chiefly  comprised  the  two  conferences  raised  up  in 
Herefordshire,  consisting  of  about  1,500  Saints,  28  elders,  110 
priests,  24  teachers,  and  10  deacons.  The  baptisms  of  the  year 
were  336  persons  under  my  own  hands,  and  I  assisted  at  the  bap- 
tism of  86  others.  I  baptized  57  preachers,  mostly  those  connected 
with  the  United  Brethren,  also  two  clerks  of  the  Church  of  Eng- 
land. I  confirmed  420  members,  and  assisted  in  confirming  50 
others ;  ordained  18  elders,  97  priests,  34  teachers,  and  one  deacon  ; 
blessed  120  children,  and  administered  to  120  sick,  by  prayer, 
anointing  and  the  laying  on  of  hands,  and  in  many  instances  the 
sick  were  healed,  and  devils  cast  out.  I  assisted  in  procuring  £1,000 
for  the  publication  of  3,000  copies  of  the  Hymn  Book,  5,000  copies 
of  the  Book  of  Mormon,  for  the  printing  of  the  Millennial  Star, 
and  to  assist  200  Saints  to  emigrate  to  Nauvoo.  I  wrote  200  let- 
ters, and  received  112. 

"The  new  year,  1841,"  continues  Wilford  Woodruff,  "found 
Elder  Kimball  and  myself  in  the  metropolis  of  England,  in  the  en- 


BRITISH  MISSION,  1840-'41.  135 

joyment  of  good  health.  We  celebrated  New  Year's  day  by  bap- 
tizing two  persons  into  the  fold  of  Christ.  The  Church  in  Lon- 
don now  numbered  21  members.  The  next  Sunday  we  held  a  meet- 
ing in  the  Academy,  confirmed  two,  and  partook  of  the  Sacrament. 
During  the  week  I  baptized  the  daughter  of  the  Rev.  James  Al- 
bion; the  day  after  this,  Elder  Kimball  started  for  Woolwich  to 
break  new  ground.  On  Sunday  he  preached  there  for  the  first 
time,  when  four  persons  offered  themselves  for  baptism.  Next  day 
they  came  to  London,  and  we  immediately  repaired  to  our  private 
bath  in  Tabernacle  Square,  where  Elder  Kimball  baptized  five  per- 
sons, one  of  whom  was  Dr.  Wm.  Copeland.  This  was  indeed  an 
interesting  occasion,  and  we  felt  thankful  to  God  to  see  the  cloud 
beginning  to  break;  for  we  had  struggled  hard  to  do  the  little 
which  had  been  done. 

"On  the  15th  of  the  month  we  baptized  three  more  of  Brother 
Morgan's  household,  and  on  the  following  Sunday  I  preached  to  a 
full  house  and  to  many  new  hearers.  Several  offered  themselves 
for  baptism;  during  the  week  there  had  been  seven  souls  added 
to  the  Church. 

"Next  day  Elder  Kimball  received  a  letter  from  President 
Young,  who  wished  us  to  be  ready  early  in  April  to  set  sail  for 
home.  Several  days  later,  I  baptized  the  Rev.  James  Albion  and 
Mr.  Render,  and  before  the  close  of  January  I  baptized  three  oth- 
ers into  the  Church.  I  visited  Greenwich  and  Woodwich,  where 
Elder  Kimball  had  raised  up  a  small  branch  of  the  Church,  then 
I  returned  to  London  with  Elder  Kimball.  On  Sunday  we  com- 
muned with  the  Saints,  and  in  the  evening  we  both  preached  to  a 
large  congregation. 

"On  the  8th  of  February,  having  a  package  of  twenty  Books 
of  Mormon  and  two  dozen  Hymn  Books,  Heber  C.  Kimball  and  I 
went  to  Stationer's  Hall  and  secured  the  copyright  of  the  Book  of 
Mormon  in  the  name  of  Joseph  Smith,  Jun.  We  left  five  copies 
of  the  book,  and  paid  three  shillings  for  the  copyright.  In  the 
evening  we  baptized  four  persons,  one  of  whom  was  the  wife  of 
the  Rev.  James  Albion,  who  already  had  received  the  gospel. 

"Elder  Brigham  Young,  per  letter,  informed  us  of  the  large 
emigration  of  that  season.  There  were  to  go  on  one  ship  235,  and 
on  another  100.  To  the  reader  acquainted  with  the  immense  emi- 


136  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

grations  of  the  Saints  in  later  years,  the  fact  that  we  considered 
three  or  four  hundred  as  a  large  emigration  will  be  noteworthy. 

"Elder  Lorenzo  Snow  arrived  in  London  on  February  11,  to 
take  charge  of  the  Church  after  our  departure.  I  was  truly  glad 
once  more  to  greet  him,  for  I  had  not  seen  him  since  1837.  On 
the  same  day  Elder  William  Pitt  also  arrived  at  our  lodgings,  and 
we  had  an  interesting  meeting  in  the  evening.  Brother  Snow 
preached,  and  Elder  Kimball  and  myself  followed  him ;  the  next 
day  Brothers  Heber  and  Lorenzo  went  to  Woolwich  to  give  im- 
petus to  the  work  of  God  in  that  important  town. 

"I  give  here  the  minutes  of  the  first  London  conference,  held 
at  the  Academy,  57  King's  Square,  Goswell  Road,  February  14, 
1841 :  There  were  present  of  officers  of  the  Church,  Elders  H.  C. 
Kimball,  Wilford  Woodruff,  Lorenzo  Snow,  and  Wm.  Pitt,  be- 
sides four  priests.  The  meeting  was  called  to  order  by  Elder  H. 
C.  Kimball,  at  2  o'clock  p.  m.,  Sunday,  the  14th  of  February, 
1841,  when  it  was  moved  by  Elder  Kimball  and  seconded  by  Elder 
Pitt  that  Wilford  Woodruff  be  the  president  of  the  conference. 
Moved  by  Elder  Kimball  and  seconded  by  Elder  Woodruff,  that 
Dr.  Wm.  Copeland  be  the  clerk.  Carried  unanimously.  The 
meeting  was  then  opened  by  singing,  and  prayer  by  Elder  Kim- 
ball. The  president  then  called  for  the  representation  of  the 
branches  of  the  London  conference.  The  church  at  Bedford  was 
represented  by  Priest  Robert  Williams,  containing  42  members 
and  one  priest;  seven  removed,  and  two  dead.  The  church  at 
Ipswich,  represented  by  Elder  Wm.  Pitt,  consisted  of  12  mem- 
bers, one  elder,  one  priest,  and  one  teacher.  The  church  at  Wool- 
wich, represented  by  Priest  John  Griffith,  consisted  of  six  mem- 
bers and  one  priest.  The  church  at  London,  represented  by  H.  C. 
Kimball,  consisted  of  46  members,  one  elder  and  two  priests ;  ex- 
cellent prospect  of  continued  increase.  Moved  and  seconded  by 
Elders  Kimball  and  Woodruff,  that  James  Albion  be  ordained  an 
Elder ;  moved  and  seconded  by  Elders  Kimball  and  Snow,  that 
Thomas  Barnes  be  ordained  a  teacher;  moved  and  seconded  by 
Elders  Kimball  and  Pitt,  that  Robert  Williams  be  ordained  an 
elder  to  oversee  the  church  at  Bedford ;  moved  and  seconded  by 
Elders  Robert  Williams  and  Wm.  Pitt  that  Wm.  Smith,  at  Bed- 
ford, be  ordained  a  priest;  moved  and  seconded  by  Elders  Kim- 


BRITISH  MISSION,  1840-'41.  137 

ball  and  Pitt  that  Richard  Bates  be  ordained  a  priest  in  the  Wool- 
wich branch ;  moved  and  seconded  by  Elders  Robert  Williams  and 
Pitt  that  John  Sheffield  be  ordained  a  teacher  at  Bedford ;  moved 
and  seconded  by  Elder  Kimball  and  Brother  Griffith  that  Brother 
A.  Painter  be  ordained  a  teacher  at  Woolwich.  These  motions 
were  carried  unanimously,  and  those  present  were  ordained  under 
the  hands  of  Elders  Kimball,  Woodruff,  and  Snow.  Afterward, 
Elder  Kimball  moved,  and  Elder  Woodruff  seconded,  that  Elder 
Lorenzo  Snow  be  appointed  president  of  this  conference,  and  to 
take  the  superintendency  of  the  Church  in  London.  Much  valu- 
able instruction  was  given  by  Elders  Kimball  and  Woodruff  in 
relation  to  the  duties  of  official  members,  after  which  it  was  moved 
by  Elder  Kimball  and  seconded  by  Elder  Snow  that  this  confer- 
ence be  adjourned  till  Sunday,  the  16th  day  of  May,  1841 ;  after 
which  the  conference  closed.  Wilford  Woodruff,  president;  Dr. 
Wm.  Copeland,  clerk.' 

"During  this  conference  meeting,  we  also  broke  bread  with  the 
Saints,  and  confirmed  four  new  members.  At  half  past  six  in 
the  evening  we  met  again,  and  had  the  largest  congregation  which 
had  assembled  at  our  preaching  place.  One  person  came  forward 
for  baptism.  This  was  a  day  which  we  had  desired  long  to  see ; 
for  we  had  labored  exceedingly  hard  to  establish  a  church  in 
London,  and  at  times  it  seemed  as  though  we  would  have  to  give 
it  up;  but  by  holding  on  to  the  work  of  our  Divine  Master  and 
claiming  the  promises  of  God  we  were  now  to  leave  an  established 
London  conference  with  a  prosperous  church  planted  in  the  me- 
tropolis, under  the  care  of  our  beloved  brother,  Lorenzo  Snow. 

"Brother  Kimball,  on  the  15th,  received  a  letter  from  his  wife, 
informing  us  that  the  Prophet  Joseph  had  written  for  the  Twelve 
to  come  home  immediately.  At  this  time  there  was  a  prospect  of 
war  between  America  and  England,  over  the  imprisonment  of  Mc- 
Cloud,  a  British  officer,  by  the  state  of  New  York,  and  also  over 
the  northeastern  boundary  question.  In  consequence  of  this  pros- 
pect, the  Prophet  Joseph  wrote  for  the  Twelve  to  come  home, 
after  first  thoroughly  organizing  the  British  mission  and  calling 
out  a  number  of  native  elders  to  send  in  every  direction  through- 
out Great  Britain. 

"I  spent  the  25th  of  February  in  visiting  the  Saints  previous 


138  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

to  my  departure,  and  in  the  evening  preached  in  London  for  the 
last  time  before  my  return  to  Nauvoo.  Next  day  I  parted  from 
Lorenzo  Snow  and  the  London  Saints,  and  took  train  for  Bristol, 
to  visit  the  branch  which  had  been  raised  up  there  by  my  convert, 
Elder  Thomas  Kington,  who,  it  will  be  remembered,  was  the  su- 
perintendent of  the  Frome's  Hill  circuit  of  United  Brethren.  Leav- 
ing Bristol,  I  visited  the  churches  which  I  had  raised  up,  holding 
conferences  and  bidding  farewell  to  the  Saints,  hundreds  of  whom 
I  myself  had  baptized. 

"When  I  arrived  at  Monmouth  I  found  that  Elder  James 
Morgan  awaited  my  coming,  and  had  given  out  an  appointment 
for  me  to  preach  in  the  town  at  7  o'clock,  at  the  house  of  Robert 
Davis.  There  was  a  crowded  meeting,  and  many  were  unable  to 
get  into  the  house.  Four  offered  themselves  for  baptism.  The 
spirit  witnessed  to  me  that  there  would  be  many  embrace  the 
gospel  in  Monmouthshire,  and  I  said,  'the  harvest  is  great  and  the 
laborers  few/  I  arose  in  the  morning,  refreshed  by  sleep,  and 
having  taken  breakfast  with  Mr.  Matton,  I  walked  ten  miles 
through  mud  and  water,  in  a  driving  March  rainstorm,  to  Sis- 
ter Mary  Morgan's,  at  Little  Garway,  where  I  found  a  pleasant 
family  of  the  Saints.  We  were  drenched  with  rain,  but  found  a 
good  fire,  spent  the  day  comfortably,  and  in  the  evening  I  had  an 
interesting  interview  with  Elder  Littlewood ;  the  next  day  I  re- 
mained at  Sister  Morgan's,  reading  with  much  interest  the  history 
of  Rome,  and  in  the  evening  I  met  the  officers  of  the  Church  there 
in  council,  and  had  a  good  time.  Sunday  morning  I  preached  at 
the  house  of  Brother  Thomas  Rood,  and  in  the  eveaing  at  the 
Kitchen,  upon  the  Book  of  Mormon,  and  had  the  place  full. 

"On  March  8,  1841,  I  met  with  the  Garway  conference,  at  the 
Kitchen.  Elder  Levi  Richards  was  chosen  president,  and  Elder 
James  Morgan,  clerk.  There  were  present  one  of  the  quorum  of 
the  Twelve,  one  high  priest,  seven  elders,  eleven  priests,  two 
teachers,  and  one  deacon.  The  meeting  opened  with  prayer  by 
Elder  Woodruff,  after  which  the  churches  were  represented  as  fol- 
lows :  members  134,  elders  4,  priests  5,  teachers  3,  deacons  1. 
After  the  representation,  it  was  moved  that  John  Needham  be  or- 
dained an  elder,  William  Morris,  priest,  and  Thomas  Rough, 
teacher.  These  were  ordained  under  the  hands  of  Elders  Wood- 


BRITISH  MISSION,  1840-'41.  139 

ruff  and  Richards.  The  meeting  adjourned  till  3  o'clock,  and  one 
person  was  baptized.  In  the  afternoon,  Elder  Levi  Richards  spoke 
and  I  followed  him.  After  meeting,  the  Saints  contributed  one 
pound  sterling  to  help  me,  and  I  sold  them  three  Books  of  Mor- 
mon and  fifty  addresses  to  the  citizens  of  London.  I  then 
walked  five  miles  with  Brother  Richards,  to  Brother  Holley's,  and 
spent  the  night.  This  was  the  first  time  I  had  seen  Brother  Levi 
for  about  two  years. 

"Next  day,  in  company  of  Elders  Levi  Richards  and  Thomas 
Pitt,  I  walked  to  the  city  of  Hereford,  where  Elder  Ray  and  others 
had  been  preaching.  On  Sunday  a  preacher  arose  before  two  or 
three  thousand  people  in  the  market  house  and  informed  the  mul- 
titude that  he  had  a  fresh  letter  direct  from  America,  showing  the 
origin  of  the  Book  of  Mormon.  So  he  read  the  old  Spaulding 
story.  When  he  got  through,  Elder  Levi  Richards  arose  and  in- 
formed the  people  that  instead  of  its  being  a  new  story  it  had 
been  published  for  seven  years  throughout  the  United  States  and 
England.  This  caused  a  great  uproar,  for  while  some  were  for 
driving  the  man  out  of  the  place  for  lying,  others  were  crowding 
around  Elders  Richards  and  Ray  to  hear  them  preach.  The 
crowd,  however,  was  so  excited  that  the  elders  left  the  ground 
with  hundreds  following  them.  There  never  was  a  time  when 
the  people  were  so  much  stirred  up  and  so  eager  to  hear  the  Lat- 
ter-day Saints  as  at  the  present,  and  it  was  expected  that  we 
should  not  get  through  the  city  without  having  crowds  around 
us.  We  did,  however,  and  had  a  view  of  Hereford  cathedral  as 
we  passed  along  and  reached  Sister  Button's. 

"There  was  at  this  time  a  small  branch  of  the  Church  at 
Hereford,  numbering  seven  members.  We  parted  from  Brother 
Pitt  at  Hereford,  and  continued  to  Lugwardine,  where  I  met  with 
the  church  there  for  the  last  time,  and  preached  from  the  24th 
chapter  of  Isaiah.  On  the  morrow  I  walked  to  Shucknell  Hill 
and  had  an  interesting  meeting  with  the  Saints  and  preached  up- 
on the  gathering  to  Zion  and  Jerusalem.  It  was  my  last  meeting 
with  them,  and  I  bade  them  farewell.  Next  day  I  walked  to 
Standley  Hill  and  dined  with  Brother  Ockey,  whom  I  was  truly 
glad  to  see  once  more.  We  went  together  through  Standley  Hill 
and  called  upon  the  Saints.  Six  months  had  passed  since  I  had 


140  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

parted  from  the  churches  in  this  region,  but  now  I  was  again  in 
the  field  where  the  Lord  by  His  blessing  and  the  power  of  the 
Holy  Ghost  had  made  my  labors  so  abundantly  fruitful.  Next 
day  I  went  to  Greenway  and  preached,  blessed  a  child,  confirmed 
a  member,  and  administered  the  ordinance  of  the  gospel  to  five 
sick  persons ;  and  on  the  morrow  continued  to  Turkey  Hill.  There, 
on  the  Sunday,  I  communed  with  the  Saints  and  preached  to  a 
large  congregation  upon  the  gathering.  I  found  the  Saints  in  the 
region  around  very  desirous  to  gather  to  the  body  of  the  Church, 
but  they  were  poor  and  had  not  the  means  to  emigrate  to  America. 

"On  the  15th  day  of  March,  1841,  the  Bran  Green  and  Gad- 
field  Elm  conference  again  assembled,  this  time  afGadfield  Elm 
chapel,  when  the  meeting  was  called  to  order  by  Elder  Woodruff. 
There  were  present,  one  of  the  quorum  of  the  Twelve  Apostles, 
one  high  priest,  ten  elders,  twenty-one  priests,  six  teachers,  and  one 
deacon,  besides  the  congregation  of  the  Saints ;  there  were  repre- 
sented, 19  churches,  367  members,  8  elders,  33  priests,  11  teach- 
ers, 1  deacon ;  removed,  41 ;  died,  1 ;  expelled,  2.  Wilford  Wood- 
ruff was  president,  and  John  Hill,  clerk  of  the  conference. 

"We  had  a  very  interesting  time  at  the  conference.  There 
was  a  large  assembly  of  the  Saints.  It  was  the  last  time  that  I 
could  attend  in  that  part  of  my  old  and  beloved  field  of  labor  dur- 
ing my  present  mission  in  England ;  and  whether  or  not  I  should 
ever  again  meet  there  in  a  conference  assembly  of  Saints  was  one 
of  the  secrets  of  my  future  life  for  time  to  reveal.  We  had  held 
our  meeting  without  disturbance  from  some  mobocrats  who  were 
present,  for  these  were  kept  quiet  by  police  in  attendance,  in  dis- 
guise. 

"No  sooner  had  the  meeting  closed  than  multitudes  of  the 
Saints  crowded  around  me,  and  hands  were  presented  on  every 
side,  to  bid  me  farewell.  Many  called  for  me  to  bless. them  before 
I  departed ;  others  cried  out,  'Lay  hands  upon  me  and  heal  me  be- 
fore you  go.'  One  cajne  with,  'Brother  Woodruff,  I  am  turned  out 
of  doors  for  my  religion ;  what  shall  I  do  ?'  Another  with,  'I  am 
ready  to  go  to  Zion,  but  my  wife  won't  go  with  me ;  shall  I  leave 
her,  to  gather  with  the  Saints  ?'  A  wife  in  turn  says,  'My  husband 
beat  me  and  turned  me  out  of  doors  because  I  was  baptized.  I 
have  money  enough  to  carry  me  and  the  children  to  Zion ;  will  you 


BRITISH  MISSION,   1840-'41.~  141 

let  me  go  without  him?'  'Brother  Woodruff,  my  mother  is  over 
eighty  years  of  age  and  has  willed  me  sixty  pounds  at  her  death, 
but  will  not  emigrate  with  me ;  must  I  stay  for  her  to  die,  or  leave 
her  now  to  go  with  the  Saints?'  One  said,  'I  have  sold  my  little 
place  and  shall  have  thirty  pounds  tomorrow,  but  must  go  out 
into  the  street.  I  have  not  enough  to  carry  my  family  Jo  Amer- 
ica ;  can  you  help  me  to  a  few  pounds,  or  tell  me  what  to  clo  ?'  An 
elder  cried  out,  'How  much  longer  must  I  preach  in  England  be- 
fore you  will  let  me  go  to  America?'  From  others  of  the  Saints 
came  such  as  this :  'Brother  Woodruff,  will  you  come  and  preach 
in  Cheltenham?'  'My  head  is  in  great  pain,  will  you  heal  me?'  'I 
want  you  to  consecrate  this  bottle  of  oil  before  you  go.'  'Will  you 
write  to  me  ?'  'I  have  been  waiting  a  long  time  to  get  a  chance  to 
speak  to  you;  good-bye,  remember  me  to  Mrs.  Woodruff,  good- 
bye ;  God  bless  you !'  Thus  for  more  than  an  hour  after  the  close 
of  the  meeting  I  was  hailed  with  the  affectionate  outbursts  and 
adieus,  and  a  host  of  perplexities,  of  these  Saints,  who  crowded 
around  me  as  children  around  their  father. 

"Many  of  the  Saints  parted  from  me  in  tears,  and  many  fol- 
lowed me  to  Turkey  Hill,  where  I  spent  the  night  and  they  filled 
the  house  until  a  late  hour,  begging  counsel  and  instruction  of  me. 
One  of  these  was  a  Baptist  minister  who  had  just  been  baptized 
into  the  Church.  On  the  morrow,  in  company  with  Elder  Need- 
ham,  I  walked  to  Keysend  Street,  where  I  preached  to  a  crowded 
congregation  of  Saints,  and  thence  continued  to  Colwall.  There 
I  met  with  a  large  congregation  of  Saints,  and  preached  to  them 
upon  the  gathering. 

"Next  day,  with  Elder  Levi  Richards,  I  walked  over  to  Mal- 
vern  Hill  and  called  upon  Elder  Samuel  Jones;  thence  through 
Great  Malvern  to  Crowcat;  I  held  a  meeting  at  Brother  George 
Brooks's,  and  had  an  interesting  time  with  a  large  number  of 
Saints  whom  I  had  baptized  about  a  year  before.  I  went  to  Duns- 
close  the  day  after,  visiting  many  of  the  Saints  by  the  way,  laying 
hands  upon  the  sick,  and  blessing  and  counseling  others  of  the 
flock.  All  were  happy  to  see  me ;  for  I  had  baptized  most  of  them 
when  I  first  opened  that  field  of  labor.  Next  day  we  traveled  to 
Frome's  Hill,  and  visited  the  Saints  by  the  way. 

"At  Frome's  Hill  I  met  with  the  Saints  on  Sunday  morning, 


142  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

and  had  a  crowded  house ;  in  the  afternoon  we  held  a  meeting  at 
Standley  Hill,  where  I  communed  with  the  Church.  At  the  close 
of  the  meeting  I  had  a  busy  time  shaking  hands  with  the  Saints, 
and  parting  from  them.  Many  of  them  wished  me  to  bless  them, 
and  others  to  heal  them.  I  spent  the  night  with  Brother  Levi  Rich- 
ards, at  Elder  Edward  Ockey's,  and  on  the  morrow  we  held  the 
Frome's  Hill  conference  at  Standley  Hill.  There  were  present 
one  of  the  traveling  high  council,  two  high  priests,  twenty  elders, 
thirty  priests,  nine  teachers,  and  two  deacons.  After  calling  the 
meeting  to  order,  I  moved  that  Elder  Levi  Richards  preside  over 
the  conference,  and  he  was  sustained  by  the  meeting.  I  was 
chosen  clerk.  After  singing  and  prayer,  the  president  called  upon 
the  officers  for  the  representation  of  the  various  branches,  which 
was  given  as  follows :  branches,  33 ;  members,  957 ;  elders,  24 ; 
priests,  68;  teachers,  27;  deacons,  8.  Robert  Gunnery,  Edward 
Phillips,  and  John  Spires  were  ordained  to  the  office  of  elder  un- 
der the  hands  of  Elders  Richards,  Kington,  and  myself;  Thomas 
Bishop,  to  the  office  of  priest;  and  Wm.  Rowley,  to  the  office  of 
deacon.  In  the  afternoon,  after  speeches  from  Elders  Richards 
and  Kington,  I  delievered  my  farewell  address,  and  pronounced 
the  benediction  on  the  conference. 

"After  the  meeting  was  dismissed,  I  was  almost  three  hours 
shaking  hands  with  the  Saints,  healing  the  sick,  and  giving  coun- 
sel to  the  multitude  which  surrounded  me,  many  of  whom  were  in 
tears  when  we  parted.  Nearly  fifty  came  to  ask  me  to  take  them 
to  Zion,  when  I  had  not  means  to  take  myself.  However,  I  gave 
Sister  Foxal  five  pounds  to  help  her  and  her  husband  and  children 
to  the  land  of  America.  She  had  made  every  exertion  for  six 
months,  to  save  money  to  gather  with  the  Saints,  and  had  raised 
thirty  pounds.  The  five  pounds  I  gave  to  her  was  a  donation 
from  Elder  Edward  Ockey,  who  was  parting  with  his  substance 
to  help  the  poor  of  the  Church  to  gather. 

After  bidding  the  multitude  of  Saints  farewell,  I  went  to 
Elder  Ockey's  to  spend  the  night,  accompanied  by  Elders  Rich- 
ards, Kington,  and  Ray.  We  had  been  in  the  house  but  a  short 
time  when  three  of  Edward  Ockey's  brothers  came  in  for  the  pur- 
pose of  having  a  contest,  because  their  brother  and  sister  had 
embraced  the  gospel  and  were  about  to  gather  with  the  Saints. 


BRITISH  MISSION,  i846-'4i.  143 

They  manifested  much  wrath  against  me,  and,  after  conversing 
with  me  about  three  hours,  they  left  the  house  and  we  were  once 
more  in  peace.  After  conversing  together  until  the  third  watch 
of  the  night,  we  retired  to  rest,  closing  one  of  the  busiest  days  of 
my  life.  ,  , 

"I  arose  in  the  morning,  refreshed  by  sleep,  and  after  convers- 
ing several  hours  with  Elders  Richards,  Kington,  Ray,  Ockey,  and 
others,  I  was  under  the  necessity  of  parting  with  the  Saints  in  this 
region.  In  bidding  them  farewell,  we  found  in  the  memories  of 
our  associations  many  ties  which  bound  us  together.  Among  the 
faithful  ones  were  the  Ockeys.  Brother  Edward  Ockey  and  his 
sister  Ann  were  of  a  good  and  wealthy  family.  They  had  many 
trials  to  pass  through  to  do  the  will  of  God  and  to  gather  with 
the  Saints,  for  their  brothers  were  set  against  them  exceedingly. 
Brother  Edward  maintained  his  integrity  like  a  man  of  God  and 
was  making  every  preparation  to  gather  with  the  Saints,  but  his 
sister  Ann  had  fears  that  her  brothers  would  hinder  her  gathering. 

"Having  bidden  farewell  to  the  Saints  of  Standley  Hill,  I 
walked  to  Frome's  Hill  and  conversed  with  the  Elders  until  two 
o'clock,  when  I  took  the  parting  hand  of  Elders  Richards,  King- 
ton,  Ray,  and  others,  and,  with  my  carpet  bag  with  about  twenty 
pounds  weight  in  it,  walked  fifteen  miles  to  Worcester,  in  four 
hours.  When  I  arrived  there  I  was  so  very  lame  and  weary  with 
my  heavy  load  and  fast  walking  that  I  could  scarcely  walk  at  all. 
I  then  took  rail  and  arrived  in  Birmingham  at  10  o'clock  at  night, 
but  was  exceedingly  lame  and  weary.  I  spent  the  night  with  El- 
der James  Riley,  24  Park  Street. 

"I  had  now  fairly  ended  my  Herefordshire  mission,  and  bid- 
den a  last  farewell  to  that  field  of  labor  where  the  Lord  had 
blessed  me  beyond  all  my  expectations.  I  now  left  three  confer- 
ences in  the  region  which  I  opened  one  year  before,  on  the  5th 
of  the  same  month  that  I  left  this  vineyard,  now  planted  all  over 
with  churches,  numbering  fifteen  hundred  Saints.  The  minutes 
which  I  have  recorded  will  show  at  a  glance  the  rise  and  progress 
of  the  churches  in  Herefordshire,  and  the  regions  around. 

"On  Sunday,  the  28th  of  March,  the  Staffordshire  Conference 
met,  and  there  were  present  of  the  Twelve,  George  A.  Smith  and 
Wilford  Woodruff,  with  1  high  priest,  13  elders,  28  priests,  10 


144  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

teachers,  and  8  deacons.  The  conference  was  held  in  the  Magis- 
trate's Assembly  Room.  At  the  close  of  the  conference  it  was 
voted  that  'this  conference  grant  Elders  Woodruff  and  George  A. 
Smith  a  letter  of  recommendation  manifesting  that  the  Church 
in  this  region  accept  of  their  labors  and  consider  that  they  have 
filled  their  mission  with  honor  and  dignity.' 

"We  had  a  very  interesting  time  on  this  occasion.  The  con- 
ference was  held  in  a  place  which  would  contain  800,  and  it  was 
crowded ;  but  there  was  perfect  order  and  much  good  feeling  man- 
ifested during  the  day.  There  was  prospect  of  a  continued  in- 
crease in  the  Potteries.  George  A.  Smith  was  the  president  of  the 
conference,  and  T.  J.  Fitcher  and  O.  Shaw,  clerks.  Next  day 
George  A.  Smith  and  myself  met  the  officers  in  council  at  the 
Hanley  meeting  rooms,  and  gave  such  advice  as  we  deemed  wis- 
dom; we  then  took  our  farewell.  On  the  following  day  we  also 
parted  from  the  Saints  at  Burslem,  took  coach  to  Manchester,  and 
called  upon  Parley  P.  Pratt,  47  Oxford  Street ;  we  found  him  and 
his  family  enjoying  good  health. 

"On  the  6th  of  April,  1841,  the  General  Conference  of  the 
British  Mission  was  held  in  Carpenter's  Hall,  Manchester,  at 
which  there  were  present  nine  of  the  quorum  of  the  Twelve; 
namely,  President  Brigham  Young,  Heber  C.  Kimball,  Orson 
Hyde,  Parley  P.  Pratt,  Orson  Pratt,  Willard  Richards,  Wilford 
Woodruff,  John  Taylor,  and  George  A.  Smith.  The  total  mem- 
bership of  the  British  mission  at  that  time  was  represented  as 
5,814,  and  800  besides  had  emigrated  to  America  under  the  trans- 
portation arrangements  of  the  Church.  At  this  conference  the 
Twelve  blessed  and  set  apart  Orson  Hyde  for  his  mission  to  Jeru- 
salem, to  which  he  had  been  called  by  the  Prophet  Joseph.  This 
was  the  first  and  only  time  in  this  dispensation  that  the  Twelve 
Apostles  sat  in  conference  as  a  quorum  in  a  foreign  land. 

"Immediately  after  the  General  Conference,  those  of  the 
Twelve  who  were  about  to  return  home  hastened  to  Liverpool,  and 
embarked  for  America  on  the  20th  of  April,  on  board  of  the  ship 
Rochester.  Next  day,  the  wind  being  favorable,  the  ship  weighed 
anchor.  There  were  on  board  Brigham  Young,  Heber  C.  Kim- 
ball,  Parley  P.  Pratt,  Orson  Pratt,  George  A.  Smith,  Wilford 
Woodruff,  Willard  Richards,  and  John  Taylor,  of  the  Twelve, 


BRITISH  MISSION,  1840-'41.  145 

with  Elder  Reuben  Hedlock  and  120  of  the  British  Saints.  On 
pur  passage  across  the  Atlantic  we  had  some  very  tempestuous 
weather  and  became  familiar  with  'a  storm  at  sea.'  On  the  20th 
of  May  we  landed  in  New  York,  and  on  the  next  day  George  A. 
Smith  and  myself  took  up  our  abode  for  a  few  days  at  Brother 
Foster's.  While  there  I  met  my  brothers-in-law,  Ezra  and  Ilus 
Carter,  and  also  Dr.  Charles  Fabyan,  my  wife's  relative. 

"On  the  22nd  of  May,  at  the  house  of  Brother  Foster,  in  New 
York,  and  in  the  presence  of  the  quorum  of  the  Twelve, 
I  performed  the  service  of  marriage  between  Mr.  Edward  Ockey 
and  Miss  Eliza  Brewer,  both  of  them  my  converts  of  Castle 
Frome.  This  was  the  first  marriage  ceremony  at  which  I  offici- 
ated. 

"On  the  2nd  of  June  I  arrived  at  Scarboro  by  stage,  and  was 
permitted  to  embrace  my  wife,  and  also  my  first  born  son,>  Wil- 
ford,  Jr.,  whom  I  had  not  seen  before.  After  two  years  of  sep- 
aration from  my  wife,  it  was  indeed  a  happy  reunion.  There  I 
stayed  with  my  father-in-law  until  the  5th  of  July,  and  then  left 
for  my  native  place,  Farmington,  Conn.,  where  I  arrived  the  third 
day  after.  While  tarrying  at  my  father's  house  I  married  my 
sister  Eunice  Woodruff  to  Mr.  Dwight  Webster.  At  my  sister's 
marriage  there  were  present  between  forty  and  fifty  persons,  most- 
ly our  relatives.  This  was  on  the  4th  of  August,  1841.  A  few 
days  afterwards  my  aunt  Beulah  Hart  was  baptized  into  the 
Church,  and  on  the  18th  of  the  month  I  bade  farewell  to  my  fath- 
er's house,  after  a  stay  of  forty-one  days.  This  was  a  longer  visit 
than  I  had  paid  to  any  of  my  friends  for  the  past  ten  years. 

"On  the  9th  of  September,  a  little  company,  consisting  of  my- 
self, wife,  and  son,  and  four  others,  started  on  board  the  boat  San- 
dusky  for  Albany.  Our  ultimate  destination  was  Nauvoo,  where 
we  arrived  on  the  5th  of  the  next  month.  When  I  left  Nauvoo, 
two  years  before,  there  were  not  more  than  a  dozen  houses  in  the 
place,  but  on  my  return  to  the  city  there  were  several  hundred. 
We  passed  by  the  Temple,  then  building,  and  had  a  view  of  it ;  we 
then  called  at  the  house  of  Elder  Brigham  Young,  and  there  spent 
the  night.  Brother  Brigham  was  sick,  and  Heber  C.  Kimball  and 
Willard  Richards  were  with  him.  We  laid  hands  upon  him  and 
he  soon  recovered.  I  saw  many  of  my  old  friends  and  acquaint- 

11 


146  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

•  • 

ances,  and  was  informed  that  others  of  them  were  dead.  I  met 
with  many  friends  on  the  day  after  my  return  to  Nauvoo,  and  also 
sat  in  council  with  the  Twelve,  and  was  happy  once  more  to  meet 
with  my  quorum.  I  moved  my  things  to  Elder  Kimball's.  My 
wife  and  child  were  sick.  On  the  30th  of  October,  1841,  the  city 
council  met,  and  in  course  of  its  business  I  was  appointed  one  of 
the  city  council  of  Nauvoo." 


CHAPTER  14. 
REVIEW  OF  HIS  MISSION. 

Wilford  Renders  Aid  to  the  Persecuted  Saints. — His  Care  in  Recording 
the  Events,  also  Sermons  and  Sayings  of  the  Prophet  Joseph 
Smith. —  Elder  Woodruff's  Humility,  and  Aopreciation  of  the  Work 
of  Others. — At  a  Wesleyan  Methodist  Missionary  Convention. — 
Letter  from  His  Wife  Announcing  the  Death  of  Their  Daughter. — 
Revelation  Foreshadowing  the  Troubles  of  the  Saints  in  the  Ex- 
pulsion from  Illinois. 

In  the  fullest  sense  Wilford  Woodruff  was  a  man  of  in- 
dustrious habits.  During  the  interval  between  his  return  from 
the  Fox  Islands  and  his  departure  with  others  of  the  Twelve  for 
the  European  mission,  he  not  only  labored  hard  to  provide  for  his 
family ;  but,  true  to  the  spirit  of  a  faithful  saint  and  disciple  of  the 
Lord,  he  devoted  much  time  to  visiting  the  afflicted  Saints  in 
Montrose,  Iowa,  and  in  Nauvoo,  Illinois.  He  also  rendered  effici- 
ent service  in  getting  teams  and  money  to  assist  the  Saints  in 
their  exodus  from  Far  West,  Missouri,  to  Illinois. 

The  Prophet  Joseph  Smith  being  in  prison,  Presidents  Brig- 
ham  Young  and  Heber  C.  Kimball,  with  other  leading  brethren, 
made  a  solemn  covenant  that  they  would  not  rest  until  they  had 
made  every  possible  effort  to  free  the  Saints  from  their  perse- 
cutors in  Missouri,  and  lead  them  safely  to  Nauvoo.  In  this 
movement,  as  at  all  other  times,  Wilford  Woodruff  was  a  staunch 
supporter  of  the  presiding  authorities  of  the  Church.  In  his  journal 
he  makes  prominent  mention  of  the  mobbings  in  Missouri,  the 
martyrdom  of  Elder  David  W.  Patten  and  others,  the  imprison- 
ment of  Joseph  and  Hyrum  Smith  and  other  leading  men  of  the 
Church,  their  escape  from  prison,  and  of  other  events  of  those 
times.  Indeed,  whether  or  not  Wilford  Woodruff  was  present 
at  the  occurrence  of  some  important  event  in  Church  history,  he 
made  careful  investigations  and  recorded  the  results  of  his  re- 
search. Were  it  not  for  this  care,  the  history  of  many  events 
now  looked  upon  as  important  never  would  have  been  written. 
He  also  reported  in  considerable  fullness  nearly  every  sermon 
he  heard  preached  by  the  Prophet  Joseph  Smith.  Almost  every 
gem  from  the  sayings  of  the  Prophet  Joseph  published  in  the 


148  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

Compendium  is  found  in  Wilford  Woodruff's  journal;  also  are 
many  others  which  have  not  been  published.  Whenever  he  made 
the  acquaintance  of  men  or  women  whose  integrity  to  the  gos- 
pel and  generosity  to  the  Saints  were  notable,  their  names  have 
an  honored  place  in  his  journal.  In  this  connection,  for  the 
comfort  and  encouragement  of  their  immediate  friends  and  de- 
scendants, it  may  be  said  that  the  names  of  William  Clayton, 
John  Benbow,  William  Pitt,  Edward  Ockey,  Alfred  Cordon,  with 
others  whom  he  met  first  in  England,  and  some  of  whom  he  bap- 
tized, are  mentioned  many  times  by  him,  with  feelings  of  love 
and  admiration.  These  all  died  in  the  faith;  may  their  descen- 
dants follow  in  their  footsteps,  and  the  prayers  of  Wilford  Wood- 
ruff in  their  behalf  not  go  unanswered. 

His  first  mission  to  Great  Britain  was  a  land  mark  in  Church 
history.  His  wonderful  success  is  without  a  parallel  in  the  mis- 
sionary experiences  of  that  or  of  any  subsequent  period.  Its 
importance  grows  with  the  growth  of  the  work.  He  here  re- 
turns to  that  mission  in  a  reminiscent  spirit  and  recounts  events 
overlooked  in  his  hasty  survey  contained  in  the  narrative  of  the 
previous  chapter.  What  follows  picks  up  loose  ends  and  is  not 
given  as  a  summary. 

On  the  10th  of  February,  1840,  he  records  this  item : 

"On  this  day  Queen  Victoria  of  England  was  married  to 
Prince  Albert.  As  many  were  on  this  day  celebrating  the  mar- 
riage of  the  queen,  I  thought  it  right  to  honor  the  King  of  Heaven 
by  advocating  His  cause  and  preaching  the  gospel  of  Jesus 
Christ.  I  walked  into  the  market  place  at  Burslem,  accompanied 
by  Elder  Alfred  Cordon  and  two  other  brethren,  and  we  began 
to  sing  and  pray  unto  God,  and  call  upon  His  name.  A  congre- 
gation flocked  around  us,  and  we  preached  to  them ;  I  bore  testi- 
mony of  the  great  work  which  God  had  set  His  hand  to  accom- 
plish and  of  the  second  coming  of  Christ,  and  warned  the  people 
to  repent  and  be  baptized  for  the  remission  of  sins." 

While  viewing  the  beauties  of  English  landscape,  many  times 
his  soul  was  filled  with  intense  admiration  for  the  works  of  the 
Creator.  Describing  a  visit  to  Malvern  Hill,  he  says :  "In  my 
walk  to  Colwell  on  the  9th,  I  had  a  great  survey  of  nature  and 
of  the  power  of  the  Creator;  this  was  while  standing  upon  the 
summit  of  Marlvern  Hill,  elevated  from  twelve  hundred  to  fif- 


REVIEW  OF  HIS  MISSION.  149 

teen  hundred  feet  above  the  level.  The  surrounding  country  was 
before  my  view,  stretched  out  many  miles.  Worcester  town  lies 
on  the  north,  clearly  seen  in  the  prospect,  Gloucester  on  the  south, 
with  several  large  villages  between,  Ledbury  and  other  villages 
on  the  west,  and  a  fine,  beautifully  cultivated  vale  upon  every 
hand.  While  upon  this  noted  hill,  beholding  the  grand  and  charm- 
ing prospect  before  me,  the  thunder  began  to  roll,  and  the  light- 
ning flashed  in  the  vale  below,  on  which  the  rain  descended  in 
torrents.  The  solemnity  and  grandeur  of  the  scene  was  impres- 
sive as  I  stood  upon  the  hill  above  the  clouds,  surveying  the 
beautiful  works  of  the  Creator,  and  His  majesty  in  the  storm." 

While  upon  this  mission,  on  March  22,  1840,  a  son,  Wilford 
Woodruff  Jr.,  was  born.  At  this  writing  he  is  living,  and  is  a 
faithful  worker  in  the  Salt  Lake  Temple.  Upon  leaving  Here- 
fordshire in  June,  1840,  to  attend  the  Manchester  conference, 
Wilford  comments :  "I  never  before  left  a  field  of  labor  with  as 
much  satisfaction  with  the  results  of  my  work;  I  felt  to  render 
unto  God  the  gratitude  of  my  heart  for  giving  me  so  many  souls 
as  seals  to  my  ministry ;  and  I  note  the  remarkable  fact  that  I  had 
been  led  by  the  spirit  (only  a  little  more  than  three  months  before) 
through  a  densely  populated  country  for  eighty  miles,  and  chose 
no  part  of  it  for  my  field  of  labor  until  I  was  led  by  the  Lord  to 
the  house  of  John  Benbow,  at  Frome's  Hill,  where  I  preached 
for  the  first  time  on  the  5th  of  March,  18^0 ;  now,  on  the  !22nd 
of  June,  I  was  going  to  the  Manchester  conference,  to  represent 
this  fruitful  field  of  my  labors  with  thirty-three  organized  churcn- 
es  numbering  541  members,  300  of  whom  received  the  ordinance 
of  baptism  under  my  hands."  In  that  labor,  attended  with  such 
unprecedented  success  in  this  dispensation,  he  never,  for  a  mo- 
ment, felt  to  take  honor  to  himself;  yet  with  characteristic  hu- 
mility and  meekness  he  failed  not  to  make  honorable  mention  of  the 
labor  of  other  brethren  who  came  to  assist  him.  For  instance,  of 
Presidents  Brigham  Young  and  Willard  Richards  he  writes : 
"Elder  Brigham  Young  labored  with  me  in  this  vineyard  about 
one  month ;  from  him  the  Saints  and  I  received  much  benefit,  for 
he  is  mighty  in  counsel,  and  is  endowed  with  much  wisdom.  Elder 
Willard  Richards  had  labored  with  me  two  months,  and  was 
also  a  great  blessing  to  us,  for  he  had  passed  through  a  not- 
able school  of  experience  and  learned  much  wisdom,  and  his 


150  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

sound  judgment  was  very  manifest  in  the  councils  and  confer- 
ences in  which  we  had  acted  together."  At  that  time  the  British 
mission  numbered  forty-one  branches  of  the  Church,  with  2,513 
members,  the  local  officers  including  56  elders,  126  priests,  61 
teachers,  and  13  deacons;  842  members  had  been  the  increase  in 
the  preceding  three  months.  It  was  about  this  time  that  a  local 
elder  who  was  in  the  British  army  was  ordered  with  his  regi- 
ment to  India,  where  he  went  in  good  spirits,  determined  to 
carry  the  gospel  to  that  land,  he  being  the  first  to  do  so.  At  this 
time  Wilford  also  notes  in  his  journal  the  death  of  Bishop  Ed- 
ward Partridge,  and  makes  this  comment:  "Bishop  Partridge 
was  one  of  the  wisest  and  best  men  of  the  last  generation.  Like 
Nathaniel  of  old,  in  him  tlure  was  no  guile.  He  had  passed 
through  much  persecution  with  the  Saints,  for  the  word  of  God 
and  the  testimony  of  Jesus." 

Brother  Woodruff  relates  that  Elders  Brigham  Young,  Heber 
C.  Kimball  and  himself  were  once  locked  out  of  an  Aitkenite 
meeting  because  the  preachers  were  afraid  the  spirit  of  the  Lat- 
ter-day Saints  mission  would  break  up  their  society.  He  also 
narrates  this  incident :  "In  company  with  Elder  George  A.  Smith, 
I  attended  the  Wesleyan  Methodist  missionary  convention  held 
on  City  Road,  London.  It  was  considered  one  of  the  greatest 
of  the  kind  ever  held  in  that  city.  The  chair  was  filled  by  the 
Lord  Mayor.  He  was  a  noble-looking  man,  and  the  insignia  of 
office  which  hung  about  his  neck  consisted  of  six  gold  chains, which 
were  large  and  very  heavy.  The  object  of  the  meeting  was  to 
arrange  for  sending  out  missionaries,  and  to  make  collections  to 
liquidate  a  debt  of  fifty  thousand  pounds  sterling.  Some  of  the 
best  talent  of  Europe  was  gathered  on  this  occasion.  Much 
policy  was  manifested  in  this  combinaton  of  ministers  and  their 
influence  for  raising  means.  The  speeches  were  from  ten  to 
twelve  minutes'  duration.  One  minister  from  Scotland  arose  and 
said:  'My  Lord  and  Wesleyan  friends,  let  my  tongue  cleave  to 
my  mouth  and  my  right  hand  forget  her  cunning  when  I  do  not 
take  a  Wesleyan  by  the  hand  and  call  him  brother.'  One  from 
the  Church  of  England  said:  'My  Lord  and  Wesleyan  friends, 
I  wish  you,  while  looking  at  the  Church  of  England,  to  cover 
her  imperfections  with  the  cloak  of  charity — I  would  readily 
cover  the  imperfections  of  the  Wesleyan  society,  but  I  know  not 


REVIEW  OF  HIS  MISSION.  151 

where  they  are.  I  would  not  hesitate  to  cover  the  imperfections 
of  the  Church  of  Rome  were  it  in  my  power,  but  they  are  all 
scarlet.'  A  Wesleyan  minister  then  arose  and  said:  'We  are 
highly  favored  on  this  occasion  by  having  for  our  chairman  the 
Lord  Mayor  of  London,  the  chief  magistrate  of  the  most  renowned 
city  of  the  world;  and  his  lordship  has,  like  Caesar,  submitted 
himself  to  the  worship  of  Christ  in  this  condescension ;  but,  when 
rightly  considered,  is  not  my  Lord  as  highly  honored  in  pre- 
siding over  this  vast  body  of  respectable  citizens  this  evening  on 
so  important  a  matter  as  he  would  be  were  he  reigning  upon  a 
throne  ?  For  the  angels  in  heaven  honor  every  effort  that  is  made 
on  earth  for  the  spread  of  the  gospel,  and  the  saving  of  the  souls 
of  men.  My  Lord  and  Christian  friends,  how  did  the  ancient  apos- 
tles prevail?  They  were  illiterate,  and  had  neither  money  nor 
influence,  and  their  doctrines  were  unpopular,  yet  they  established 
the  gospel,  maintained  the  doctrines  of  Christ,  and  caused  the 
nations  to  tremble ;  out  this  was  all  by  the  power  of  God,  and 
not  of  man.  My  Lord,  our  circumstances  are  different  from 
theirs.  We  have  influence  and  wealth;  we  have  splendid  chapels 
and  respectable  bodies,  and  our  members  are  many ;  yet  if  God  is 
not  with  us  we  cannot  prevail.'  (I  shouted,  'Amen!')  These 
speeches  continued  until  10  p.  m.,  when  a  collection  was  made,  and 
the  Lord  Mayor  arose  and  addressed  the  three  thousand  people 
present.  This  was  in  City  Road  chapel — the  first  ever  erected 
by  the  celebrated  John  Wesley.  The  Lord  Mayor  said:  'It  is 
with  pleasure  that  I  have  been  permitted  to  preside  over  this 
respectable  body  this  evening,  on  so  important  an  occasion,  which 
will  be  indelibly  fixed  upon  my  mind  as  one  of  the  most  pleasing 
events  of  my  life ;  and  I  trust  I  shall  ever  be  as  ready  to  perform 
every  duty  required  of  me  by  the  citizens  of  London  as  I  have 
been  to  meet  with  our  Wesleyan  friends  this  evening.'  The  house 
rang  .with  applause.  In  the  midst  of  all  this,  who  can  imagine 
our  feelings?  None  but  those  in  like  situation.  Here  were  we 
with  a  mission  and  message  from  the  Lord  to  the  inhabitants  of 
London.  We  stood  in  their  midst  ready  to  deliver  that  message 
as  the  Lord  might  open  our  way,  and  yet  we  were  as  little  known 
to  the  people  as  was  Jonah  to  the  citizens  of  Nineveh  while  in 
the  belly  of  the  whale.  Notwithstanding  all  this  display  of  talent, 
yet  the  people  needed  a  humble  servant  of  the  Lord  to  teach  them 


152  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

the  gospel  in  its  purity,  as  Nineveh  needed  a  prophet  to  cry  re- 
pentance therein.  I  retired  alone,  and  reflected  upon  these 
things." 

Scenes  of  this  kind  stirred  Wilford  Woodruff,  in  his  deeply 
conscientious  nature,  with  great  anxiety  and  concern,  lest  he 
might  fail  to  deliver  his  divine  message  to  the  very  uttermost 
of  the  requirement  made  of  him. 

The  grief  that  bowed  down  Wilford  Woodruff's  heart  at 
receiving  news  of  the  death  of  his  little  daughter  finds  pathetic 
expression  in  his  journal,  in  which  also  appears  the  letter  from 
his  wife  bearing  the  sorrowful  tidings.  It  reads: 

"My  Dear  Wilford :  What  will  be  your  feelings  when  I  say 
that  yesterday  I  was  to  witness  the  departure  of  our  little  Sarah 
Emma  from  this  world?  Yes,  she  is  gone.  The  relentless  hand 
of  death  has  snatched  her  from  my  embrace.  She  was  too  lovely, 
kind,  and  affectionate  to  live  in  this  wicked  world.  When  looking 
upon  her  I  have  often  thought  how  I  should  feel  to  part  with 
her.  I  thought  I  could  not  live  without  her,  especially  in  the 
absence  of  my  companion ;  but  she  is  gone.  The  Lord  has  taken 
her  home  to  Himself,  for  some  wise  purpose.  It  is  a  trial  to  me, 
but  the  Lord  has  stood  by  me  in  a  wonderful  manner.  He  will 
take  better  care  of  her  than  I  possibly  could  do.  We  have  one 
little  angel  in  heaven,  and  I  think  it  likely  that  her  spirit  has 
visited  you  before  this  time.  She  used  to  call  her  Papa,  and  left 
a  kiss  for  her  Papa  before  she  died.  Today,  little  Wilford  and  I 
with  a  number  of  friends,  came  over  to  Commerce,  to  pay  our 
last  respects  to  our  darling  in  seeing  her  decently  buried.  *  * 
She  had  no  relatives  to  follow  her  to  the  grave,  or  to  shed  for  her 
a  silent  tear,  except  her  Mamma  and  little  Wilford.  She  lies 
alone  in  peace.  'The  Lord  giveth,  and  the  Lord  taketh  away. 
Blessed  be  the  name  of  the  Lord.' 

PHOEBE  W.  WOODRUFF/' 

Under  date  of  October  2,  1840,  Wilford  being  at  that  time 
with  Elder  Heber  C.  Kimball,  says  in  his  journal :  "Elder  Kim- 
ball  and  I  arose  from  our  bed  that  morning  with  the  power  of 
God  resting  upon  us,  yea,  His  spirit  was  like  fire  shut  up  in 
our  bones.  I  said,  'O  my  God,  why  is  Thy  spirit  thus  upon  me  ? 


REVIEW  OF  HIS  MISSION.  153 

Why  are  mine  eyes  like  a  fountain?  What  art  Tliou  about  10  do, 
O  Lord,  that  causes  this  thing?  I  ask  Thee,  Father,  in  the  name 
of  Jesus  Christ,  Thy  Son,  to  make  it  known  unto  me.'  The  spirit 
of  revelation  came  upon  me,  and  I  was  answered:  'Thus  saith 
the  Lord  God  unto  thee,  my  servant  Wilford.  This  is  my  spirit 
which  resteth  upon  thee  to  enlighten  thy  mind,  to  show  thee  things 
to  come;  and  not  only  upon  thee  but  upon  all  my  faithful  ser- 
vants upon  the  face  of  the  whole  earth,  saith  the  Lord.  Mine 
indignation  is  about  to  be  poured  out  without  mixture  upon  all 
the  nations  of  the.  earth,  and  they  shall  not  escape.  The  cry 
of  the  poor,  of  the  widow  and  the  orphan  ascendeth  to  mine  ears, 
saith  the  Lord,  and  I  am  about  to  avenge  the  cry  of  mine  elect 
by  laying  low  the  oppressor,  and  executing  the  decree  of  mine 
heart  upon  all  the  ungodly  amongst  men.  Here  I  put  my  spirit 
upon  thee  and  say  unto  thee,  lift  up  thy  voice  and  spare  not,  and 
call  upon  all  men  that  come  within  the  sound  of  thy  voice  to  re- 
pent, and  many  souls  shall  be  given  unto  thee,  and  great  shall  be 
thy  reward,  and  eternal  shall  be  thy  glory,  saith  the  Lord.'  " 

About  this  time  the  spirit  of  the  Lord  rested  in  similar 
manner  upon  the  other  apostles  and  elders,  and  indeed  upon 
many  of  the  Saints  throughout  the  British  Isles.  'They  had  vivid 
impressions  of  the  trouble  and  persecutions  about  to  be  heaped 
upon  tne  Saints  in  America  and  Europe.  Elder  Woodruff  furth- 
er says :  "But  my  mind  was  troubled,  for  the  spirit  manifested 
unto  me  much  discomfort  and  persecution  among  the  Saints 
throughout  Europe  and  America,  and  that  many  will  fall  away ; 
also  that  the  powers  that  be  in  America  will  rise  up  against  the 
Church  and  it  will  be  driven ;  and  that  while  trouble  lay  in  the 
future  before  the  people  of  God,  greater  calamities  await  the 
world.  The  Saints  were  receiving  testimonies  of  the  clouds  which 
were  gathering  over  the  Church,  and  afterwards  over  the  whole 
world,  for  judgments  begin  at  the  house  of  God." 

How  completely  the  revelation  thus  given  to  Wilford  Wood- 
ruff by  the  Spirit  of  prohecy  which  rested  upon  him,  and  to  his 
brethren  and  the  Saints  in  Europe,  was  fulfilled,  is  well  known 
to  those  familiar  with  the  history  of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ 
of  Latter-day  Saints  during  the  score  of  years  succeeding  the 
manifestation  herein  recorded. 


CHAPTER  15. 
IN  NAUVOO,  1841. 

Prophetic  Insight. — Teachings  of  the  Prophet. — Baptism  for  the  Dead 
— Hyrum  Kimball. 

The  life  of  Wilford  Woodruff  is  a  remarkable  example  of 
the  manner  in  which  those  who  are  pre-eminently  qualified  as 
preachers  of  the  gospel  are  required  to  fill  out  a  well  rounded  life 
of  experiences,  touching  most  important  phases  of  human  con- 
duct in  almost  all  the  walks  of  life.  Had  Wilford  Woodruff  be- 
longed to  some  religious  denomination  of  his  day,  it  is  con- 
sistent to  suppose  that  he  would  have  been  exclusively  a  preach- 
er, as  he  loved  to  expound  the  Scriptures  and  speak  of  the  good- 
ness of  God  and  His  wondrous  ways.  Mormonism,  however, 
made  of  him  both  a  preacher  and  a  man  of  affairs,  and  his  service 
in  life  covered  a  wide  range  of  useful  activities.  He  was, 
in  the  days  of  Nauvoo's  municipal  glory,  a  member  of  its  city 
council.  The  responsibility  of  such  a  position  at  that  time  when 
municipal  government  was  little  understood  was  one  of  special 
weight. 

On  the  7th  of  November,  1841,  on  the  Sabbath  day  he  tells  us 
that  he  made  a  call  upon  the  Prophet  Joseph  and  from  there 
went  to  the  home  of  Brigham  Young.  Later  he  attended  a 
meeting  of  the  Saints  and  listened  to  an  address  of  a  certain 
elder  who  was  reprimanded  by  the  Prophet  Joseph.  That  repri- 
mand carried  with  it  such  prophetic  insight  into  the  character 
of  the  man  who  still  lives,  that  the  incident  is  taken  from  Elder 
Woodruff's  journal  as  follows :  "Brother  Joseph  rose  and  repri- 
manded him  as  pharisaical  and  hypocritical,  and  he  was  told  that 
he  had  not  edified  the  people  by  his  two  hours'  talk.  The  man's 
life  has  ever  since  been  in  keeping  with  this  characterization  of 
the  Prophet.  He  aims  to  be  a  fellow  well  met  with  all  denomin- 
ations. He  occasionally  visits  the  Saints,  and  while  with  them 
professes  faith  in  the  gospel  and  claims  brotherhood  with  them. 
The  Prophet  then  addressed  himself  to  the  Saints,  told  them  that 
if  they  would  not  falsely  accuse  one  another,  the  Lord  would  not 
accuse  them;  and  if  they  had  no  accusers,  they  should  enter 


IN  NAUVOO,  1841.  155 

into  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven.  He  also  spoke  at  some  length 
upon  the  character  of  sin  and  declared  that  many  things  which 
the  denominations  of  that  day  taught  as  sins  were  really  not  sins 
at  all,  that  many  things  were  done  in  the  purposes  of  God  to  break 
down  superstitions  of  men  and  loosen  from  them  the  fetters  of 
traditions  by  which  their  souls  were  bound. 

The  21st  of  November,  1841,  was  a  red-letter  day  in  the 
history  of  Nauvoo.  Elder  Woodruff  says,  "The  Twelve  met  in 
council  at  President  Brigham  Young's  home.  Afterwards  there 
was  a  general  meeting  of  the  Saints  who  were  addressed  by  John 
Taylor  and  Hyrum  Smith.  The  Twelve  then  returned  to  Brigham 
Young's  home  and  were  occupied  in  counsel  until  four  in  the 
afternoon  when  they  repaired  to  the  baptismal  font  in  the  base- 
ment of  the  Nauvoo  Temple."  Again  quoting  from  Elder  Wood- 
ruff's journal  we  read:  "It  was  truly  an  interesting  scene.  It 
was  the  first  font  built  in  this  dispensation  for  the  glorious  pro- 
vision in  the  gospel  which  provided  for  the  redemptoin  of  the 
dead.  It  was  dedicated  by  President  Joseph  Smith  and  the  Twelve. 
A  large  congregation  assembled  to  witness  the  baptism  of  about 
forty  persons  by  Brigham  Young,  Heber  C.  Kimball,  and  John 
Taylor.  Elders  Willard  Richards,  George  A.  Smith,  and  myself 
assisted  in  confirming  them.  Afterwards  I  passed  the  evening 
with  the  quorum  of  the  Twelve  at  the  home  of  Heber  C.  Kimball." 

Along  with  these  religious  duties  came  the  daily  responsi- 
bilities of  the  material  interests  of  the  Church.  At  this  time 
the  Nauvoo  House  was  in  the  process  of  construction.  Elder 
Woodruff  had  charge  of  the  provision  store  and  through  it  took 
an  active  part  in  the  construction  of  that  important  building. 
During  these  times,  Saints  were  arriving  in  considerable  num- 
bers from  England.  Many  of  them  had  received  the  ordi- 
nance of  baptism  at  his  hands.  They  needed  instruction,  en- 
couragement, and  the  sympathy  of  a  brotherly  love.  They  found 
in  the  messenger  who  had  brought  the  word  of  the  Lord  to  them 
as  consistent  a  friend  in  their  new  home  as  he  had  been  when  an 
elder  abroad. 

On  the  25th  of  November,  1841,  about  two  hundred  Saints 
from  New  York  arrived  in  Warsaw.  Their  arrival  was  in  the 
midst  of  a  heavy  snow  storm.  Elder  Woodruff  records  the  work 
of  love  at  that  time  in  providing  for  them  every  comfort  that 


156  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

could  be  found.  He  mentions  in  his  journal  the  names  of  those 
whose  integrity  and  love  he  cherished.  Those  early  friendships 
were  always  dear  to  his  memory,  and  it  mattered  not  to  him  what 
station  in  life  a  man  occupied  if  he  was  loyal  to  God  and  true  to 
his  brethren.  He  speaks  of  Kington,  Benbow,  Ockey,  Bruitt,  and 
i'itt. 

The  words  of  the  Prophet  fell  upon  Elder  Woodruff's  ears  as 
the  voice  of  Scripture.  He  puts  them  in  the  journal  because  he 
believes  that  some  day  they  will  contain  enlightenment  and  guid- 
ance for  those  who  faithfully  read  them.  He  says  about  this  time 
that  the  Prophet  spoke  of  those  who  complained  of  him  because 
he  did  not  bring  forth  more  of  the  word  of  the  Lord.  To  those 
who  professed  to  be  able  to  receive  more  of  the  word  of  God  than 
had  been  given  them,  he  said:  "A  man  might  command  his  son 
to  do  a  certain  thing  and  before  it  was  done  he  might  for  good 
and  sufficient  reason  require  him  to  do  something  else.  The 
exercise  of  parental  authority  in  such  a  manner  is  considered 
quite  proper;  but  if  the  Lord  gives  a  command  and  afterward 
revokes  it  and  commands  something  else,  there  are  those  ready  to 
cry  out,  'A  false  prophet!'  Those  who  will  not  receive  chastise- 
ment from  a  prophet  and  apostles  are  often  chastised  by  the  Lord 
with  sickness  and  death.  Let  not  any  man  publish  his  own  right- 
eousness, others  can  do  that  for  him.  Let  him  rather  confess  his 
sins,  and  he  will  then  be  forgiven  and  bring  forth  more  and 
better  fruit.  The  reason  we  do  not  have  more  of  the  secrets  of 
the  Lord  revealed  unto  us  is  because  we  do  not  Keep  to  our 
own  secrets,  but  reveal  them  and  make  our  difficulties  known  even 
to  our  enemies.  What  greater  love  hath  any  man  than  that  he  will 
lay  down  his  life  for  his  friends?  Why  not  then  stand  by  them 
unto  death? 

Elder  Woodruff's  journal  containing  an  account  of  the  utter- 
ances of  the  prominent  men  of  that  day  clearly  indicates  the 
deep  anxiety  which  President  Brigham  Young  felt  Tor  the  com- 
pletion of  the  Temple.  His  interest  in  the  building  was  scarcely 
less  than  that  of  the  Prophet  himself.  The  responsibility  of  its 
completion  weighed  heavily  upon  his  mind  and  he  gave  himself  iro 
heart  and  soul  to  the  construction  of  that  great  edifice.  ID  view 
of  the  fact  that  some  years  later  after  the  Prophet's  death  the 
responsibility  of  its  completion  and  the  ordinances  to  be  per- 


IN  NAUVOO,  1841.  157 

formed  therein  rested  most  heavily  upon  him,  one  can  appreciate 
his  heart-felt  admonition  on  the  subject  when  he  was  constant- 
ly urging  the  Saints  before  the  death  of  the  Prophet. 

On  Chritsmas  day  of  1841  Elder  Woodruff  says  that  he  and 
other  members  of  the  Twelve  visited  the  home  of  Hyrum  Kimball, 
who,  before  they  left,  presented  each  of  the  Twelve  with  a  lot  to 
which  he  gave  them  the  deed.  On  the  26th  and  27th  the  Twelve  vis- 
ited the  home  of  the  Prophet,  and  on  one  of  these  days  Elder 
Woodruff  says  in  his  journal  that  the  Prophet  showed  him  and 
others  for  the  first  time  the  Urim  and  Thummim. 

During  that  year  the  subject  of  this  biography  had  visited 
London,  Bristol,  Liverpool,  Manchester,  Staffordshire  Potteries, 
Wolverhampton,  Birmingham,  Worcester,  Hereford,  Ledbury, 
Malvern  Hill,  Gloucester,  Cheltenham,  Oxford,  Woolwich,  and 
Monmouth.  In  America  he  visited  and  preached  the  gospel  in 
New  York,  Portland,  Boston,  Hartford,  New  Haven,  Albany, 
Buffalo,  Detroit,  Mackinaw,  and  Chicago.  He  held  83  meetings, 
attended  10  conferences,  baptized  21  persons  and  assisted  in  the 
baptism  of  18  others,  confirmed  46,  and  ordained  38  persons  to 
offices  in  the  priesthood. 


CHAPTER  SIXTEEN. 

TROUBLES  IN  NAUVOO,  1842. 

Building  of  the  Temple. — Book  of  Moses. — Words  of  the  Prophet. — 
Nauvoo  Legion.— Business  Trip  to  St.  Louis. — Return  of  Orson 
Hyde. 

Elder  Woodruff  was  a  messenger  of  peace,  a  man  by  tempera- 
ment and  faith  pre-eminently  fitted  to  be  a  missionary  of  the  word 
of  God  to  the  nations  of  the  earth.  As  one  studies  his  life  and  the 
life  of  the  early  leaders  of  the  Church,  one  is  constantly  reminded 
of  their  peculiar  fitness  and  qualifications  for  the  work  needed  in 
the  Church  in  its  early  life. 

New  year  of  1842  found  him  at  home  in  Nauvoo  enjoying 
with  his  family  and  friends  the  festive  season.  He  had  been  a 
member  of  the  Church  eight  years,  but  during  that  membership 
had  been  absent  from  home  perhaps  four-fifths  of  the  time.  He 
records  the  fact  that  he  with  the  quorum  of  the  Twelve  passed 
the  day  at  the  home  of  Brother  Stoddard. 

Nauvoo  was  at  this  time  taking  on  a  new  interest.  The  erec- 
tion of  the  Temple  awakened  within  such  men  a  heartfelt  desire, 
not  only  to  take  part  in  the  work,  but  to  enjoy  its  ordinances  at 
the  earliest  possible  opportunity.  They  felt  that  these  ordinances 
would  give  to  them  a  new  spiritual  life  and  that  they  would  be  bet- 
ter qualified  in  consequence  as  messengers  of  the  word  of  God  to 
the  nations  of  the  earth.  In  his  journal  he  writes:  "It  is  an  in- 
teresting occasion  for  us  to  meet  with  our  families  during  the  fes- 
tive season  in  the  City  of  the  Saints  in  the  midst  of  peace  and 
love.  We  prize  more  highly  this  privilege  as  we  are  so  often 
separated  in  the  vineyard  of  the  Lord.  It  is  a  privilege  to  be  at 
home  for  a  season  and  provide  for  my  family.  This  is  the  first 
time  since  I  have  been  in  the  Church  that  I  have  been  thus  priv- 
ileged as  I  have  been  on  missions  most  of  the  time  for  eight  years." 

During  the  early  part  of  January  he  paid  a  visit  to  his  old 
time  friend,  John  Benbow,  who  lived  on  the  prairie  six  miles  from 
Nauvoo.  Elder  Benbow  had  been  a  very  liberal  man  in  promot- 
ing the  missionary  work  of  Apostle  Woodruff  abroad.  He  was 
just  as  liberal  when  he  joined  the  Saints  near  Nauvoo.  Besides 


TROUBLES  IN  NAUVOO,  1842.  159 

his  regular  offerings,  he  loaned  money  to  the  Prophet  to  meet 
pressing  obligations  of  himself  and  the  Church.  "This  was  the 
first  time  I  had  visited  him  since  my  return  home.  I  passed  the 
time  there  very  pleasantly.  His  farm  looked  almost  like  a  Garden 
of  Eden.  I  have  never  seen  more  work  done  in  one  year  on  a 
prairie  farm  than  was  done  on  his.  He  had  surrounded  and 
crossed  it  with  heavy  ditches,  and  had  planted  thorn  hedges.  His 
dwelling,  barns,  sheds,  garderi,  yards,  and  orchards  were  all  beau- 
tifully arranged.  The  farm  resembled  very  much  the  farms  of  old 
England.  Elder  Benbow  had  been  a  well-to-do-farmer  on  about 
three  hundred  acres  of  and.  This  place  was  a  pleasant  retreat 
for  a  summer's  ride  from  Nauvoo.  The  little  neighborhood  con- 
sisted of  five  families  from  England.  All  were  united  except  one 
family  that  had  denied  the  faith.  Before  my  return  to  the  city 
I  paid  John  Benbow  two  hundred  dollars  for  President  Smith  and 
had  it  endorsed  on  his  note." 

The  activity  in  and  about  Nauvoo  directed  toward  the  erec- 
tion of  the  Temple  must  have  presented  the  appearance  of  men 
who  worked  with  a  will  to  accomplish  definite  purposes.  Elder 
Woodruff  himself  was  engaged  in  hauling  large  stones  from  the 
river  to  Temple  Hill.  Whatever  he  set  himsef  to  do  he  did  as 
though  it  were  the  occupation  of  his  life  and  never  a  makeshift. 
It  was  that  whole-souled  devotion  that  enabled  him  to  turn  from 
one  occupation  to  another  without  any  disappointment  or  distaste. 
It  is  only  the  half-hearted  that  complain  at  interruptions,  who  are 
distracted  when  taken  from  one  condition  of  life  to  another  and 
are  subjected  to  radical  as  well  as  frequent  changes. 

From  the  occupation  of  a  rock  hauler  he  was  called  to  the 
printing  press,  and  with  John  Taylor  he  took  up  the  work  of  pub- 
lishing the  "Times  and  Seasons,"  which  thereafter  was  to  be  under 
the  direction  of  Joseph,  the  Seer.  He  began  work  in  his  new 
calling  by  taking  charge  of  the  business  department  of  the  paper. 
Joseph  was  editor  in  chief  and  John  Taylor  was  his  assistant. 

About  this  time  the  Prophet  was  occupied  in  the  translation 
of  the  Book  of  Moses  from  an  Egyptian  papyrus.  Parts  of  the 
book  were  published  in  the  "Times  and  Seasons,"  and  its  subject 
matter  created  a  peculiar  satisfaction  in  the  heart  of  Wilford 
Woodruff.  Wilford  Woodruff  was  himself  a  student  of  Holy 


160  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

Writ,  a  man  of  pronounced  religious  convictions,  untouched  by  the 
religious  persuasions  of  his  time.  His  complete  surrender,  and 
his  perfect  devotion  to  his  new-found  calling  are  sufficient  in  them- 
selves to  command  attention  and  persuade  others  that  there  must 
have  been  something  remarkable  in  his  new-found  faith,  other- 
wise he  would  not  have  been  one  of  its  apostles.  "I  have  been 
much  edified  of  late,"  he  says,  "in  listening  to  the  Prophet  converse 
upon  the  mysteries  of  the  Kingdom  of  God.  Surely  the  Lord  is 
with  him  and  is  making  him  mighty  in  knowledge  and  wisdom. 
I  am  convinced  that  none  of  the  prophets  or  seers  have  ever  ac- 
complished a  greater  work  than  the  Lord  will  bring  to  pass 
through  the  instrumentality  of  the  Prophet  Joseph  Smith." 

Wilford  Woodruff  knew  his  Bible,  he  knew  himself,  and  the 
simplicity  and  purity  of  his  own  soul  fitted  him  for  the  reception 
of  a  new  light.  He  was  not  a  mere  enthusiast,  he  was  never  fan- 
atical, and  was  not  easily  touched  by  the  sophistries  of  men.  Such 
a  testimony  of  the  Prophet  Joseph  has  therefore  a  peculiar  sig- 
nificance to  those  who  honestly  and  without  bias  study  the  life  of 
Joseph  Smith. 

March  1st  of  that  year,  Elder  Woodruff's  natal  day,  he  ob- 
served by  making  a  feast  for  his  friends.  Sundry  duties  occupied 
his  time.  He  was  chaplain  of  the  Nauvoo  Legion ;  he  took  part 
in  the  organization  of  the  Masonic  Lodge  of  Nauvoo;  and  was 
present  when  it  was  addressed  by  the  Grand  Master  of  the 
Masonic  Lodge  of  Illinois.  He,  with  the  Prophet  and  others,  was 
a  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity.  The  fraternity  sought  for 
in  that  organization  was  superseded  by  a  more  perfect  fraternity 
found  in  the  vows  and  covenants  which  the  endowment  in  the 
House  of  God  afforded  members  of  the  Church.  Besides,  the 
Saints  learned  that  they  must  surrender  worldly  affiliations,  since 
the  world  was  opposed  to  the  mission  of  Joseph  Smith  and  his  fol- 
lowers. Those  who  seek  their  highest  guidance  in  precedence 
quote  the  circumstance  as  an  argument  for  the  return  to  the  con- 
dition of  those  times.  The  Church,  however,  rests  upon  the  rock 
of  revelation  and  must  follow  divine  guidance  rather  than  prece- 
dence. 

Passing  on  in  the  journal  of  Wilford  Woodruff  we  find  re- 
corded the  synopsis  of  a  discourse  by  the  Prophet  Joseph  on  death. 


TROUBLES  IN  NAUVOO,  1842.  161 

the  resurrection,  and  baptism.  "We  have,"  says  the  Prophet,  "the 
warning  voice  again  sounded  in  our  midst,  a  voice  which  her- 
alds the  uncertainty  of  human  life.  In  my  leisure  moments  I  have 
meditated  and  asked  the  question :  Why  is  it  that  innocent  children 
are  taken  away  from  us,  especially  those  who  seem  to  be  the  most 
intelligent  ?  This  world  is  a  very  wicked  world,  and  it  is  a  proverb 
that  it  grows  weaker  and  wiser.  If  so  it  becomes  more  corrupt. 
In  the  early  ages  of  the  world  the  righteous  man,  the  man  of  God 
and  of  intelligence  had  a  better  opportunity  to  do  good,  to  be  re- 
ceived and  believed  than  at  the  present  day.  In  these  days  such 
a  man  is  opposed  and  persecuted  by  most  of  the  inhabitants  of  the 
earth  and  has  to  pass  through  much  sorrow,  hence  the  Lord  takes 
away  many  in  infancy  that  they  may  escape  the  envy  of  man  and 
escape  the  sorrows  and  evils  of  the  world.  They  are  too  pure  and 
too  lovely  to  live  on  the  earth ;  therefore,  if  rightly  considered,  we 
have  reason  to  rejoice  instead  of  mourning,  as  their  death  is  their 
deliverance  from  evil  and  we  shall  soon  have  them  again. 

"What  chance  is  there  for  infidelity  when  we  are  parting  daily 
with  our  friends  ?  There  is  none  at  all.  The  infidel  will  grasp  at 
every  straw  for  help  until  death  stares  him  in  the  face  and  then 
his  infidelity  takes  flight ;  for  the  realities  of  the  eternal  world  are 
resting  in  mighty  power  upon  him.  When  every  earthly  support 
fails  him,  he  sensibly  feels  the  eternal  truths  of  the  immortality 
of  the  soul. 

"Respecting  the  doctrine  of  baptism,  or  sprinkling  of  children, 
in  order  that  they  may  not  be  consigned  to  hell  I  wish  to  say,  it  is 
not  true,  nor  is  it  supported  by  Holy  Writ.  It  is  not  consistent 
with  the  character  of  God.  The  moment  children  leave  this  world 
they  are  taken  into  Abraham's  bosom.  The  only  difference  be- 
tween the  old  and  young  in  death  is  that  one  lives  longer  in  heaven 
and  in  eternal  light  and  glory  than  the  other  and  was  freed  a  little 
earlier  from  this  wicked  world.  Notwithstanding  all  this  glory  we 
for  a  moment  lose  sight  of  it  and  mourn  our  loss,  but  we  mourn 
not  as  those  without  hope. 

"We  should  take  warning  and  not  wait  for  deathbed  repent- 
ance. Let  it  be  a  warning  not  to  procrastinate  repentance,  not 
wait  for  death.  It  is  the  will  of  God  that  men  should  repent  arid 
serve  him  in  health  and  strength  and  in  the  power  of  their  minds 

12 


162  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

in  order  to  secure  divine  blessings.  God  has  made  certain  decrees 
which  are  fixed  and  unalterable.  He  set  the  sun,  the  moon,  and 
the  stars  and  gave  them  their  laws,  conditions,  and  bounds  which 
they  cannot  pass  except  by  His  command.  They  all  move  in  per^ 
feet  harmony  in  their  spheres  and  are  as  wondrous  lights  and 
signs  to  us.  The  sea  also  has  its  bounds  which  it  cannot  pass  with- 
out His  command.  God  has  set  many  signs  in  the  earth  as  well  as 
in  the  heavens.  The  oaks  of  the  forest,  the  herbs  of  the  field,  the 
fruit  of  the  tree  all  bear  signs  that  seeds  have  been  planted.  It 
is  a  decree  of  the  Lord  that  every  tree  or  herb  bearing  seed  shall 
bring  forth  after  its  own  kind.  Upon  the  same  principle  I  contend 
that  baptism  is  a  sign  and  ordinance  of  God  for  every  believer  in 
Christ  in  order  that  he  may  enter  into  the  Kingdom  of  God.  The 
Savior  said :  'Except  a  man  be  born  of  the  water  and  of  the  spirit 
he  cannot  enter  into  the  Kingdom  of  God.'  It  is  a  sign  and  a 
commandment  that  God  hath  given  whereby  man  may  enter  into 
His  Kingdom.  Those  who  seek  to  enter  in  any  other  way  will 
seek  in  vain.  God  will  never  receive  them  nor  will  angels  ac- 
knowledge their  works  if  they  have  not  taken  upon  themselves 
those  ordinances  and  signs  which  God  ordained  in  order  that  man 
might  receive  the  celestial  glory.  God  has  decreed  that  all  who  will 
not  obey  His  voice  shall  not  escape  the  damnation  of  hell.  And 
what  is  the  damnation  of  hell  ?  It  is  to  be  numbered  with  the  so- 
ciety of  those  who  have  not  obeyed  His  commandments.  Baptism 
is  a  sign  to  God  and  to  the  angels  and  to  heaven  that  we  do  the  will 
of  the  Father;  and  there  is  no  other  way  ordained  of  God  for 
man  to  come  unto  Him.  The  laying  on  of  hands  is  a  sign  given 
for  the  healing  of  the  sick  and  we  do  not  obtain  the  blessing  by 
pursuing  any  other  course.  The  same  is  true  in  reference  to  the 
gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  There  is  a  difference  between  the  Holy 
Ghost  and  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  Cornelius  received  the 
Holy  Ghost  before  he  was  baptized,  but  he  could  not  receive  the 
gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost  until  after  he  had  been  baptized.  Had  he 
not  received  the  ordinance  of  baptism,  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  con- 
vinced him  of  the  truth  of  God,  would  have  left  him  until  he  had 
obtained  the  ordinances  of  baptism  and  received  the  gift  of  the 
Holy  Ghost  by  the  laying  on  of  hands. 

"It  mattereth  not  whether  we  live  long  or  short  after  we  come 


TROUBLES  IN  NAUVOO,  1842.  163 

to  a  knowledge  of  the  principles  of  the  gospel  and  obey  them.  I 
know  that  all  men  will  be  damned  if  they  come  not  in  the  way 
which  God  has  ordained.  Concerning  the  resurrection  I  will  say 
merely  that  we  will  come  from  the  grave  as  we  lie  down,  whether 
we  die  old  or  young.  Not  one  cubit  will  be  added  to  or  taken 
away  from  our  stature.  'Blessed  are  the  dead  which  die  in  the 
Lord,  for  they  rest  from  their  labors  and  their  works  do  follow 
them.'  " 

"The  Prophet,"  says  Elder  Woodruff,  "then  called  upon  the 
people  to  assemble  themselves  in  prayer  before  God  and  call  upon 
Him  in  mighty  faith,  prayer,  and  fasting  that  the  inhabitants  of 
the  city  might  escape  the  power  of  the  destroyer  which  rageth 
upon  the  face  of  the  earth,  and  that  the  earth  might  be  sanctified 
under  their  feet."  Here  the  Prophet  clearly  sets  forth  the  principle 
that  the  blessings  of  our  spiritual  lives,  the  blessings  of  the  world 
hereafter  are  the  result  of  obedience  to  spiritual  laws,  or  divine 
command,  just  as  the  consequences  in  the  material  world  are  based 
upon  God's  laws  and  so-called  laws  of  nature.  "All,"  says  the  Doc- 
trine and  Covenants,  "who  will  have  a  blessing  at  my  hands  shall 
abide  the  law  which  was  appointed  for  that  blessing  and  the  con- 
ditions thereof  as  they  were  instituted  from  before  the  foundation 
of  the  world." 

After  this  discourse,  we  are  told  that  the  Prophet  went  into  the 
river  and  baptized  about  eighty  persons  for  the  remission  of  their 
sins.  Among  them  was  L.  D.  Wasson,  a  nephew  of  the  Prophet's 
wife.  He  was  the  only  one  of  her  kindred  thus  far  who  had  ac- 
cepted the  faith. 

"At  the  close  of  this  interesting  scene  the  Prophet  lifted  up 
his  hands  to  heaven  and  implored  the  blessings  of  God  upon  the 
people,  and  verily  the  spirit  of  God  rested  upon  the  multitude  to 
the  joy  and  consolation  of  our  hearts."  At  various  times,  at  in- 
tervals between  the  meetings,  large  numbers  received  at  the  hands 
of  the  Twelve  in  the  Temple  font  the  ordinance  of  baptism  for  the 
dead. 

During  these  times  the  emigration  from  England  brought  to 
Nauvoo  a  great  many  people.  Lyman  Wight  had  just  returned 
from  the  East  with  one  hundred  and  seventy  Saints,  and  brought 
with  him  three  thousand  dollars  worth  of  property  for  the  benefit 


164  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

of  the  Temple  and  the  Nauvoo  House.  The  annual  conference  of 
that  year  was  full  of  interest  to  the  people,  though  the  season  was 
a  rainy  one.  On  the  second  day  of  the  conference  when  Elder 
John  Taylor  was  addressing  the  assembled  multitude,  other  elders 
were  baptizing  in  the  font  and  elsewhere.  Elder  Woodruff  and 
six  others  of  the  Twelve  were  ordaining  elders.  "We  ordained 
275  elders,  the  most  that  we  ever  ordained  in  one  day  before  in 
the  Church." 

The  day  following  conference  was  the  funeral  of  Ephraim 
Marks.  In  the  course  of  his  remarks  at  the  funeral,  Elder  Wood- 
ruff quotes  the  Prophet  as  saying:  "Some  have  supposed  that 
the  Prophet  Joseph  could  not  die.  This  is  a  mistake.  It  is  true 
there  have  been  times  when  I  have  had  the  promise  of  my  life  to 
accomplish  certain  ends.  These  ends  have  been  accomplished, 
and  at  present  I  have  no  lease  upon  my  life.  I  am  as  liable  to  die 
as  other  men." 

Shortly  after  this  we  have  the  following  quotation  from  a 
discourse  delivered  by  the  Prophet  who  addressed  the  people  at 
the  grove  after  William  Law  had  spoken  to  them.  "I  wish  to 
say  a  few  words  to  suit  the  condition  of  the  general  masses,  and 
I  shall  speak  with  the  authority  of  the  priesthood  in  the  name  of 
the  Lord.  Notwithstanding  this  congregation  profess  to  be  Saints, 
I  stand  in  the  midst  of  all  kinds  of  characters  and  all  classes  of 
men.  If  you  wish  to  go  where  God  is,  you  must  be  like  Him  or 
possess  the  principle  which  He  possesses.  If  we  are  not  drawing 
toward  God  in  principle,  we  are  going  from  Him  and  drawing  to- 
ward the  devil.  Search  your  hearts  and  see  if  you  are  like  God.  I 
have  searched  mine  and  I  feel  to  repent  of  all  my  sins.  We  have 
among  us  thieves,  adulterers,  liars,  and  hypocrites.  If  God  should 
speak  from  the  heaven,  He  would  command  you  not  to  steal,  not 
to  commit  adultery,  not  to  covet,  not  to  deceive,  but  to  be  faith- 
ful over  a  few  things.  As  far  as  we  degenerate  from  God,  we  de- 
scend to  the  devil  and  lose  our  knowledge,  and  without  knowledge 
we  cannot  be  saved.  While  our  hearts  are  filled  with  evil  there  is 
no  room  in  them  for  good.  Is  God  good?  Then  be  ye  good.  If 
He  is  faithful,  then  be  ye  faithful.  Add  to  your  faith  virtue ;  and 
to  virtue,  knowledge ;  and  seek  for  every  good  thing.  The  Church 
must  be  cleansed  and  I  proclaim  against  all  iniquity.  A  man  is 
saved  no  faster  than  he  gets  knowledge,  for  if  he  does  not  get 


TROUBLES  IN  NAUVOO,  1842.  165 

knowledge  he  will  be  brought  into  captivity  by  some  evil  power. 
In  the  other  world  evil  spirits  have  more  knowledge  and  conse- 
quently more  power  than  many  men  on  earth  have.  We,  there- 
fore, need  revelation  to  assist  us  and  give  us  knowledge  of  the 
things  of  God.  The  priests  of  the  world  cloak  their  iniquity  by 
saying  there  is  no  more  revelation.  When  revelation  comes  from 
God  they  are  universally  opposed  to  it,  if  it  reveals  their  wicked- 
ness and  abominations." 

Turning  from  the  work  of  teaching  and  instructing  the  Saints, 
we  find  the  Prophet  and  the  people  taking  part  in  a  grand  mil- 
itary parade.  On  the  seventh  of  May  the  Nauvoo  Legion  of  nearly 
two  thousand  men  in  uniform  marched  through  the  streets  of 
Nauvoo  to  the  inspiring  strains  of  music  by  the  militia  band  and 
under  the  leadership  of  Joseph  Smith.  The  Prophet  and  the  peo- 
ple were  fulfilling  their  obligations  to  the  state  by  the  mainten- 
ance and  discipline  of  a  militia  that  did  so  much  to  become  an 
honor  to  the  people  of  Illinois.  What  they  did,  they  did  well,  but 
even  this  citizens'  duty  of  maintaining  a  splendid  milita  was  used 
for  the  purpose  of  creating  prejudice  in  the  eyes  of  the  people 
throughout  the  country.  The  enemies  at  home  never  lost  any  op- 
portunity to  inflame  the  public  mind,  and  to  justify  themselves 
therefore  by  the  consummation  of  a  conspiracy  to  encompass  the 
life  of  the  Prophet.  One  day  some  of  the  elders  found  themselves 
in  martial  array,  the  next  day  in  the  font  baptizing  for  their  kin- 
dred dead.  All  things  the  faithful  sought  to  do  for  the  honor  and 
glory  of  God  and  for  the  salvation  of  their  souls. 

On  the  22nd  of  May  that  year,  Elder  Woodruff  baptized 
George  A.  Smith  for  the  restoration  of  the  latter's  health.  In 
those  days  in  performing  the  ordinances  for  the  dead,  men  were 
baptized  for  women,  and  women  for  men.  Later  on,  however,  the 
Prophet  was  shown  that  in  the  sacred  ordinances  of  baptism  men 
and  women  should  be  baptized  for  their  ancestors,  each  for  his 
own  sex.  It  seems  very  remarkable  that  in  view  of  these  templt 
ordinances  men  should  seek  to  attribute  the  origin  of  these  ordin- 
ances to  Brigham  Young.  Elder  Woodruff,  in  his  journal,  re- 
cords the  temple  work,  unconscious  that  its  practice  would  ever  be 
questioned  in  generations  to  come. 

On  the  18th  of  June  a  large  congregation  of  Saints  assem- 
bled in  the  grove  near  the  Temple.  "To  these  thousands  there  as- 


166  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

sembled,"  Elder  Woodruff  says,  "Joseph,  the  prophet,  arose  and 
spoke  in  great  plainness  upon  the  corruption  and  wickedness  of 
John  C.  Bennett.  He  also  prophesied  that  if  the  merchants  of 
the  city  and  the  rich  did  not  open  their  hearts  and  contribute  to 
the  poor  they  would  be  cursed  by  the  hand  of  God  and  cut  off  from 
the  land  of  the  living."  The  words  of  the  Prophet  were  fulfilled. 
There  had  been  organized  an  agricultural  and  manufacturing  so- 
ciety in  view  of  giving  aid  to  the  poor. 

On  the  24th  of  June  that  year  there  was  a  meeting  of  the 
Nauvoo  Masonic  Lodge  for  the  celebration  of  St.  John.  A  num- 
ber of  the  leading  men  of  the  Church  took  part,  and  Sidney  Rig- 
don  delivered  an  appropriate  address.  All  efforts  to  stand  upon  a 
common  ground  with  the  citizens  generally  of  Nauvoo  were,  how- 
ever, unavailing.  John  C.  Bennett,  who  had  been  cut  off  the 
Church,  became  vindictive  and  took  advantage  of  the  political  con- 
ditions to  create  an  agitation  abroad  against  the  Saints. 

About  this  time  most  of  the  Twelve  were  sent  forth  again 
into  the  world  to  preach  the  gospel.  As  Apostles  Taylor  and 
Woodruff  were  publishing  the  "Times  and  Seasons"  they  re- 
mained at  home.  In  his  work  as  the  business  manager  of  that 
publication  he  labored  with  his  usual  zeal.  He  speaks  of  a  voyage 
he  took  down  the  Mississippi  by  steamer  to  purchase  material  in 
St.  Louis.  He  was  sick  on  the  way  and  after  reaching  the  city 
had  only  twenty-four  hours  in  which  to  make  his  purchases,  load 
his  material  on  board,  and  begin  his  homeward  journey.  To 
accomplish  this  he  says,  "I  walked  till  ten  o'clock  at  night,  and  I 
went  to  bed  weary  and  sick  and  in  severe  pain  and  did  not  sleep 
till  two  in  the  morning.  I  was  awakened  shortly  after  that  hour 
with  the  bleeding  of  the  nose,  through  which  I  must  have  lost  a 
pint  of  blood.  Notwithstanding  my  weakness  from  fatigue  and 
loss  of  blood,  I  began  work  before  breakfast  the  following  morn- 
ing. In  the  afternoon  my  supplies  were  all  on  board  the  boat.  I 
ate  dinner  and  went  to  bed  tired  and  sick.  The  boat  left  at  six  in 
the  evening  and  arrived  in  due  time  at  Keokuk." 

From  there  he  went  to  Montrose  by  stage  and  crossed  the 
river  to  Nauvoo,  -where  he  found  the  printing  press  stopped  for 
want  of  paper.  Notwithstanding  his  impoverished  physical  con- 
dition, Elder  Woodruff  took  a  skiff  and  rowed  down  the  river  to 
the  steamboat  which  had  been  delayed  for  five  days,  unable  to  go 


TROUBLES  IN  NAUVOO,  1842.  167 

over  the  rapids.    He  obtained  there  sufficient  paper  for  immediate 
use. 

Returning  over  the  rapids  he  reached  home  about  midnight, 
still  in  a  feverish  condition  and  suffering  from  a  severe  cold. 
"Since  the  boat  had  landed  -our  freight  and  I  had  seen  it  dis- 
tributed to  the  several  departments,  I  went  home  where  I  was  con- 
fined to  my  bed  and  passed  through  the  severest  siege  of  sick- 
ness I  ever  had  in  my  life."  He  was  confined  to  his  room  and 
most  of  the  time  to  his  bed  for  forty  days.  Upon  his  partial  re- 
covery he  found  himself  again  actively  engaged  in  his  work.  Dur- 
ing his  recovery  he  was  once  taken  by  Brigham  Young  in  his  car- 
riage to  attend  a  meeting  of  the  Council  of  the  Twelve.  He  had 
been  in  the  house  only  a  few  minutes  when  his  strength  began  to 
fail  him.  He  lay  down  upon  a  bench  and  became  unconscious. 
His  breath  ceased  for  a  few  moments,  but  he  revived  through  the 
administration  of  his  brethren.  Remarkable  testimonies  came  to 
him  respecting  the  healing  power  which  was  then  in  the  Church. 
Apostle  Woodruff  suffered  much  less  from  sickness  than  he  did 
from  his  inability  to  meet  the  Prophet  and  to  listen  to  the  glorious 
truths  which  he  had  to  impart  to  the  brethren. 

The  Prophet  was  then  much  of  his  time  in  hiding,  owing  to 
the  accusation  that  he  was  accessory  to  the  shooting  of  Governor 
Boggs  and  therefore  wanted  in  Missouri. 

Those  were  trying  times ;  many  of  the  people  questioned  their 
leader  and  the  wisdom  of  his  policy.  They  argued  among  them- 
selves that  the  Prophet  Joseph  had  done  nothing  wrong,  he  had 
nothing  to  fear.  They  wanted  him  to  clear  himself  with  the  world 
and  with  his  enemies;  that  was  the  honorable  thing,  as  they  saw 
it,  to  do.  Nothing  less  would  satisfy  them.  But  the  Prophet  knew 
very  well  the  sentiment  behind  those  who  demanded  his  presence 
in  Missouri.  The  fear  of  the  enemy  was  less  trying  to  him  than 
the  folly  of  many  of  his  brethren  who  were  swayed  by  the  spirit 
of  the  age  and  the  peculiar  sophistries  of  those  times.  They 
were  sophistries  as  full  of  folly  and  recklessness  as  many  that  have 
prevailed  in  the  Church  since  then,  and  are  now  prevalent  in  many 
places. 

On  the  30th  of  October,  1842,  for  the  first  time,  the  Saints 
held  a  meeting  in  the  Nauvoo  Temple.  A  temporary  floor  was 
laid  within  the  unfinished  walls ;  and  about  three  thousand  Saints, 


168  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

full  of  joyful  anticipations,  assembled  to  hear  the  Prophet  of  God. 
They  were  disappointed,  as  sickness  and  other  causes  prevented 
his  appearance  on  that  occasion. 

Those  who  were  faithful  and  true  were  sad  over  the  enforced 
absence  of  their  leader.  Steps  were  taken  by  the  city  council  with 
the  view  of  passing  a  bill  granting  the  right  of  the  writ  of  habeas 
corpus  within  the  city.  They  thought  such  a  law  would  be  a  pro- 
tection to  Joseph  and  other  leading  men  who  were  constantly  har- 
rassed  by  their  enemies  without  a  cause.  The  writ  of  habeas 
corpus  was  a  burning  question  in  those  days,  as  the  liberties  of 
the  elders  were  constantly  menaced. 

On  the  7th  of  December  that  year,  Elder  Orson  Hyde  returned 
from  his  mission  to  Jerusalem,  where  he  had  gone  by  appointment 
through  revelation  to  dedicate  the  Holy  Land  for  the  return  of  the 
Jews.  After  performing  the  mission  he  returned  home  to  give  an 
account  of  his  experiences  and  of  the  country.  The  Holy  Land 
came  within  the  hopes,  promises,  and  blessings  of  the  new  dispen- 
sation. The  promise  of  its  redemption  had  been  made.  Many  of 
the  elders  rejoiced  in  what  they  hoped  would  be  its  early  fulfill- 
ment. As  children  in  their  new  found  calling,  they  possessed  the 
impatience  of  youth,  and  the  fulfillment  of  God's  purposes  they 
hoped  speedily. 

Most  of  the  year  1842  found  Elder  Woodruff  at  home,  with 
his  family.  He  was  engaged  in  all  sorts  of  occupations,  and  his 
journal  records  a  great  variety  of  work.  On  the  19th  of  Septem- 
ber he  had  cut  an  acre  of  corn  and  stacked  it.  During  the  days 
immediately  following  he  was  occupied  in  hauling  wood  to  his 
door.  He  had  traveled  only  450  miles  that  year,  a  modest  journey 
for  him.  During  those  times  he  had  learned  to  know  more  of  the 
Prophet,  more  of  the  doctrines  which  he  taught,  and  more  of  the 
spirit  by  which  he  was  actuated.  Joseph  Smith,  himself,  was  a 
revelation  to  President  Woodruff ;  he  was  a  marvel  and  wonder  to 
his  mind.  He  was  no  less  than  a  prophet  of  God,  equally  import- 
ant with  the  prophets  of  old ;  aye !  more  so.  The  privilege  of  asso- 
ciating with  the  Prophet  of  God  was  the  most  glorious  opportu- 
nity of  his  life,  and  his  journal  contains  unnumbered  manifesta- 
tions of  sublime  satisfaction  over  the  dispensations  of  his  Heaven- 
ly Father. 


CHAPTER  17. 
TEACHINGS    OF   THE   PROPHET   JOSEPH,    1843. 

Change  in  Governors  of  Missouri  and  Illinois. — Prophet's  Release. — 
Discourse  on  Authority. — Signs  in  the  Heavens. — New  Arrivals  of 
Saints. — Death  of  Lorenzo  Barnes. — Discourse  on  Knowledge. — 
Great  Truths. — Prophet's  Knowledge  of  Men. — Wilford  Woodruff's 
Bond  for  Temple  Funds.— Opposition  to  Revealed  Truth.— Hell 
Defined. — Prophet  Arrested. — His  Release. 

Elder  Woodruff  celebrated  New  Year's  day,  1843,  by  a 
sleigh  ride  over  in  Iowa.  There  he  had  gone  fifteen  miles  to  per- 
form a  marriage  ceremony  in  behalf  of  Abraham  Newbury  and 
Miss  Eliza  Duty. 

The  New  Year  brought  relief  to  the  Prophet  and  to  the 
Church  in  consequence  of  a  political  change  in  the  governorship 
of  both  Missouri  and  Illinois.  While  Governors  Carlin  and 
Reynolds  held  the  office  of  governors  of  these  states,  justice  was 
beyond  all  hope.  They*  were  bitter  and  would  yield  themselves 
gladly  to  the  demands  of  those  who  were  persecuting  and  hound- 
ing the  Prophet. 

The  17th  day  of  January  was  appointed  by  general  proclam- 
ation a  day  of  humiliation,  fasting,  prayer,  and  thanksgiving.  The 
deliverance  of  the  Prophet  from  the  hands  of  his  enemies  and  his 
return  to  the  Saints  in  Nauvoo  were  sources  of  unbounded  joy  to 
them.  Elder  Woodruff  met,  with  others,  at  the  Prophet's  home 
and  took  part  there  in  friendly  and  brotherly  greetings  with 
those  who  welcomed  the  liberty  and  return  of  their  leader. 

The  day  following,  the  Twelve  were  among  those  who  met  at 
Joseph's  home  where  he  and  his  wife  entertained  about  seventy 
people.  Among  them  were  twenty  men  who  had  attended  him  at 
his  trial  in  Springfield  and  returned  with  him  to  Nauvoo.  There 
was  an  apparently  universal  joy  over  the  outcome  of  his  trial. 
The  people  in  those  days,  however,  like  Israel  of  old  associated 
certain  worldly  successes  with  their  ideas  of  right,  and  misfortunes 
with  their  ideas  of  wrong.  "Who  hath  sinned,"  Jesus  was  asked 
upon  healing  a  man  of  His  times,  "he  or  his  parents?"  Those 
sacrifices,  trioulations,  trials,  and  persecutions  accompany  those 
who  are  valiant  for  their  God  and  maintain  His  commandments. 


170  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

Men  are  prone,  nevertheless,  to  attribute  worldly  misfortunes  to 
wrong  doing  even  though  men  suffer  ?n  the  performance  of  some 
God-given  requirement. 

While  Joseph  was  driven  from  his  home  and  affairs  into  se- 
clusion, and  persecuted  and  afflicted  by  his  enemies,  there  were 
those  who  were  ready  to  listen  to  the  sophistries  and  cunning 
arguments  of  the  hypocrite  and  the  Pharisee  in  their  midst. 
In  his  absence  and  in  his  seclusion  the  powerfulness  of  his  per- 
sonalty was  not  so  strongly  felt,  and  the  evil  inclinations  of  men 
found  opportunities  for  gratification  and  justification.  Now  that 
he  had  returned  to  their  midst,  free  to  preach,  and  free  to  rebuke, 
there  was  rejoicing  among  even  those  who  have  no  higher  con- 
ception of  divine  purposes  than  to  associate  worldly  success  with 
God's  favors  and  misfortune  with  His  displeasure. 

On  the  22nd  of  January,  1843,  at  the  Nauvoo  Temple  the 
Prophet  delivered  a  discourse  to  the  multitude  present.  Elder 
Woodruff,  ever  faithful  to  his  mission  as  a  journalist  of  early 
Church  history,  gives  a  synopsis  of  the  discourse  from  which 
the  following  is  taken:  "In  consequence  of  rejecting  the  gos- 
pel of  Jesus  Christ  and  the  prophets  whom  God  hath  sent,  His 
judgments  have  rested  upon  peoples,  states,  and  nations  in  various 
ages  of  the  world.  This  was  the  case  with  the  cities  of  Sodom 
and  Gomorah  which  were  destroyed  for  rejecting  prophets 

"I  will  now  give  my  testimony.  I  care  not  what  man  can 
do.  I  speak  boldly  and  faithfully  and  with  authority.  Where 
there  is  no  Kingdom  of  God  there  is  no  salvation.  Where  there 
is  a  prophet,  or  a  priest,  or  a  righteous  man  unto  whom  the  Lord 
gives  His  oracles,  there  is  the  Kingdom.  Where  the  oracles  are 
not,  the  Kingdom  of  God  is  not.  In  these  remarks  I  make  no 
allusion  to  the  kingdoms  of  the  earth.  We  will  keep  the  laws  of 
the  land ;  we  do  not  speak  against  them,  nor  have  we  ever  done  so. 
We  can  scarcely  make  mention  of  the  State  of  Missouri  and  our 
persecutions  there  without  a  cry  going  forth  that  we  are  guilty 
of  treason.  We  speak  of  the  Kingdom  of  God  on  the  earth  and 
not  of  the  kingdoms  of  man. 

"The  plea  of  many  is  that  we  have  no  right  to  receive 
revelations,  but  if  we  do  not  receive  revelations  we  do  not 
have  the  oracles  of  God,  and  they  who  do  not  have  His 
oracles  are  not  His  people.  You  ask.  'What  will  become 


TEACHINGS  OF  THE  PROPHET  JOSEPH,  1843.     171 

of  the  world  and  the  various  professors  of  religion  who  do 
not  believe  in  revelation  and  in  the  oracles  of  God  as  con- 
tained in  His  Church  in  the  ages  of  the  world  when  he  had  a 
people  upon  the  earth?'  I  tell  you  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ, 
they  will  be  damned,  and  when  you  get  into  the  eternal  world  you 
will  find  it  so.  They  cannot  escape  the  damnation  of  hell. 

"As  touching  the  gospel  and  baptism  of  John,  I  would  say 
that  John  came  preaching  the  gospel  for  the  remisson  of  sins. 
He  had  authority  from  God,  and  his  oracles  were  with  him,  and  the 
Kingdom  for  a  season  seemed  to  rest  with  John  alone.  He  was 
a  legal  administrator.  Those  who  were  baptized  were  subjects 
for  the  Kingdom.  The  laws  and  oracles  of  God  were  there;  so 
also  was  the  Kingdom  of  God.  No  man  could  have  better  auth- 
ority to  administer  than  John,  and  even  the  Savior  Himself  sub- 
mitted to  that  authority  by  being  baptized  of  John.  John  was  a 
priest  after  the  order  of  Aaron  and  held  the  keys  of  that  priest- 
hood. He  came  forth  preaching  repentance  and  baptism  for  the 
remission  of  sins,  but  at  the  same  time  crying:  'There  cometh 
one  after  me  mightier  than  I,  the  latchet  of  whose  shoe  I  am  not 
worthy  to  unloose.'  Christ  came,  according  to  the  word  of  John. 
He  was  greater  than  John  because  he  held  the  keys  of  the  Mel- 
chizedek  priesthood  and  the  Kingdom  of  God,  and  had  before 
revealed  the  priesthood  to  Moses.  Jesus  says  in  his  teachings : 
'Upon  this  rock  will  I  build  my  Church  and  the  gates  of  hell 
shall  not  prevail  against  it.'  What  rock?  The  rock  of  revelation. 
Yet  Christ  was  baptized  by  John  to  fulfill  all  righteousness.  He 
says,  'Except  ye  are  born  of  the  water  and  of  the  spirit  ye  can- 
not enter  into  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven;  though  the  heavens  and 
the  earth  pass  away  my  word  shall  not  pass  away.'  If  a  man  be 
born  of  the  water  and  the  spirit  he  can  enter  into  the  Kingdom 
of  God.  It  is  evident  that  the  Kingdom  of  God  was  upon  the 
earth  and  that  John  prepared  subjects  for  that  Kingdom  by 
preaching  the  gospel  and  by  baptizing  them.  He  preached  the 
same  gospel  and  baptism  that  Jesus  and  the  apostles  preached 
after  him. 

"The  endowment  of  Pentecost  was  to  prepare  the  disciples 
for  their  mission  in  the  world.  Whenever  a  man  can  find  out  the 
will  of  God  and  find  an  administrator  legally  authorized  from 
Him,  there  is  the  Kingdom  of  God;  but  where  these  are  not, 


172  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

there  the  Kingdom  of  God  is  not.  All  the  ordinances,  systems, 
and  administrations  on  the  earth  are  of  no  use  to  the  children 
of  men  unless  they  are  ordained  and  authorized  of  God.  None 
others  will  be  acknowledged  either  by  God  or  by  angels. 

"I  know  what  I  say,  I  understand  my  mission,  God  almighty 
is  my  shield  and  what  can  man  do  if  He  is  my  friend.  /  shall  not 
be  sacrificed  until  my  time  comes,  then  I  shall  be  offered  freely. 
I  thank  the  Lord  for  delivering  me  from  my  enemies.  I  have 
no  enmity,  I  have  no  desire  but  to  do  all  men  good.  I  feel  to  pray 
for  all  men.  We  do  not  ask  people  to  throw  away  any  good 
which  they  have,  we  only  ask  them  to  come  and  receive  more. 
What  if  all  the  world  should  embrace  this  gospel?  We  should 
then  see  eye  to  eye  and  the  blessings  of  God  would  be  poured  out 
upon  the  people,  which  is  my  whole  soul's  desire.  Amen." 

We  are  not  informed  whether  there  were  present  men  and 
women  ready  to  criticize  this  address  as  a  want  of  discretion  in 
the  Prophet  for  the  use  of  such  language.  No  doubt  there  were. 
He  had  just  gotten  out  of  trouble  and  they,  no  doubt,  argued, 
why  should  he  use  language  that  would  bring  upon  him  more 
trouble.  The  Prophet  was  not  thinking  of  trouble;  he  was  not 
occupied  in  selecting  the  most  discreet  words.  He  had  a  mission 
that  put  upon  him  obligations ;  come  what  may,  these  obligations 
must  be  fulfilled.  He  was  not  concerned  so  much  about  his 
personal  welfare  and  safety  as  he  was  about  the  welfare  and 
salvation  of  mankind. 

Not  long  after  this,  on  the  10th  of  March,  Elder  Woodruff 
gives  an  account  of  peculiar  signs  which  he  witnessed  in  the 
heavens.  The  occurrence  took  place  about  seven  o'clock  in  the 
evening  and  lasted  for  about  three  hours.  There  was  a  stream  of 
light  in  the  form  of  a  drawn  broadsword  with  the  hilt  down- 
ward and  the  blade  pointing  upward  from  the  southeast  at 
an  angle  of  45  degrees.  This  sign  appeared  for  five  successive 
evenings.  On  the  evening  of  the  14th  it  moved  to  a  position  near 
the  moon.  It  then  formed  itself  into  a  large  ring  on  the  inside 
of  which  appeared  balls  of  light,  something  like  sundogs.  An- 
other half  ring  issued  from  these  balls  in  the  shape  of  a  horse- 
shoe. They  extended  outside  of  the  ring  with  one  line  running 
through  the  center  of  the  moon.  Of  this  manifestation  he  quotes 
the  Prophet  as  saying :  "As  sure  as  there  is  a  God  who  sits  in  the 


TEACHINGS  OF  THE  PROPHET  JOSEPH,  1843.      173 

heavens,  and  as  sure  as  He  ever  spoke  by  my  mouth,  there  will  be  a 
bloody  war;  and  the  broadsword  sign  in  the  heavens  is  a  sign 
thereof." 

Several  days  later  other  remarkable  signs  were  seen  in  the 
heavens.  Orson  Pratt,  professor  of  mathematics  in  the  Univer- 
sity of  Nauvoo,  sketched  a  diagram  of  the  halos  and  perihelion, 
or  circles;  and  mock  suns  were  discovered  in  the  heavens  on  the 
morning  of  March  23rd,  1843 ;  there  were  still  other  signs.  As  in 
the  case  of  the  sword  there  was  seen  on  the  opposite  side  of  the 
horizon  a  streak  of  blackness,  the  other  appeared  like  the  blaze  of 
a  comet. 

During  these  times  the  river  banks  along  Nauvoo  presented 
busy  scenes.  The  city  was  full  of  activity  and  was  constantly  en- 
larging by  reason  of  the  emigration  from  abroad.  On  the  12th 
and  13th  of  March  steamboats  landed  at  Nauvoo  bringing  480 
Saints,  250  of  these  wintered  in  St.  Louis.  Parley  P.  Pratt 
and  Dr.  Levi  Richards  were  among  the  returning  elders.  Many 
of  the  Saints  were  old  acquaintances  of  President  Woodruff 
who  hailed  them  with  delight  and  they  in  turn  were  happy  to  meet 
again  the  man  who  had  first  brought  the  gospel  to  them.  They 
were  made  welcome  by  the  authorities  and  the  Saints  in  Nauvoo. 
The  day  after  their  arrival,  they  were  addressed  in  public  as- 
sembly by  the  Prophet. 

About  this  time  word  came  that  Elder  Lorenzo  Barnes,  then 
a  missionary  of  the  Church,  had  died  in  a  foreign  land.  Speak- 
ing of  the  death  of  Elder  Barnes,  the  prophet,  in  a  discourse  de- 
livered on  the  16th  of  April  in  reference  to  Elder  Barnes,  said: 
"I  should  have  been  more  reconciled  to  the  death  of  Elder  Barnes 
could  his  body  have  been  laid  in  the  grave  in  Nauvoo  or  among  the 
Saints.  I  have  very  peculiar  feelings  in  the  matter  of  receiving  an 
honorable  burial  with  my  fathers.  The  ancient  Saints  were  very 
particular  about  their  burial  places.  Joseph,  before  his  death, 
made  his  kindred  promise  to  carry  his  bones  to  the  land  of  Canaan, 
and  they  did  so.  They  embalmed  his  body  and  buried  him  with 
his  fathers.  There  is  a  blessing  in  such  a  privilege  which  many 
do  not  comprehend;  still  it  is  true  that  in  the  resurrection  the 
Saints  will  all  rise  to  meet  the  Lord  and  they  will  all  be  brought 
together  thougn  their  bodies  be  scattered  on  the  face  of  the  whole 
earth. 


174  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

"I  wish  the  Saints  to  be  comforted  by  the  thought  of  the 
victory  they  will  gain  through  the  resurrection.  The  thought  is 
sufficient  to  encourage  the  Saints  to  overcome  obstacles  in  the 
midst  of  their  trial,  trouble,  and  tribulation.  Though  the  thun- 
ders roar  and  the  earthquakes  roar  or  bellow;  though  lightnings 
Hash  and  war  be  on  every  hand,  suffer  not  a  joint  to  tremble  nor 
let  your  hearts  faint  for  the  great  Eloheim  will  deliver  you.  If 
you  are  not  delivered  before  the  resurrection,  you  will  be  set  free 
by  it  from  all  those  things  and  from  pain,  sorrow,  and  death. 

"I  have  labored  hard  and  endeavored  in  every  way  to  pre- 
pare this  people  to  comprehend  the  things  which  God  is  un- 
folding to  me.  He  hath  given  me  a  vision  of  the  resurrection  of 
the  dead  and  I  saw  the  graves  open,  and  the  Saints,  as  they 
rose,  took  each  other  by  the  hand  and  great  joy  and  glory  rested 
upon  them." 

On  the  19th  of  that  month  Elder  Woodruff  with  Brigham 
Young,  Heber  C.  Kimball,  Orson  Hyde,  Orson  Pratt,  and  Wil- 
liam Smith  were  appointed  to  missions  in  the  East  for  the  purpose 
of  holding  conferences  and  gathering  funds  for  the  completion 
of  the  Temple.  Others  were  appointed  to  missions  in  England, 
and  Addison  Pratt,  with  three  others,  was  called  to  carry  the 
gospel  to  the  Sandwich  Islands. 

May  14th  a  meeting  was  held  in  Lima  where  the  Prophet  ad- 
dressed those  present,  among  whom  was  Elder  Woodruff. 
He  records  in  his  journal  the  following  from  the  discourse 
of  the  Prophet:  "It  is  not  wisdom  that  we  should  have  all 
knowledge  presented  to  us  at  once,  but  a  little  at  a  time  that 
we  may  comprehend  it.  The  principle  of  knowledge  is  the 
principle  of  salvation.  Any  one  who  will  not  receive  knowledge 
to  be  saved  will  be  damned.  The  principle  of  salvation  is  given 
to  us  through  the  knowledge  of  Jesus  Christ.  Salvation  is  noth- 
ing more  nor  less  than  the  triumph  over  all  our  enemies  in  this 
world  and  over  all  evil  spirits  in  the  world  to  come.  In  the 
case  of  Jesus  Christ  He  was  to  reign  until  He  had  put  all  enemies 
under  His  feet,  and  the  last  enemy  was  death. 

"There  is  a  principle  here  that  few  men  have  thought  of. 
No  person  can  have  this  salvation  except  through  a  tabernacle. 
In  this  world  men  are  naturally  selfish  and  ambitious.  They  strive 
to  excel,  yet  some  are  willing  to  build  up  others  as  well  as 


TEACHINGS  OF  THE  PROPHET  JOSEPH,  1843.      175 

themselves.  In  the  other  world  there  is  a  variety  of  spirits,  some 
of  whom  also  seek  to  excel.  This  was  the  case  with  the  devil 
when  he  fell.  He  was  seeking  things  which  were  unlawful,  he 
was,  therefore,  cast  down  and  it  is  said  that  he  carried  away 
many  with  him.  His  punishment  is  great  in  that  he  is  not  per- 
mitted to  have  a  tabernacle.  Lucifer,  planning  to  overthrow 
the  decree  of  God,  goeth  up  and  down  the  earth  seeking  whom 
he  may  destroy.  Any  person  who  will  yield  to  him,  he  will  bind  and 
take  into  possesson  his  body  and  reign  therein  and  glorify  him- 
self, forgetting  that  he  has  not  a  body  of  his  own.  By  and  by 
some  one  comes  along  having  divine  authority  and  casts  him  out 
and  restores  the  tabernacle  to  its  rightful  owner." 

Speaking  upon  the  19th  verse,  first  chapter  of  Second  Peter 
which  reads:  "We  have  also  a  more  sure  word  of  prophecy: 
whereunto  ye  do  well  that  ye  take  heed  as  unto  the  light  that 
shineth  in  a  dark  place,  until  the  day  dawn  of  the  day  star  arises 
in  your  hearts."  The  Prophet  said:  "There  is  a  grand  secret 
here  and  a  key  that  unlocks.  Notwithstanding  the  apostle  exhorts 
them  to  add  to  their  faith,  virtue,  knowledge,  temperance,  and 
so  forth,  he  still  exhorts  them  to  make  their  calling  and  election 
sure.  Though  they  had  heard  the  audible  voice  from  heaven 
bearing  testimony  that  Jesus  was  the  Son  of  God,  yet  they  have  a 
more  sure  prophecy.  Wherein  could  they  have  a  more  sure 
word  of  prophecy  than  to  hear  the  voice  of  God  saying,  'This 
is  my  beloved  Son?'  This  would  be  no  evidence  that  their  calling 
and  election  were  made  sure,  that  they  do  have  a  part  with  Christ 
and  be  a  joint  heir  with  Him.  They  would  need  that  more  sure 
word  of  prophecy  that  they  were  sealed  in  the  heavens,  and  had  the 
promise  of  eternal  life  in  the  Kingdom  of  God.  Having  this 
promise  sealed  unto  them  it  was  an  anchor  to  their  souls,  sure 
and  steadfast.  This  knowledge  would  support  the  soul  in  their 
hour  of  trial  and  tribulation. 

"Knowledge  through  our  Lord  and  Savior  Jesus  Christ  is 
the  grand  key  which  unlocks  the  glorious  mysteries  of  the  King- 
dom. Compare  this  principle  of  knowledge  with  Christendom 
at  the  present  time,  and  what  becomes  of  their  religion  and 
piety.  Christendom  is  crying  out  against  prophets  and  apostles, 
angels,  visions,  and  revelations;  it  is  ripening  for  the  damnation 
of  hell,  for  it  rejects  the  most  glorious  principle  of  the  gospel 


176  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

of  Jesus  Christ;  it  rejects  and  disdains  the  key  which  unlocks 
the  Heavens  and  puts  into  our  possession  the  glories  of  the 
celestial  world.  The  men  of  Christendom  with  all  their  pro- 
fessed Godliness  will  be  damned  unless  they  repent  and  turn  unto 
the  Lord.  I  would  exhort  you,  then,  to  call  upon  God  until  you 
make  your  calling  and  election  sure  by  obtaining  this  more  sure 
word  of  prophecy  and  wait  patiently  until  you  obtain  it." 

These  words  contained  no  element  of  compromise.  The  lan- 
guage of  the  Prophet  could  not  be  mistaken.  He  was  much  less 
concerned  about  his  personal  liberty  than  about  delivering  the  mes- 
sage which  he  had  to  give  to  the  world. 

Whatever  the  Prophet  said  was  always  of  deep  significance 
to  the  mind  of  Elder  Woodruff,  and  he  recorded  the  private 
sayings  of  his  leader  with  the  same  fidelity  that  he  recorded  his 
public  discourses.  After  the  meeting  where  the  discourse  above 
mentioned  was  delivered,  he  took  supper  with  the  Prophet  and  oth- 
ers at  the  home  of  Calvin  Beebe.  In  this  social  pastime  the  Proph- 
et gave  utterance  to  sentiments  and  ideas  which  he  entertained 
The  following  quotations  from  the  Prophet  find  a  place  in  Elder 
Woodruff's  journal: 

"The  way  to  get  along  in  any  important  matter  is  to  call  to 
yourself  wise  men,  men  of  experience  and  age  to  give  counsel 
in  times  of  trouble." 

"Handsome  men  are  not  usually  wise  and  strong-minded.  The 
strength  of  a  strong-minded  man  will  create  coarse  features 
like  the  rough,  strong  bough  of  the  oak." 

"You  may  adways  discover  in  the  first  glance  at  a  man,  in  the 
outline  of  his  features,  something  of  his  mind." 

"Excitement  has  almost  become  the  essence  of  my  life,  when 
it  dies  away  I  feel  almost  lost.  When  a  man  is  reigned  up  con- 
tinually he  becomes  strong  and  gains  knowledge  and  power ;  but 
when  he  relaxes  for  a  season  he  loses  much  of  his  power." 

"In  all  matters,  whether  temporal  or  spiritual,  preaching  the 
gospel  or  leading  an  army  to  battle,  victory  almost  entirely  de- 
pends upon  moderation  and  good  discipline.  Let  no  confusion 
seize  your  breast,  act  firmly,  strike  a  heavy  blow,  and  conquer." 

"A  man  can  bear  a  heavy  burden  by  practice  and  by  continu- 
ing to  increase  it." 

"The  inhabitants  of  this  continent  were  so  constituted,  that 


TEACHINGS  OF  THE  PROPHET  JOSEPH,  1843.      177 

is,  were  so  determined  and  persevering  in  their  righteousness  or 
wickedness,  that  God  visited  them  immediately,  either  with  great 
judgment  or  blessings." 

"If  the  present  generation  receive  any  assistance  from  God, 
they  will  have  to  obtain  it  by  faith." 

In  the  midst  of  his  missionary  activites,  Apostle  Woodruff 
began  the  construction  of  a  new  home.  During  all  the  years 
of  his  labor  in  the  Church  he  had  been  without  a  home  of  his 
own.  His  unselfish  devotion  to  the  work  of  the  Church  and  the 
circumstances  with  which  he  was  surrounded  led  his  brethren  to 
encourage  him  in  the  erection  of  a  house  for  his  family.  He  took 
up  the  work  with  the  same  heart-felt  enthusiasm  that  he  gave  to 
every  undertaking.  The  home,  when  finished,  was,  for  those 
days,  modest  and  respectable.  It  stands  to-day  in  Nauvoo  with 
the  homes  of  other  leading  brethren  of  those  times  in  a  fairly 
good  state  of  preservation. 

"On  the  27th  of  May,"  he  says,  "the  Twelve  and  the  First 
Presidency  met  to  try  Benjamin  Winchester  for  slandering  the 
Saints  in  Philadelphia  and  for  rejecting  the  counsel  of  the  Lord 
given  through  His  servants.  His  license  to  preach  was  taken  away 
and  he  was  required  to  repent  or  lose  his  standing  in  the  Church." 
Speaking  of  this  circumstance  the  subject  of  this  biography  says, 
"Hyrum  pled  for  mercy;  Joseph,  for  right;  and  the  Twelve  de- 
cided according  to  the  testimony."  During  the  trial,  the  Prophet 
gave  the  following  instructions :  "In  all  your  counsels,  especially 
where  you  have  cases  to  try,  observe  the  spirit  relating  to  the 
subject,  and  discern  the  spirit  by  which  either  party  is  governed. 
The  council  should  not  be  imposed  upon  by  any  unruly  con- 
duct." 

"The  Saints  need  not  think  because  I  am  familiar  and  cheer- 
ful with  them  that  I  am  ignorant  of  what  is  going  on.  Iniquity 
of  any  kind  cannot  be  retained  in  the  Church  and  it  will  not 
fare  well  where  I  am ;  for  I  am  determined  that  while  I  lead  the 
Church  to  lead  it  aright." 

Before  taking  their  departure  on  their  missions  to  gather 
funds  for  the  erection  of  the  Temple,  they  each  gave  a  bond  in 
the  sum  of  two  thousand  dollars  for  the  faithful  performance 
of  their  duties  in  making  a  strict  return  to  the  trustee-in-trust 
of  all  funds  collected  by  them.  There  had  been  much  false  ac- 

13 


178  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

cusation  and  comment  about  the  use  of  funds  contributed  for  the 
erection  of  the  Temple.  These  funds  not  only  placed  the  Twelve 
under  financial  obligations,  but  did  what  was  of  perhaps  more  con- 
sequence, gave  assurance  to  those  who  made  contributions  that 
their  money  would  be  strictly  accounted  for.  The  bond  given  by 
Elder  Woodruff  was  signed  by  Aaron  Johnson  as  bondsman. 

"To  all  the  Saints  and  honorable  men  of  the  earth  greeting: 
Dear  Brethren  and  Friends, — 

"I,  Joseph  Smith,  a  servant  of  the  Lord  and  Trustee-in-Trust 
for  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints,  do  hereby 
certify  that  the  bearer  hereof,  Wilford  Woodruff,  an  elder  and  one 
of  the  Twelve  Apostles  of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter- 
day  Saints,  has  deposited  with  me  his  bond  and  security  to  my 
full  satisfaction  according  to  the  resolution  of  the  conference  held 
in  this  city  on  the  6th  day  of  April,  1843. 

"He,  therefore,  is  recommended  to  all  Saints  and  honorable 
people  as  legal  agent  to  collect  funds  for  the  purpose  of  build- 
ing the  Nauvoo  House  and  Temple  of  the  Lord. 

"Confident  that  he  will  honor  this  high  trust  as  well  as 
ardently  fulfill  his  commission  as  a  messenger  of  peace  and  sal- 
vation as  one  of  the  Lord's  noble  men,  I  can  fervently  say,  may 
the  Lord  clear  his  way  before  him  and  bless  him  and  bless  those 
that  obey  his  teachings  wherever  there  are  ears  to  hear  and  hearts 
to  feel. 

"He  is,  in  the  language  of  the  Hebrews,  'The  friend  of 
Israel/  and  worthy  to  be  received  and  entertained  as  a  man  of 
God.  Yea  he  has  (as  had  the  ancient  apostles)  the  good  word 
that  leadeth  unto. Eternal  Life. 

"Wherefore,  brethren  and  friends,  while  you  hear  the  assur- 
ance of  the  integrity,  fidelity,  and  ability  of  this  servant  of  the 
living  God  I  trust  that  your  he'arts  and  energies  will  be  enlivened 
and  deeply  engaged  in  the  building  of  these  houses  directed  by 
revelation  for  the  salvation  of  all  Saints  and  that  you  will  not  rest 
where  you  are  until  all  things  are  prepared  before  you  and  you 
are  gathered  home  with  the  rest  of  Israel  to  meet  your  God.  I  feel 
strong  in  the  belief  and  have  a  growing  expectation  that  you  will 
not  withhold  any  means  in  your  power  that  can  be  used  to  ac- 
complish this  glorious  work. 


TEACHINGS  OF  THE  PROPHET  JOSEPH,  1843.      179 

"Finally,  as  one  that  greatly  desires  the  salvation  of  man, 
let  me  remind  you  all  to  strive  with  a  Godly  zeal  for  virtue,  holi- 
ness, and  the  commandments  of  the  Lord.  Be  wise,  be  just, 
be  liberal,  and  above  all  be  charitable,  ever  abounding  in  all 
good  works,  and  may  health,  peace,  and  the  love  of  God  our 
Father  and  the  grace  of  Jesus  Christ  be  and  abide  with  you  all 
is  the  sincere  prayer  of 

Your  devoted  Brother  and  Friend  in  the  Everlasting  Gospel, 

JOSEPH  SMITH. 
City  of  Nauvoo 

June  1st,  1843." 

On  the  llth  of  June  there  was  a  meeting  of  the  Saints  in 
the  Temple  wherein  the  Prophet  addressed  those  present  upon 
various  subjects  such  as  baptism  for  the  dead,  spirits  in  prison, 
different  degrees  of  glory,  and  the  Godhead.  The  Temple  ordi- 
nances were  occupying  the  Prophet's  mind  and  he  was  urging 
strenuously  the  completion  of  the  Temple.  To  its  sacred  ordi- 
nances he  attached  the  highest  importance,  and,  indeed,  he  de- 
clared them  necessary  to  a  fulness  of  the  glory  of  God.  He  began 
by  reading  the  words  of  Jesus:  "CM-  Jerusalem,  Jerusalem, 
how  oft  would  I  have  gathered  thy  children  together,  even 
as  a  hen  gathereth  her  chickens  under  her  wings,  and  ye  would 
not."  "The  main  purpose  in  gathering  the  people  of  God  was  to 
build  unto  the  Lord  a  house  wherein  He  could  reveal  to  them  the 
ordinances  and  glories  of  His  Kingdom.  There  are  certain  ordi- 
nances and  principles  which  were  taught  and  practiced  which 
must  be  done  in  a  temple  of  the  Lord  built  for  that  purpose. 
This  was  ordained  in  the  mind  of  God  before  the  world  was  and 
through  this  purpose  the  Lord  designed  the  gathering  of  the 
Jews,  but  they  rebelled  against  Him.  For  the  same  reason  the 
Lord  gathers  His  Saints  in  the  last  days.  One  of  the  ordinances 
of  the  House  of  the  Lord  is  baptism  for  the  dead.  God  de- 
creed before  the  foundation  of  the  world  that  this  ordinance 
should  be  administered  in  a  house  prepared  for  that  purpose. 
If  a  man  obtains  the  fullness  of  the  gospel,  he  must  do  as  Jesus 
did  by  keeping  all  the  ordinances  of  the  House  of  the  Lord. 

"Men  will  say,  'I  will  never  forsake  you  but  will  stand  by 
you  at  all  tmes,'  yet  the  moment  you  teach  them  some  of  the 


180  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

mysteries  retained  in  the  heavens  to  be  revealed  in  the  last  days 
they  are  ready  to  stone  you  and  put  you  to  death.  It  was  the 
same  spirit  which  crucified  our  Savior.  The  doctrine  of  baptism 
for  the  dead  is  clearly  shown  in  the  New  Testament,  and  if  the 
doctrine  is  not  good  then  throw  away  the  book;  but  if  it  is  the 
Word  of  the  Lord,  let  the  doctrine  be  acknowledged  as  coming 
from  Him. 

"In  regard  to  the  spirits  in  prison  much  has  been  said,  espe- 
cially regarding  the  words  of  the  Savior  to  the  thief  on  the  cross : 
'To-day  thou  shalt  be  with  Me  in  paradise/  The  translators  and 
commentators  make  Jesus  say,  'paradise.'  This  is  a  modern  word 
and  does  not  answer  at  all  to  the  original  which  Jesus  used.  There 
is  nothing  in  the  original  of  any  language  signifying  'paradise.' 
It  should  be,  To-day  thou  shalt  be  with  Me  in  the  spirit  world/ 
He  did  not  say  'paradise  or  heaven.' 

"Much  has  been  said  about  the  word  'hell.'  But  what  is  hell? 
It  is  another  modern  term.  It  is  taken  from  Hades,  the  Greek, 
or  Sheol,  the  Hebrew,  and  its  true  meaning  is  'world  of  spirits.' 
The  words  'Hades,'  'Sheol,'  'paradise,'  and  'spirits  in  prison,'  are 
used  in  the  Scripture  as  one  word.  The  righteous  and  the  wicked 
all  go  to  the  same  world -of  spirits.  'I  believe,'  says  one,  'in  one 
heaven  and  one  hell.  All  are  equally  happy  or  equally  miserable.' 
Yet  Paul  speaks  of  three  glories :  'celestial,  terrestial,  telestial ;' 
and  the  Savior  says  that  in  His  Father's  house  there  are  'many 
mansions.'  Paul  says  he  knew  a  man  caught  up  to  the  'third 
heaven.' 

"The  world  believes  that  the  Godhead  physically  is  all  em- 
bodied in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  but  this  is  not  true.  Peter  and 
Stephen  say  that  Jesus  sat  on  the  right  hand  of  God,  and  any 
person  who  has  seen  the  heavens  opened  knows  that  there  are 
three  personages  in  the  heavens  holding  the  keys  of  power.  As  the 
Father  hath  power  in  Himself  so  also  hath  the  Son  power  in  Him- 
self. Then  the  Father  has  at  some  time  laid  down  His  body  and 
taken  it  again ;  so  He  has  a  body  of  His  own,  so  also  has  the  Son. 

"The  testimony  of  Jesus  is  the  spirit  of  prophecy,  and  if  a 
man  claimed  to  have  that  testimony  and  yet  denied  the  spirit  and 
principle  of  revelation  and  prophets,  he  is  damned  by  his  own 
mouth.  A  man  may  be  happy  in  the  belief  that  Jesus  Christ  is. 
God,  and  yet  not  obey  His  commandments.  A  man  of  God  shoul<!! 


TEACHINGS  OF  THE  PROPHET  JOSEPH,  1843.      181 

be  endowed  with  wisdom,  knowledge,  and  understanding  in  order 
to  teach  and  lead  the  people.  The  blind  may  lead  the  blind  and 
both  fall  in  the  ditch  together. 

"I  will  ask  this  assembly  and  all  the  Saints  if  t'ney  will  build 
this  house  and  receive  the  ordinances  and  blessings  which  the 
Lord  has  in  store  for  them,  or  will  they  not,  but  let  Him  pass  by 
and  bestow  His  blessings  upon  another?" 

Passing  from  the  mysteries  and  glories  of  the  Godhead,  Elder 
Woodruff  makes  record  of  his  work  upon  a  plot  of  prairie  land 
which  he  was  bringing  under  cultivation.  In  all  of  his  thoughts 
and  labors,  whether  secular  or  spiritual,  he  sustained  the  same 
lofty  inspiration.  When  he  preached,he  preached  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord,  when  he  plowed,  he  plowed  for  the  glory  of  God's  Kingdom. 
All  that  he  said  and  all  that  he  did  was  to  him  but  a  united  whole  in 
the  dispensation  of  God's  purposes.  Life  to  him,  in  its  highest 
and  best  sense,  was  the  fulfillment  of  the  Divine  will.  Wherever 
he  was,  whatever  he  was  doing,  he  was  thinking  of  his  Maker  with 
whom  he  worked,  walked,  and  talked  in  this  life.  It  was  all 
glorious,  it  was  all  a  part  of  God's  decree.  Work  of  the  hands 
was  with  him  a  great  privilege  and  he  never  let  an  opportunity 
pass  by  to  exercise  his  body,  and  he  rejoiced  in  the  opportunity 
to  earn  his  bread  by  the  sweat  of  his  brow.  How  could  he  think 
of  work  as  a  drudgery,  how  others  could  look  upon  it  as  such 
was  incomprehensible  to  him.  Being  always  ready  to  put  his 
hand  to  the  plow,  he  found  many  opportunities  in  the  course  of  a 
long  life  to  gratify  his  passion  for  work. 

The  joy  and  peace  of  toil  on  his  prairie  farm  were  not  left 
long  uninterrupted.  The  Saints  were  constantly  disturbed  by  the 
never  ceasing  demands  made  by  the  Governor  of  Missouri  for 
the  body  of  the  Prophet.  The  chief  executive  of  that  state  made 
another  call  on  the  Governor  of  Illinois  to  deliver  Joseph  to  the 
state  of  Missouri.  The  Prophet  was  twenty  miles  away  from 
home  when  information  reached  him. 

On  Sunday,  June  25th,  Hyrum  Smith  came  into  a  meeting 
and  requested  the  Masonic  Fraternity  there  to  meet  him  in  the 
lodge  room  within  half  an  hour.  It  was  an  occasion  of  great  ex- 
citement. When  the  members  of  the  lodge  convened,  the  people, 
who  were  full  of  anxiety,  also  gathered.  Not  a  fourth  of  them 
could  secure  entrance  to  the  house.  They  thereupon  formed  in 


182  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

a  hollow  square  upon  the  green  and  Hyrum  conveyed  to  them  the 
information  that  Joseph  had  already  been  arrested  with  drawn 
pistols,  by  Wilson  of  Carthage  and  Reynolds  of  Missouri.  Steph- 
en Markham  went  courageously  to  the  Prophet's  assistance  and 
threatened  to  knock  their  pistols  down,  but  they  pointed  their 
pistols  at  the  Prophet  and  threatened  if  he  did  so  to  kill  the  Prophet 
and  he  therefore  desisted.  They  took  Joseph  to  Carthage  and 
then  started  for  Missouri.  "They  had  gone  about  ten  miles," 
says  Elder  Woodruff,  "when  they  were  stopped  by  citizens  in  the 
country  who  swore  they  should  not  take  Joseph  Smith  any  farth- 
er without  giving  him  a  hearing  before  the  law.  Writ  of 
habeas  corpus  was  taken  out  in  behalf  of  Joseph  and  against 
sheriffs  Reynolds  and  Wilson.  A  company  was  then  called  for  to 
go  to  the  Prophet  and  to  see  that  he  had  his  rights.  Hyrum  called 
for  volunteers  and  the  whole  city  spoke  together  in  response.  A 
choice  was  then  made  of  about  a  hundred  mounted  men  under  the 
command  of  Generals  Law  and  Charles  C.  Rich.  Besides  the 
mounted  men  about  one  hundred  went  down  the  river  by  steam- 
boat, The  Maid  of  lozva. 

"Five  days  later  at  one  p.  m.,  the  citizens  of  Nauvoo  went 
out  in  great  numbers  on  horseback,  on  foot,  and  in  carriages  to 
meet  the  Prophet.  The  whole  scene  was  a  demonstration  of  great 
joy.  He  was  escorted  home  by  a  band  of  music  and  by  the  great 
multitude  that  had  gone  out  to  meet  him.  Reynolds  of  Missouri, 
and  Wilson  of  Carthage,  who  had  taken  him  by  force  of  arms, 
were  brought  to  Nauvoo  with  him.  They  looked  as  though  they 
had  the  ague.  The  Prophet,  however,  heaped  upon  their  heads 
coals  of  fire  by  reason  of  the  great  kindness  he  showed  them.  They 
had  treated  him  inhumanely,  and  in  return  they  were  taken  to  the 
Prophet's  home,  seated  at  the  head  of  the  table  and  treated  to  the 
best  his  home  afforded.  Joseph's  wife,  who  had  been  denied  by 
these  men  the  privilege  of  seeing  her  husband  after  his  arrest, 
treated  them  with  the  utmost  kindness.  After  dinner  they  re- 
paired to  the  court  room  where  Joseph  was  delivered  to  the  muni- 
cipal court  for  trial.  Before  he  went  into  the  court  he  mounted 
a  wagon  and  spoke  to  the  assembled  multitude.  'I  am  out  of  the 
hands  of  the  Missourians,  thank  God!'  He  thanked  the  people 
for  their  kindness  and  love  to  him.  He  said  he  would  address 
them  at  four  p.  m.  in  the  grove  near  the  Temple.  At  that  hour 


TEACHINGS  OF  THE  PROPHET  JOSEPH,  1843.      183 

nearly  seven  thousand  people  assembled  full  of  Joyful  anticipa- 
tion in  the  thought  of  hearing  the  words  that  should  fall  from 
their  Prophet's  lips." 

These  were,  indeed,  exciting  times ;  the  depths  of  the  human 
soul  were  reached  by  the  constant  recurrences  of  the  joys  and 
sorrows  of  those  times.    Anxiety,  however,  rested  upon  the  Saints. 
They  could  feel  the  increasing  spirit  of  opposition ;  its  murderous 
intent  was  more  fully  revealed  to  them  as  time  went  on.     Their 
joys  were  constantly  broken  by  the  sorrows  that  were  ever  in- 
creasing and  the  dangers  that  constantly  threatened  their  peace 
of  mind.     They  felt  the  approach  of  a  coming  storm  that  might 
do  irreparable  harm  to  their  peace  of  mind  as  well  as  to  their 
pnysical  well  ueing.  The  hearts  of  the  more  faithful  men  were  sad- 
dened by  both  the  growing  demands  and  the  increasing  power  of 
the  enemy.    The  thought  that  the  evil  one  was  gaining  power  over 
them  saddened  their  lives,  and  their  only  support  and  courage 
came  from  the  assurance  they  had  in  the  ultimate  triumph  of  God's 
purposes.     The  lessons  of  their  sadness  and  the  admonition  that 
comes  to  us  through  the  gloom  of  those  days  have  been  our  gain. 
Assurance  of  God's  deliverance  in  the  past  has  always  been  help- 
ful to  men  and  women  in  the  support  of  their  faith ;  what  a  tender 
and  loving  God  in  the  consummation  of  His  purposes  had  once 
done,  He  would  do  again.     In  all  those  trials  there  was  greater 
buoyancy  in  the  life  of  the  Prophet  whose  death  was  sought  by  his 
enemies  than  in  the  lives  of  any  other  men  of  those  times.     He 
was  their  leader,  the  hope  and  assurance  of  his  words  inspired 
others  with  confidence  in  his  leadership.     He  was  their  guiding 
star,  and  while  his  life  lasted,  its  brilliancy  eclipsed  the  lights  of 
all  those  about  him.    They  knew  that  he  was  not  a  fallen  Prophet. 
There  was  no  tremor  in  his  voice;  he  never  faltered  by  the  way- 
side.    He  stood  up  in  the  midst  of  his  high  and  holy  calling  and 
rebuked  sin  and  sinners.     It  was  a  marvelous  life,  every  detail 
of  which  grows  in  importance  as  time  goes  on,  and  the  greatness 
of  the  Church  affords  the  highest  guarantee  of  the   fulfillment 
of  the  glorious  predictions  he  made  concerning  it — thanks  to  the 
pen  of  Wilford  Woodruff.     It  gives  us  deeper  and  better  insight 
not  only  into  the  spirit  of  those  times  but  into  the  life  of  the  man, 
who,  as  days  go  on,  is  becoming  more  and  more  a  glorification  of 
the  age  in  which  he  lived. 


CHAPTER  18. 
MISSION  TO  THE  EAST,  1843. 

Addr?ss  of  the  Prophet  on  Constitutional  Rights. — Orson  Hyde's  Call 
to  Russia. — Prophet  Explains  His  Position  with  Respect  to  Mis- 
souri.— Origin  of  Nauvoo  Legion. — Political  Explanation. — Depar- 
ture of  the  Twelve  for  the  East. — Brigham  Young's  Fidelity. — 
Phrenological  Chart  by  O.  S.  Fowler. — Return  of  the  Twelve  to  Nau- 
voo.— W.  W.  Sealed  to  Wife. — Adultery. — Governor  of  Missouri 
Again  Issues  Requisition  for  Prophet. — Endowments. 

The  people  of  Nauvoo  during  these  exciting  times  were  great- 
ly agitated  over  the  safety  of  their  Prophet  and  leader.  In  keeping 
with  his  promise,  Joseph  Smith  addressed  the  assembled  multitude 
who  anxiously  awaited  the  words  which  were  to  fall  from  his  lips. 
There  were  no  stenographic  reporters  then,  and  Wilford  Wood- 
ruff's account  of  what  was  said  is  without  doubt  the  fullest  and 
most  accurate  statement  on  record.  The  following  is  taken  from 
his  journal,  wherein  he  recorded  the  words  of  the  prophet:  "I 
meet  you  with  a  heart  full  of  gratitude  to  Almighty  God,  and  you 
doubtless  feel  as  I  do.  I  hardly  know  how  to  express  my  feelings. 
I  feel  as  strong  as  a  giant.  I  pulled  sticks  with  the  men  com- 
ing along,  and  with  one  hand  I  pulled  up  the  strongest  man  on 
the  road,  and  two  could  not  pull  me  up.  I  continued  to  pull  till  I 
pulled  them  to  Nauvoo.  Notwithstanding  the  excitement,  I  feel 
cool  and  dispassionate  through  it  all.  Thank  God  I  am  now  in 
the  hands  of  those  who  preside  over  the  municipal  court,  not  in 
the  hands  of  the  Missourians.  Relative  to  our  right  of  habeas  cor- 
pus we  have  full  power.  If  there  is  not  power  in  our  charter  and 
courts,  then  there  is  none  in  the  state  of  Illinois,  nor  in  Congress, 
nor  in  the  constitution  of  the  United  States.  Congress  gave  to 
Illinois  her  constitution,  and  Illinois  has  given  to  Nauvoo  the 
charter  which  protects  us  in  our  vested  rights. 

"I  want  you  to  learn,  O  Israel !  what  is  for  the  happiness  and 
peace  of  this  city  and  its  people.  Our  enemies  are  determined  to 
oppress  us  and  deprive  us  of  our  rights  and  privileges  as  they 
have  done  in  the  past.  If  the  authorities  on  earth  will  not  give  us 
that  protection  which  the  laws  and  the  constitution  of  the  United 


MISSION  TO  THE  EAST,   1343.  185 

States  and  of  this  state  guarantee,  then  we  will  appeal  to  a  higher 
power,  to  heaven,  to  God  Almighty,  for  our  constitutional  rights. 

"The  Lord,  in  my  past  troubles  has  raised  up  friends  to  me, 
though  they  were  strangers,  and  they  would  have  lost  their  lives 
to  deliver  me  from  my  enemies  and  to  protect  my  rights  in  this 
state.  I  have  told  them  to  do  no  violence  for  I  should  be  deliv- 
ered by  the  power  of  God.  I  have  brought  the  men  who  arrested 
me  to  Nauvoo,  and  I  have  treated  them  kindly.  I  have  had  the 
privilege  of  rewarding  them,  good  for  evil.  They  took  me  un- 
lawfully, treated  me  rigorously,  strove  to  deprive  me  of  my 
right  and  would  have  carried  me  into  Missouri  to  be  murdered 
had  not  Providence  interposed.  Now  they  are  in  my  hands.  I 
took  them  into  my  home,  set  them  at  the  head  of  the  table,  and 
placed  before  them  the  best  that  my  home  afforded.  They  were 
waited  upon  by  my  wife  whom  they  deprived  of  seeing  me  when 
I  was  taken. 

"There  is  a  time,  however,  when  forbearance  ceases  and  when 
suffering  longer  without  resistance  is  a  sin.  I  shall  not  bear  it  any 
longer,  I  will  spill  the  last  drop  of  blood  I  have  rather  than  endure 
it ;  and  all  who  feel  that  they  will  not  bear  it  any  longer  say,  'Aye.' 
The  vast  assembly  shouted,  'Aye.'  Whatever  may  be  your  feeling 
about  the  heavy  hand  of  oppression  I  wish  you  to  restrain  yourself 
from  violence  against  those  men  who  have  arrested  me.  My  word 
is  at  stake,  a  hair  of  their  heads  shall  not  be  harmed. 

"My  life  is  pledged  to  carry  out  this  great  work ,  I  know  you 
are  ever  ready  to  do  right,  you  have  done  great  things  and  you 
have  manifested  your  love  for  me  in  rushing  to  my  assistance  on 
this  occasion,  and  I  bless  you  in  the  name  of  the  Lord.  I  know 
the  Almighty  will  bless  all  good  men,  and  may  you  not  have  to 
suffer  as  I  have  suffered  heretofore.  However,  I  shall  restrain 
you  no  longer,  from  this  time  forth.  If  occasion  require  I  will 
lead  you  to  battle,  if  you  are  not  afraid  to  die  and  to  spill  your 
blood  in  your  own  defense  you  will  not  offend  me.  Be  not  the 
aggressor.  Bear  until  they  strike  you  on  one  cheek  and  then  of- 
fer the  other.  They  will  be  sure  to  strike  that  also;  then  defend 
yourself  and  God  will  bear  you  off  victorious.  If  I  am  under  the 
necessity  of  giving  up  our  chartered  rights,  privileges,  and  free- 
dom for  which  our  fathers  fought  and  bled,  and  which  the  consti- 


186  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

tution  of  the  United  States  as  well  as  this  state  grants  to  us,  I  will 
do  it  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet  and  sword. 

"Many  lawyers  contend  for  that  which  is  against  the  rights  of 
men,  and  I  can  only  excuse  them  because  of  their  ignorance.  Go 
forth,  O  ye  lawyers !  and  advocate  the  rights  of  the  people,  for  we 
shall  rise  up  Washington-like  and  break  off  the  fetters  which  bind 
us  and  we  shall  not  be  mobbed." 

After  discussing  at  some  length  the  charter  of  Nauvoo  and 
the  writ  of  habeas  corpus,  he  gave  an  interesting  account  of  his 
recent  arrest  and  of  the  return  to  Nauvoo.  He  explained  that 
he  had  prophesied  to  his  wife  the  day  before  his  presence  in  the 
neighborhood,  where  the  people  befriended  him,  that  they  were  a 
good  people,  and  that  he  knew  it  by  the  spirit  of  God.  "When 
Mr.  Cyrus  Walker,  an  attorney,  came  to  me,  those  who  had  ar- 
rested me  said  that  I  should  speak  to  no  man  and  they  would 
shoot  any  man  who  spoke  to  me.  An  old  man  came  up  and  said 
that  I  should  have  counsel  and  told  them  he  was  not  afraid  of 
their  pistols.  My  freedom  began  from  that  time." 

Speaking  of  the  law,  the  Prophet  said :  "Almighty  God  has 
taught  me  the  true  principle  of  law  and  the  true  meaning  of  the 
writ  of  habeas  corpus.  It  is  to  protect  the  innocent  and  to  pre- 
vent innocent  men  from  being  dragged  into  other  states  and  from 
being  punished  by  the  avowed  enemy. 

"It  did  my  soul  good  to  witness  the  manifestation  of  your 
feelings  and  love  toward  me.  I  thank  God  I  have  the  honor  to 
lead  so  virtuous  and  honest  a  people,  to  be  your  law-giver  as 
Moses  was  to  the  children  of  Israel.  Hosanna !  Hosanna !  Hosan- 
na !  to  the  most  high  God !  I  commend  you  to  His  grace  and  may 
the  blessings  of  Heaven  rest  upon  you,  I  ask  it  in  the  name  of 
Jesus  Christ.  Amen." 

July  1st  the  trial  of  the  Prophet  came  off.  There  were  pres- 
ent Brigham  Young,  Hyrum  Smith,  Parley  P.  Pratt,  Lyman 
Wight,  and  Sidney  Rigdon.  They  were  all  called  as  witnesses  and 
duly  sworn.  They  recounted  the  history  of  the  Missouri  perse- 
cutions from  the  time  they  were  driven  from  Jackson  County  un- 
til their  expulsion  from  Far  West  by  force  of  arms.  "The  recital 
of  these  scenes,"  says  President  Woodruff,  "caused  my  blood  to 
boil  and  the  spirit  of  war  was  awakened  in  me,  even  the  Gentile 


MISSION  TO  THE  EAST,   1843.  1S7 

lawyers  were  shocked,  and  in  their  speeches  counseled  the  people 
to  stand  by  their  rights  whatever  the  issue  might  be." 

The  Fourth  of  July  was  at  hand  and  great  preparations  had 
been  made  for  its  celebration.  About  fifteen  thousand  people  as- 
sembled in  the  grove.  Orson  Hyde  addressed  the  vast  multitude. 
He  had  lately  returned  from  Palestine,  and  was  then  under  ap- 
pointment to  carry  the  gospel  to  Saint  Petersburg,  Russia.  In 
the  afternoon  the  multitude  of  Saints  was  greatly  augmented  by 
three  steamboat  loads  of  visiting  ladies  and  gentlemen  from  St. 
Louis,  Quincy,  and  Burlington.  As  the  visitors  arrived  they  were 
escorted  to  the  stand  by  the  Nauvoo  band,  and  their  presence 
welcomed  by  the  firing  of  cannon.  Parley  P.  Pratt  spoke  at  some 
length,  and  was  followed  by  the  Prophet  Joseph,  who  took  this 
occasion  to  speak  of  himself.  Elder  Woodruff  quotes  him  as  fol- 
lows: 

"If  the  people  will  give  ear  a  moment,  I  will  address  a  few 
words  in  my  own  defense.  In  the  first  place  I  will  state  to  those 
who  can  hear  me  that  I  never  spent  more  than  six  months  in  Mis- 
souri except  the  time  I  was  in  prison.  While  at  Liberty,  Missouri, 
I  was  at  work  for  the  support  of  my  family.  I  never  was  a  pris- 
oner of  war  during  my  stay  there,  for  I  had  not  made  war.  I 
never  took  a  gun,  nor  a  pistol,  nor  a  sword  and  what  has  been 
said  by  our  enemies  on  that 'subject  is  false.  I  have  always  been 
willing  to  go  to  any  governor,  judge,  or  tribunal  where  justice 
could  be  had  and  have  the  matter  investigated.  I  could  not  have 
committed  treason  as  I  had  no  control  of  affairs  except  in  spir- 
itual matters.  I  was  driven  from  Missouri  by  force  of  arms 
under  the  exterminating  order  of  Governor  Boggs.  I  have  always 
been  a  peaceable  citizen,  yet  there  is  scarcely  a  crime  that  can  be 
committed  that  is  not  laid  at  the  door  of  Joseph  Smith.  I  have 
been  dragged  before  the  courts  time  and  again  on  charges  that 
were  false  and  every  time  I  have  been  acquitted.  As  often  as 
God  sees  fit  for  me  to  suffer  I  am  ready,  but  I  am  as  innocent  of 
those  crimes  imputed  as  the  angels  in  heaven.  I  am  not  an  en- 
emy to  mankind,  neither  am  I  an  enemy  to  Missouri,  its  gover- 
nor, nor  its  people. 

"As  for  the  military  station  I  hold  and  the  reasons  for  hold- 
ing it  I  have  this  to  say :  When  we  came  here  the  state  required 
us  to  bear  arms  and  to  do  military  duty.  As  the  Church  had  just 


188  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

been  driven  from  Missouri  and  our  people  had  been  robbed  of 
their  property  and  their  arms  had  been  taken  from  them,  they, 
therefore,  had  no  arms  with  which  to  do  duty,  yet  they  were  liable 
to  a  fine  if  they  did  not  respond  to  the  orders  of  the  state  in  the 
matter  of  military  service  even  though  they  had  no  arms.  I  advised 
them  to  organize  into  independent  companies  and  to  ask  the 
state  for  arms.  This  they  did.  There  were,  however,  many  elders 
who  had  license  to  preach.  They  are  exonerated  by  the  law  from 
military  duties.  The  officers,  however,  would  not  release  them  on 
those  grounds.  I  then  told  the  Saints  that  although  I  was  free 
from  military  duty  by  law  in  consequence  of  a  lameness  in  one  of 
my  legs  I  would  set  them  an  example  and  do  military  duty  myself. 
They  wanted  me  for  their  leader.  From  these  circumstances  and 
conditions  the  Nauvoo  Legion  came  into  existence  and  I  was 
made  Lieutenant  General.  It  was  not  because  I  was  seeking  for 
power. 

"There  are  those  who  say  we  all  vote  together  and  that  our 
people  vote  as  I  say,  but  I  never  tell  any  man  how  to  vote  nor 
whom  to  vote  for.  Let  me  make  a  comparison.  Suppose  there 
were  a  Methodist  society  here,  and  that  outside  of  that  society 
there  were  two  candidates  running  for  office.  One  of  them  says : 
'If  you  will  elect  me  to  the  gubernatorial  chair  I  will  take  away 
the  charter  of  your  city  and  exterminate  the  Methodists.'  The 
other  says :  'If  I  am  elected  all  men  shall  be  equal  before  the 
law,  and  I  will  discriminate  against  no  man  or  society.'  Now 
whom  would  the  Methodists  vote  for  ?  Certainly  not  for  the  man 
who  was  their  bitter  enemy  and  who  would  not  protect  them  in 
their  rights.  It  has  been  so  with  us.  Joseph  Duncan  said  if  the . 
people  would  elect  him  he  would  exterminate  the  Mormons,  take 
away  their  charter.  Mr.  Ford  made  no  such  threats,  but  mani- 
fested a  disposition  to  give  every  man  his  rights.  The  people, 
therefore,  voted  for  him  and  he  was  elected  governor.  However, 
he  has  issued  writs  against  me  twice  at  the  demands  of  the  Mis- 
sourians ;  this  has  caused  me  much  trouble  and  expense." 

During  these  remarks  much  prejudice  was  removed.  There 
was  present  a  vast  multitude  of  about  fifteen  thousand  people, 
many  of  whom  were  not  members  of  the  Church.  They  gave  the 
strictest  attention  and  wore  edified  by  what  they  saw  and  heard. 


MISSION  TO  THE  EAST,  1843.  189 

On  the  morning  of  July  7th,  1843,  Wilford  Woodruff  rose 
early,  blessed  his  wife  and  daughter,  Phoebe,  and  in  company  with 
Brigham  Young  and  Elder  George  A.  Smith,  started  on  a  mis- 
sion to  the  East  to  strengthen  the  branches  of  the  Church  there 
and  gather  funds  for  the  Temple  and  the  Nauvoo  House.  They 
left  Morrison's  landing  on  the  steamer  Rapid  and  arrived  in 
St.  Louis  the  next  day.  Here  Elder  Woodruff  purchased^  sup- 
plies for  the  "Times  and  Seasons"  and  shipped  them  to  Nauvoo. 
The  day  following  the  missionary  party  boarded  the  steamer 
Lancet  and  went  up  the  Ohio  to  Cinncinnati,  where  they  landed 
on  the  13th,  their  sixth  day  from  Nauvoo.  Enroute  they  obtained 
a  view  of  the  tomb  of  President  Harrison. 

On  the  night  of  their  arrival  in  Cincinnati,  Elder  Woodruff 
dreamed  that  Joseph  would  again  be  arrested  and  tried  in  Illinois, 
and  the  same  night  Brigham  Young  dreamed  that  the  Twelve 
were  called  home.  These  dreams  were  the  preparation  for  coming 
events  which  cast  their  shadows  before.  The  hearts  of  those 
brave  men  and  devoted  missionaries  were  receiving  a  preparation 
for  the  troublous  times  that  were  to  come. 

In  Cincinnati  Elder  Woodruff  made  further  purchases  for  the 
"Times  and  Seasons."  From  that  city  they  went  on  to  Pittsburg, 
Pennsylvania,  with  the  steamer  Adelaide.  They  reached  the  place 
at  six  p.  m.  and  immediately  repaired  to  the  Temperance  Hall, 
where  a  meeting  of  the  Saints  was  convened.  Here  they  met  El- 
ders Heber  C.  Kimball,  Orson  Pratt,  and  John  E.  Page.  The  last 
named  was  preaching  as  they  entered  the  hall;  and,  contrary  to 
the  counsel  of  the  Prophet,  Elder  Page  was  making  war  upon  sects 
of  the  day.  Next  day  the  Twelve  held  a  council,  in  which  John  E. 
Page  was  severely  reproved  by  President  Young  for  disorganizing 
a  branch  in  Cincinnati  which  three  of  the  Twelve  had  just  before 
that  time  organized,  and  for  disobeying  the  Prophet's  counsel  in 
the  matter  of  preaching  against  religious  denominations.  These 
acts  of  disobedience  to  the  counsels  of  his  file-leaders  had,  no 
doubt,  something  to  do  with  his  apostasy  later  on. 

Elder  Woodruff  never  forgets  to  put  in  his  journal  the  histor- 
ical items  of  general  interest  and  speaks  of  Pittsburg  as  a  city 
which  at  that  time  numbered  about  thirty-five  thousand  inhab- 
itants. The  city  had  ninety-five  churches,  one  hundred  and  twenty 


190  WILFROD  WOODRUFF. 

preachers,  and  twenty-one  denominations.  The  Latter-day  Saints 
numbered  there  at  that  time  seventy-five  souls. 

On  Sunday,  the  30th,  six  of  the  Twelve  Apostles  met  in  Con- 
ference with  the  Saints  in  Temperance  Hall.  They  held  three 
meetings  and  imparted  many  valuable  instructions  to  the  Saints 
and  visitors  in  attendance.  Elder  Woodruff  took  minutes  of  the 
meeting  and  noted  especially  the  teachings  of  President  Young,  as 
he  attached  most  importance  to  the  words  of  the  man  standing 
highest  in  authority  when  giving  an  account  of  what  was  said  on 
any  occasion.  President  Young  on  this  occasion  bore  a  strong  tes- 
timony to  the  divinity  of  the  work  and  to  the  mission  of  the 
Prophet  Joseph.  "Who,"  he  said,  "is  the  author  of  this  work? 
God  is  its  author,  Joseph  Smith  being  the  instrument  in  the  hands 
of  God.  He  is  the  greatest  man  on  earth.  No  other  man  of  this 
age  has  power  to  gather  such  a  great  people  from  all  the  nations 
of  the  earth  and  with  all  their  peculiar  dispositions  cement  them 
together.  This  the  Prophet  is  doing  by  the  power  of  God,  as  the 
Saints  are  led  by  the  Holy  Spirit  in  their  own  hearts." 

July  the  30th  the  members  of  the  Twelve  made  a  tour  of  the 
city.  They  visited  the  glass-works,  the  water-works,  and  other 
places  of  note  and  interest.  Speaking  of  the  water-works,  Elder 
Woodruff  says :  "Descending  the  hill  we  had  a  view  of  the  city 
water-works.  The  building  was  patterned  after  Roman  architec- 
ture. The  works  cost  two  hundred  thousand  dollars.  The  build- 
ing was  designed  by  Elder  Charles  Beck,  who  was  a  member  of 
the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints."  Elder  Beck 
was  present  at  the  visit  of  the  Twelve  to  Pittsburg  and  showed 
them  every  courtesy.  He  further  paid  the  railroad  fare  of  the  six 
members  to  Baltimore. 

From  there  they  proceeded  to  Philadelphia,  where  they  ar- 
rived August  5th.  The  following  day  (Sunday)  they  met  about 
three  hundred  Saints  in  conference.  Elder  Jedediah  M.  Grant 
was  also  present  and  opened  the  conference  by  prayer.  President 
Young,  Orson  Pratt,  and  George  A.  Smith  occupied  the  principal 
part  of  the  time  in  both  of  the  meetings,  afternoon  and  evening. 
In  the  forenoon  Elder  Woodruff  accompanied  President  Young 
and  others  to  hear  the  Reverend  Mr.  Litz,  the  Millerite  preacher. 
The  reverend  gentleman  strongly  contended  that  the  Jews  would 
never  be  restored  to  the  land  of  Palestine  or  be  gathered  together. 


MISSION   TO  THE  EAST,   1843.  191 

On  the  8th  the  Twelve  took  a  steamboat  excursion,  and  while 
thus  riding  for  their  enjoyment,  a  number  of  subjects  came  up  for 
discussion.  Among  others  the  question :  "Is  the  prosperity  of  any 
religious  denomination  a  positive  evidence  of  the  truth  of  its  con- 
tention?" John  E.  Page  took  the  affirmative,  and  Elder  J.M.  Grant 
the  negative.  President  Young,  who  was  chairman,  decided  in 
favor  of  the  negative. 

During  the  stay  of  the  Twelve  in  this  historic  city,  Elder 
Woodruff  was  very  active  in  visiting  the  Saints,  strengthening 
them  in  their  faith  and  laying  before  them  the  purpose  of  their 
mission.  At  intervals  in  his  labors  he  occupied  himself  in  gath- 
ering a  great  variety  of  useful  information  within  his  reach.  His 
journal  is,  indeed,  an  interesting  history  of  the  places  visited  by 
him  in  those  early  days.  He  speaks  of  the  visit  of  himself,  Elders 
Young,  Pratt,  Smoot,  and  Hessy  to  the  state  house,  also  of  his 
visit  to  Independence  Hall.  "We  saw,"  he  remarks,  "the  room 
where  the  patriots  signed  the  Declaration  of  Independence.  We  sat 
in  the  chair  occupied  by  John  Hancock  when  he  signed  that  im- 
mortal instrument." 

On  the  14th,  Elders  Orson  Pratt,  Wilford  Woodruff,  and 
William  Mnir  parted  with  the  Saints  in  Philadelphia  and  went  by 
steamer  to  Schuylkill,  then  walked  six  miles  to  a  Mr.  Mosley's, 
where  they  preached  in  the  evening.  For  several  days  Elder 
Woodruff  traveled  and  preached  in  various  neighborhoods  of  that 
vicinity.  He  visited  the  scene  of  the  Battle  of  Brandywine. 

On  the  21st  the  party  returned  to  Philadelphia,  where  they 
learned  that  the  other  apostles  had  gone  on  to  New  York.  They 
remained  two  days,  then  followed  their  companions.  In  New 
York  they  held  a  conference  on  August  26th  and  27th.  At  this 
conference  many  questions  which  are  well  understood  doctrines  of 
the  Church  were  commented  upon  in  such  a  manner  as  to  show 
that  they  were  not  plain  to  the  missionaries  of  those  early  days,  a 
fact,  no  doubt,  due  to  the  traditions  and  religious  teachings  which 
men  of  those  times  brought  with  them  into  the  Church.  Among 
other  things,  the  question  was  asked  whether  a  man  could  be  de- 
prived of  his  priesthood  and  still  retain  his  standing  in  the  Church. 
President  Young  answered  decidedly,  "No." 

On  the  29th  of  that  month  Elder  Woodruff  went  to  Boston 


192  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

with  Elders  Davis  and  Wandell.  This  afforded  him  an  oppor- 
tunity to  visit  his  father  and.  family  in  his  old  home  at  Farming- 
ton,  Connecticut.  On  the  9th  of  September,  after  reaching  Bos- 
ton, he,  with  six  other  members  of  the  Twelve ;  namely,  Brigham 
Young,  Heber  C.  Kimball,  Parley  P.  Pratt,  Orson  Pratt,  John  E. 
Page,  and  George  A.  Smith,  held  conference  in  Boylston  Hall. 
From  his  notes  the  following  is  taken:  "President  Young  said: 
'The  spirit  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  is  a  gathering  spirit,  and 
its  tendency  is  to  gather  the  virtuous  and  good,  the  honest  and 
meek  of  the  earth,  in  other  words  the  Saints  of  God.  Now  is  the 
set  time  for  the  Lord  to  redeem  Israel.  He  does  not  require  every 
soul  to  leave  his  home  as  soon  as  he  believes,  but  requires  him  to 
hearken  to  counsel  and  follow  the  counsel  which  the  Lord  points 
out  to  him.  You  say  the  Lord  may  save  us  as  well  where  we  are. 
Yes,  if  the  Lord  says  so,  but  when  He  commands  us  to  gather  and 
we  do  not  do  it,  He  will  not  save  us.  You  might  have  been  bap- 
tized seventy  times  in  any  other  way  than  that  ordained  of  God 
and  you  would  not  have  received  the  Holy  Ghost.  Can  you  get 
an  endowment  in  Boston?  No,  only  in  that  place  which  God  has 
appointed.  If  you  do  not  help  to  build  the  Temple  and  the  Nanvoo 
House,  if  you  do  not  help  to  build  up  Zion  and  ttie  cause  of  God, 
you  will  not  inherit  the  land  of  Zion.  Be  faithful  or  you  will  not 
be  chosen ;  for  the  day  of  choosing  is  at  the  door.  Why  be  afraid 
of  sacrifice  ?  I  have  given  my  all  many  times  and  would  be  willing 
to  do  so  again.  I  would  be  glad  to  hear  the  Lord  say  to  His 
servant  Joseph,  "Let  my  servant  Brigham  give  all  he  has."  I 
would  obey  in  a  moment  if  it  took  the  last  coat  from  my  back.' ' 

From  a  discourse  of  Heber  C.  Kimball  the  following  is  taken : 
"We  do  not  profess  to  be  polished  stones  like  some  of  the  elders. 
The  more  we  roll  through  the  forests  and  get  the  corners  knocked 
off  the  better  we  are.  If  we  were  polished  and  smooth  it  would 
deface  us  to  have  the  surface  chipped  off.  This  is  the  case  with 
Joseph  Smith,  he  never  professed  to  be  smooth  and  polished.  Roll- 
ing around  among  the  rocks  has  not  hurt  him  at  all,  but  in  the  end 
he  will  be  as  polisned  as  any  stone,  while  many  who  were  so  very 
polished  in  the  beginning  will  become  badly  defaced." 

"Do  the  Saints  of  Boston  know,"  said  Parley  P.  Pratt,  "that 
they  are  identified  in  laying  the  foundation  of  so  great  and  mighty 


MISSION  TO  THE  EAST,  1843.  193 

a  work  that  it  will  include  all  the  great  and  glorious  purposes  of 
God  which  are  to  be  fulfilled  in  the  dispensation  of  the  fullness  of 
times  ?  Millions  will  yet  celebrate  the  day  when  the  foundation-  of 
this  work  was  laid." 

The  Twelve  little  dreamed  that  when  they  would  meet  again 
in  Boston  it  would  'be  on  the  sad  27th  day  of  June,  when  the 
Prophet  and  the  Patriarch  would  be  called  upon  to  lay  down  their 
lives  at  the  hands  of  a  murderous  mob. 

On  the  12th  Elder  Woodruff  left  for  Portland,  Maine.  The 
express  train  conveying  him  to  his  destination  was  thrown  from 
the  track.  The  engineer  was  killed  and  a  lady  passenger  bruised ; 
all  the  rest  escaped  in  a  marvelous  manner.  From  Maine  Elder 
Woodruff  wrote  an  account  of  the  wreck  to  the  "Boston  Bee"  as 
well  as  to  the  "Times  and  Seasons"  in  Nauvoo.  He  occupied  some 
several  days  in  visiting  his  wife's  father,  Ezra  Carter,  and  the 
family  of  Arthur  and  Lucy  Milliken,  the  latter  being  the  youngest 
sister  of  the  Prophet  Joseph. 

After  his  visit  he  returned  to  Boston,  where  he  again  joined 
the  members  of  this  quorum.  While  there  he  and  several  mem- 
bers of  the  Twelve  were  examined  phrenologically  by  the  noted 
Professor  O.  S.  Fowler.  From  his  chart  we  take  the  folowing 
character  delineation  of  President  Woodruff: 

PHRENOLOGICAL  CHART. 

"Wilford  Woodruff:  Is  a  man  of  great  action,  both  physical 
and  mental;  does  up  things  in  a  hurry;  lets  nothing  sleep  in  his 
hands ;  great  resolution ;  steamboat  speed ;  loves  his  liberty ;  is  not 
disposed  to  be  subject  to  the  will  or  dictation  of  others;  has  great 
independence;  difficulties  only  stimulate  him  to  increased  action; 
goes  in  for  the  largest  liberty  of  the  mass  and  is  a  democrat  of  the 
old  school;  prefers  utility  to  beauty  and  substance  to  show; 
highly  social  and  fond  of  family  and  friends ;  has  but  few  secrets 
of  his  own  and  tells  the  plain,  unvarnished  facts ;  fears  but  little 
danger ;  is  not  irresolute,  but  decides  and  proceeds  at  once  to  ac- 
tion; his  first  thoughts  are  always  his  best;  he  does  his  own  re- 
ligious thinking  and  does  not  hang  his  hopes  upon  the  faith  of 
others.  He  believes  but  little  without  proof ;  is  a  two  edged  sword 
—if  he  does  not  cut  one  way,  does  another.  He  makes  positive 

14 


194  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

friends  or  positive  enemies — has  much  seventy;  is  sarcastic;  bit- 
ter in  reproaches;  means  to  do  right;  fears  the  force  of  moral 
obligations.  His  jokes  have  more  vinegar  than  molasses  in  them. 
He  recollects  and  explains  facts  well;  reasons  by  inference  from 
the  facts,  by  analogy  and  induction ;  has  good  talking  talents,  and 
is  noted  for  his  clear  illustrations. 

Boston,  September  the  20th,  1843. 

(Signed)  O.  S.  FOWLER. 

B.  J.  GRAY,  Secretary." 

Soon  after  this  the  Twelve  began  their  return  to  Nauvoo. 
They  met  in  Philadelphia,  and  on  the  5th  of  October  continued 
their  journey  homeward.  The  same  day  a  large  company  of 
Saints  left  by  rail  to  gather  with  the  Saints  in  Illinois.  On  the 
19th  they  crossed  the  Alleghanies  by  means  of  an  incline  which 
hoisted  the  car,  passengers,  and  freight  from  one  elevator  to  an- 
other until  the  summit,  nearly  fifteen  hundred  feet  above,  was 
reached.  They  were  let  down  on  the  other  side  in  the  same  man- 
ner. In  those  days  this  was  a  novel  contrivance,  and  the  mechan- 
ism employed  not  being  so  perfect  as  that  of  today  was  attended 
with  many  dangers.  "The  whole  passage  across  the  mountains 
was  a  constant  scene  of  danger,  and  I  called  upon  God  in  my  heart 
to  preserve  our  lives.  Even  while  on  the  level  we  were  running 
on  the  edge  of  a  precipice  a  hundred  feet  above  the  bottom  of  a 
chasm.  In  conversation  with  a  mate  in  the  evening  upon  the  sub- 
ject of  our  passage  across  the  mountains,  he  said  that  we  were  not 
aware  of  one-half  the  dangers  we  had  encountered." 

At  Pittsburg  Elder  Woodruff  took  passage  for  St.  Louis  and 
thence  up  the  river  to  Nauvoo,  which  he  reached  November  4th. 
On  the  7th  he  met  in  council  with  the  Twelve.  He  was  appointed  to 
raise  five  hundred  dollars  for  the  purchase  of  paper  upon  which 
to  print  the  "Doctrine  and  Covenants."  On  the  llth  President 
Hyrum  Smith  sealed  Wilford  Woodruff  and  Phoebe  Woodruff 
for  time  and  eternity  according  to  the  patriarchal  order  of  mar- 
riage which  had  previously  been  revealed  to  the  Prophet  Joseph 
Smith. 

About  this  time  the  Prophet  delivered  a  strong  discourse  on 
the  sin  of  adultery  and  kindred  crimes.  The  discourse  was  the 
result  of  the  action  taken  in  the  case  of  John  C.  Bennett,  who,  with 


MISSION  TO  THE  EAST,   1843.  195 

• 

other  prominent  men,  had  been  adjudged  guilty  of  adultery.  The 
Saints  were  warned  against  such  crimes.  The  Frophet  thought 
that  the  example  made  of  John  C.  Bennett  and  others  was  suffi- 
cient to  show7  the  fallacy  of  those  who  advocated  or  justified  such 
a  course.  He  condemned  adultery  in  unqualified  terms  and  warned 
those  present  against  its  commission. 

It  was  also  about  this  time  that  General  Fryeson  came  to 
Nauvoo  and  met  with  the  Prophet  and  Twelve  to  arrange  for  a 
memorial  to  congress  in  behalf  of  the  Latter-day  Saints.  Affi- 
davits on  the  Missouri  atrocities  were  given  by  Hyrum  Smith, 
Brigham  Young,  P.  P.  Pratt,  Lyman  Wight,  George  W.  Pitkin, 
and  Sidney  Rigdon. 

Trouble  was  again  fomented  about  this  time  by  the  Mis- 
sourians.  A  messenger  had  just  arrived  from  St.  Louis  inform- 
ing the  brethren  that  the  governor  of  Missouri  had  issued  another 
requisition  for  the  Prophet.  Joseph  had  just  made  a 
touching  appeal  to  the  Green  Mountain  boys  of  Vermont,  his 
native  state,  for  assistance  in  obtaining  redress  for  the  wrongs 
heaped  upon  the  Saints  in  Missouri.  The  appeal  was  pub- 
lished in  pamphlet  form  and  sent  to  the  authorities  of  the  gov- 
ernment in  Washington.  A  few  days  later  a  man  named  Elliot 
was  arrested  and  proven  guilty  of  kidnapping  brethren 
and  of  threatening  the  life  of  the  Prophet.  Notwithstanding 
the  guilt  of  this  man,  Joseph  forgave  him,  and  he  subsequently 
left  in  peace.  A  warrant  was  also  issued  for  the  arrest  of  Colonel 
Williams,  the  leader  of  the  kidnapping  party.  He,  however, 
gathered  a  mob  and  resisted  the  officers. 

December  2nd  on  the  Sabbath  morning  P.  P.  Pratt,  Orson 
Hyde,  Wilford  Woodruff,  and  Orson  Spencer  received  their 
anointings;  and  on  December  23rd  they  met  in  Joseph  Smith's 
home,  where  endowments  were  given  to  Elder  Marley  and  wife, 
Orson  Pratt,  Mrs.  Lot,  Fanny  Murray,  Phoebe  Woodruff,  Bath- 
sheba  Smith,  Sister  Orson  Spencer,  and  Sister  Phelps. 

Christmas  day  of  1843  was  spent  by  Elder  Woodruff  with  his 
old-time  friend,  A.  O.  Smoot.  They  paid  a  visit  to  the  Saints  who 
had  come  from  Tennessee  to  Nauvoo.  Part  of  that  day  Elder 
Woodruff  worked  upon  his  house  and  discharged  many  duties  of 
a  home  nature.  Thus  another  year  in  his  life  was  closed.  Dur- 
ing 1843  he  had  traveled  in  thirteen  states  over  five  thousand 


196  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

• 

miles,  held  many  meetings,  baptized  a  half  dozen  persons,  reported 
several  sermons,  endured  a  severe  sickness,  encountered  dangers 
by  rail  and  by  water,  and  closed  an  eventful  year  with  feelings  of 
gratitude,  and  with  the  fullest  recognition  of  God's  tender  mercies 
in  his  behalf. 


CHAPTER  19     - 
EARLY  DAYS  OF  1844. 

Conduct  of  the  Laws  and  the  Marks. — Discourse  on  Elijah  by  the 
Prophet. — The  Celestial  Law. — Prophet's  Candidacy  for  Presi- 
dent of  U.  S. — Exploring  Expedition  to  California  Planned. — 
Joseph,  Mayor  of  Nauvoo. — Hostility  in  Carthage. — Mischief  Mak- 
ers in  Nauvoo. — The  Prophet  Talks  on  Politics. 

The  year  1844,  a  year  pregnant  with  momentous  events — 
events  which  history  has  magnified  because  of  their  importance 
to  mankind  in  general  and  to  the  Latter-day  Saints  in  particular, 
was  ushered  in  with  a  cold,  blustering  snow  storm.  Character- 
istic of  his  busy  life,  Elder  Woodruff  celebrated  the  day  by  plas- 
tering and  whitewashing  the  printing  office.  He  was  enthusiastic 
over  his  new-found  occupation  and  gave  his  heart  and  hand  to  the 
work  before  him. 

"Into  the  midst  of  the  busy,  hopeful  life  of  the  Saints,  there 
entered  an  element  of  uncertainty  and  of  deep  concern,  and  whis- 
pered threats  against  the  life  of  the  Prophet  were  circulated.  The 
false  charges  of  the  apostate  element  were  growing  in  intensity. 

As  the  outgrowth  of  these  conditions  in  Nauvoo  at  that  time, 
there  was  held  on  the  3rd  of  January,  in  Joseph's  store,  a  court  of 
inquiry.  The  inquiry  was  directed  to  the  conduct  of  William 
Law,  Wilson  Law,  and  William  Marks.  Of  William  Law  Elder 
Woodruff  writes  in  his  journal:  "He  professes  to  believe  that 
Joseph  has  instructed  the  police  to  kill  him,  but  the  truth  is  that 
the  Laws  have  turned  traitors  and  are  breeding  mischief  which  is 
intended  to  take  the  life  of  the  Prophet  Joseph  Smith."  On  the 
5th  of  the  month  a  second  court  was  held  relating  to  the  same 
matter.  In  contradistinction  to  the  spirit  of  the  Laws  there  was  an 
enthusiastic,  hopeful  spirit  which  caused  faithful  men  and  women 
to  look  forward  with  fond  anticipations  to  the  completion  of  the 
Temple.  Work  in  the  house  of  God  was  then  taking  hold  upon 
the  feelings  of  men  and  women  who  had  had  revealed  to  them  the 
relation  and  duties  they  sustain  to  their  progenitors  as  well  as  to 
their  posterity.  The  spirit  of  Elijah  was  upon  the  elders  of  the 
Church. 

On  January  21st,  Elder  Woodruff  records  the  fact  that  Apos- 


198  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

tie  Parley  P.  Pratt  had  just  received  second  anointings  and  that 
he  had  been  instructed  by  the  Prophet  that  it  was  his  duty  to  hav: 
his  wife  sealed  to  him' for  eternity  in  order  that  his  glory  might  be 
full.  Elder  Woodruff  records  the  following  words  from  the 
prophet :  "What  shall  I  talk  about  today  ?  I  discern  that  Brother 
Cahoon  wishes  me  to  speak  upon  the  coming  of  Elijah.  The  Bi- 
ble says,  'I  will  send  you  Elijah  before  the  great  and  terrible  day 
of  the  Lord  shall  come,  that  he  shall  turn  the  hearts  of  the  fathers 
to  the  chidren  and  the  hearts  of  the  children  to  their  fathers  lest 
I  come  and  smite  the  earth  with  a  curse/  The  word  'turned' 
should  read  'point'  or  'seal.'  But,  what  is  the  object  of  this  im- 
portant mission,  or  how  is  it  to  be  fulfilled?  The  keys  are  to  be 
delivered,  the  spirit  of  Elijah  is  to  come,  the  gospel  is  to  be 
preached,  the  Saints  of  God  are  to  be  gathered,  Zion  is  to  be  built 
up,  and  the  Saints  are  to  come  forth  as  Saviors  on  Mount  Zion. 
But  how  are  they  to  come  as  Saviors  on  Mount  Zion?  By 
building  temples,  erecting  baptismal  fonts  and  receiving  in  the 
temples  all  the  ordinances,  sealings,  and  anointings  in  behalf  of 
our  progenitors  who  are  dead,  that  they  may  come  forth  in  the 
first  resurrection  and  be  with  us  exalted  to  thrones  of  glory.  I 
would  to  God  that  this  Temple  were  now  completed,  that  we 
might  go  forth  and  attend  to  these  ordinances  in  their  fullness !  I 
would  advise  all  the  Saints  to  gather  their  living  relatives  to  this 
pbce  and  be  prepared  against  the  day  when  the  destroying  angel 
shall  go  forth.  My  only  trouble  now  is  that  which  concerns  our- 
selves. The  Saints  may  be  divided,  broken  up  and  scattered  be- 
fore we  accomplish  the  work  now  in  view.  There  are  so  many 
fools  in  the  world  for  the  devil  to  act  upon  that  it  oftimes  gives 
him  the  advantage.  Any  person  who  is  exalted  to  the  highest 
mansion  must  abide  the  celestial  law  and  the  whole  law,  too,  but 
there  has  been  much  difficulty  in  getting  understanding  into  the 
hearts  of  this  generation.  Even  the  Saints  are  slow  to  understand. 
How  many  will  be  able  to  abide  the  celestial  law,  endure  the  trials, 
and  receive  their  exaltation  I  am  unable  to  say.  'Many  are  called, 
but  few  are  chosen.' ' 

The  Temple  was  still  incomplete.  The  Presidency  and  the 
Twelve  were  urging  the  work  upon  it.  In  order  that  the  Twelve 
might  be  prepared  to  administer  in  the  ordinances  of  the  house  of 
God  they  were  given  their  endowments  and  their  wives  sealed  to 


EARLY  DAYS  OF  1844.  199 

them  for  eternity.  Elder  Woodruff  gives  the  exact  dates  when 
certain  members  of  the  Twelve  received  these  ordinances.  He 
says,  in  his  journal,  "There  is  at  this  time  quite  a  revival  through- 
out Nauvoo  and  an  inquiry  after  the  things  of  God  by  all  the 
quorums  of  the  Church  generally." 

There  was  a  strange  commingling  of  spirits  in  Nauvoo  at 
that  time.  Spirits  of  life  and  death  were  at  war,  ana  the  Prophet's 
approaching  end  was  made  manifest  to  him  in  a  dream  which  he 
related  in  his  office  to  Wilford  Woodruff,  Willard  Richards,  and 
W.  W.  Phelps.  The  Prophet  clearly  saw  the  coming  storm  of 
persecution  which  awaited  him.  His  release  from  opposition  was 
represented  by  his  power  to  pass  through  the  air  and  be  lifted  up 
by  the  power  of  God  above  the  earth. 

Furthermore  this  year  was  one  for  a  presidential  election. 
The  Saints  had  been  constantly  ground  between  the  political  par- 
ties of  those  days.  Whatever  significance  may  be  attached  to  the 
candidacy  of  Joseph  Smith  at  that  time  for  the  presidency  of  the 
United  States,  it  has  since  been  the  subject  of  all  sorts  of  specula- 
tion. Elder  Woodruff,  in  his  journal,  says  :  "A  congregation  of  the 
citizens  met  in  the  room  over  Joseph's  store  to  hear  his  views  upon 
the  affairs  of  government,  views  which  he  had  written  and -which 
were  read  by  W.  W.  Phelps.  T  would  not  have  permitted  my 
name  to  be  used  by  my  friends  as  a  candidate  for  the  President 
of  the  United  States  if.  we  could  have  enjoyed,  unmolested,  our 
religious  and  civil  rights  as  American  citizens — the  rights  which 
the  constitution  guarantees  to  all  citizens,  but  rights  which 
have  been  denied  us  from  the  beginning.  I  feel  it  my  right  and 
privilege  to  obtain  what  influence  and  power  I  can,  lawfully,  for 
the  protection  of  injured  innocence.' ': 

At  the  close  of  the  meeting  there  was  a  unanimous  vote 
passed  to  support  Joseph  Smith.  The  Prophet  had  reason  to  ap- 
preciate the  rights  and  liberties  of  mankind,  of  which  he  had  been 
so  often  unlawfully  and  wantonly  deprived. 

"On  the  21st  of  February,"  Elder  Woodruff  writes,  "I  met 
with  the  quorum  of  the  Twelve  at  Joseph's  store,  and  according  to 
Joseph's  counsel  a  company  was  selected  to  go  on  an  exploring 
expedition  to  California,  and  to  select  a  place  for  the  building  of 
a  city.  Jonathan  Dunham,  David  Fulmer,  Phineas  Young,  Samuel 
W.  Richards  and  several  others  were  named  for  the  expedition." 


200  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

The  Prophet  subsequently,  in  company  with  a  number  of  his  breth- 
ren, left  Nauvoo  on  this  proposed  expedition,  but  turned  back, 
as  all  know  from  the  sad.  story  of  his  last  days,  to  be  a  martyr  to 
the  work  he  had  been  instrumental  in  establishing. 

A  curious  circumstance  of  those  times  was  the  preaching  of 
an  Episcopalian  minister  in  an  adjoining  room.  Following  the 
preacher,  Joseph  said,  "The  object  with  me  is  to  obey  and  to  teach 
others  to  obey  God  and  all  that  He  commands  us  to  do.  It  matters 
not  whether  the  principle  be  popular  or  unpopular,  I  will  always 
maintain  it  though  I  stand  alone  in  doing  so."  According  to 
Elder  Woodruff  the  Prophet,  in  1842,  predicted  that  within  five 
years  the  Saints  would  be  established  beyond  the  Rocky  Mountains 
and  became  a  mighty  people  in  the  inter-mountain  regions. 

On  the  evening  of  February  25th  the  news  of  the  death  of 
Joseph  Duncan  and  Governor  Reynolds  of  Missouri  reached  Nau- 
voo. They  were  among  the  most  persistent  enemies  of  the  Saints. 
The  news  of  their  death  called  forth  a  notable  prophecy  from  Jos- 
eph Smith,  who  wished  his  words  recorded  that  they  might  be 
remembered  when  they  were  fulfilled.  He  declared  that  in  five 
years  the  Saints  would  be  rid  of  their  old  enemies,  whether  they 
were  apostates  or  men  who  were  never  in  the  Church.  Five  years 
saw  the  Saints  located  in  the  valleys  of  the  mountains.  Those 
predictions  were  more  the  voice  of  the  spirit  than  any  expecta- 
tions of  the  people  who  were  eagerly  working  for  an  early  com- 
pletion of  the  Temple. 

On  the  7th  of  March  there  was  a  large  meeting  of  the  Saints 
in  Nauvoo.  Eight  thousand  people  had  gathered  by  invitation  to 
listen  to  the  words  of  their  Prophet  and  the  Twelve.  The  latter 
directed  their  remarks  more  particularly  to  the  ordinances  which 
should  take  place  in  the  house  of  God.  "One  of  the  great  objects 
I  had  in  calling  this  meeting,"  said  the  Prophet,  "was  to  make  a 
few  remarks  relative  to  the  laws  and  ordinances  of  the  city  and 
to  the  building  of  the  Temple.  The  reason  I  want  to  speak  of  the 
laws  is  that  the  officers  have  difficulty  in  administering  them.  We 
wish  to  have  the  people  rule,  but  rule  in  righteousness.  The  laws 
are  enacted  and  they  can  be  repealed,  if  the  people  wish  it,  but  the 
people  should  not  complain  of  the  officers.  I  am  instructed  by  the 
city  council  to  tell  this  people  that  if  you  do  not  like  any  law  we 
have  passed,  we  will  repeal  it  for  we  are  your  servants.  There  are 


EARLY  DAYS   OF  1844.  201 

those  in  this  community  who  would  oppose  anything  good.  If 
you  preach  virtue  to  them  they  will  oppose  it.  If  a  case  is  tried 
here,  they  want  it  appealed  to  Carthage." 

In  those  days  Carthage  contained  the  chief  enemies  of  the 
Prophet,  and  the  town  became  a  gathering  place  for  those  bent  up- 
on his  destruction.  Any  movement  in  opposition  to  him  or  to  the 
Latter-day  Saints  in  Nauvoo  found  sympathetic  support  there. 
Justice  for  the  Prophet  in  Carthage  was  therefore  absolutely  im- 
possible. The  lawyers  and  those  encompassing  his  destruction 
took  advantage  of  the  law  on  a  question  of  venue  to  put  the  object 
of  their  venom  at  the  mercy  of  men  whose  attitude  towards  him 
was  always  malignant. 

During  these  days  the  Prophet  was  the  mayor  of  Nauvoo,  and 
his  home-town  sheltered  men  who  were  seeking  to  encompass  the 
Prophet  and  his  devoted  followers.  Such  men  were  indeed  a  very 
small  minority,  but  they  were  able  to  make  a  great  amount  of 
noise  and  do  endless  mischief.  A  certain  individual  had  under- 
taken to  appropriate  the  wharfage  lands  at  the  foot  of  Water 
Street,  and  thus  create  an  issue  between  himself  and  the  city.  Such 
conduct  awakened  antagonism  between  people  outside  of  Nauvoo 
desiring  to  carry  on  business  there  in  the  city.  Outsiders  did  not 
always  discriminate  between  the  conduct  of  the  mischief-makers 
and  the  people  at  large.  Everything  disagreeable  and  annoying 
was  laid  at  the  door  of  the  Latter-day  Saints. 

These  facts  will  explain  the  Prophet's  outburst  of  indignation 
jvhen  he  said :  "I  want  every  fool  to  stay  at  home  and  let  the 
steamboats  and  captains  and  peace  officers  alone.  How  can  we  pre- 
vent mobs  and  the  shedding  of  innocent  blood  unless  we  strike  at 
everything  that  rises  up  in  disorder." 

There  were  in  the  city  secret  combinations  planned  to  thwart 
the  purposes  of  Joseph  and  to  bring  confusion  upon  him  and  the 
great  majority  of  the  people.  Among  those  plotting  his  ruin  were 
men  who  professed  personal  friendship.  "I  despise,"  he  says,  "the 
man  who  betrays  with  a  kiss.  A  certain  man  has  been  writing  to 
the  New  York  Tribune.  I  will  not  mention  his  name.  He  says 
much  that  was  appropriated  for  the  Temple  has  been  spent  for 
other  purposes.  But  any  man  who  has  paid  anything  for  the  Tem- 
ple can  learn  from  the  books  that  every  farthing  has  been  used  for 
that  building.  There  are  many  men  in  our  midst  who  are  try- 


202  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

ing  to  build  themselves  up  at  our  expense,  and  others  are 
watching  for  some  pretended  iniquity,  and  make  a  man  an  offender 
for  a  word." 

After  an  article  entitled,  "A  Voice  of  Innocence  from  Nau- 
voo,"  was  read,  Brigham  Young  addressed  in  the  afternoon  the 
assemblage.  "I  wish  to  speak  on  the  duties  of  lawyers,"  he  said, 
"classing  myself  with  the  lawyers  in  the  house  of  Israel.  When 
any  man  who  is  a  lawyer  takes  a  course  to  break  peace  instead  of 
promoting  it,  he  is  out  of  the  way  of  his  duty.  A  doctor  of  law 
should  be  a  peacemaker.  The  great  object  we  have  before  us  is 
the  completion  of  the  Temple  this  season.  We  havt  felt  the  effects 
of  slander  and  want  a  cure,  or  balm  for  it.  I  carry  one  with  me 
all  the  time,  and  I  want  you  to  do  the  same.  I  will  tell  you  what 
it  is.  It  is  to  mind  our  own  business  and  let  others  alone,  to  suf- 
fer rather  than  to  do  wrong.  If  anyone  will  take  your  property 
away  let  him  alone  and  have  nothing  to  do  with  him.  A  spirit  in- 
tended to  divide  the  Saints  has  been  manifested  in  this  city.  We 
have  built  up  this  city.  Would  steamboats  have  landed  here  if 
the  Saints  had  not  come,  or  would  speculators  make  anything  out 
of  our  lands  if  we  had  not  come  to  give  them  value?  Israel  is 
to  be  the  head,  and  not  the  tail.  All  who  have  gone  from  us  have 
gone  from  the  head  to  the  foot.  Oppose  this  work  and  it  will  roll 
over  you.  When  since  it  began  did  this  work  ever  stop?  What 
the  Saints  need  to  know  is  what  the  Lord  wants  of  them  and  then 
have  the  courage  to  do  it.  If  the  Saints  will  keep  the  law  of  God, 
the  hypocrites  and  the  scoundrels  will  not  be  comfortable  in  their 
presence." 

Closing  the  meeting  the  Prophet  said,  "I  care  but  little  for  pol- 
itics; I  would  not  give  much  for  the  presidential  chair  in  com- 
parison with  the  office  I  now  hold ;  but  as  men  in  the  world  have 
used  the  powers  of  government  to  oppose  and  persecute  us,  it  is 
proper  for  us  to  use  those  powers  for  our  own  protection  and 
rights.  Were  I  President  of  the  United  States  I  would  never  say 
to  an  oppressed  people,  'Your  cause  is  just  but  I  can  do  nothing 
for  you/  " 

Continuing,  he  spoke  of  the  annexation  of  Texas,  and  he  fur- 
ther believed  that  the  United  States  should  receive  all  the  territory 
that  it  could.  He  was  in  favor  of  paying  for  the  slaves  and  fur- 
ther believed  that  steps  should  be  taken  to  give  freedom  to  all  col- 


EARLY  DAYS  OF  1844.  203 

ored  children  after  a  fixed  period.  By  these  means  he  believed 
that  much  bloodshed  would  be  averted  and  that  in  the  end  it 
would  be  less  expensive  to  the  country  at  large.  "This  govern- 
ment," he  said,  "will  receive  no  suggestions  from  me.  Those  who 
hold  the  responsible  places  are  controlled  by  a  spirit  of  self-suffi- 
ciency, but  they  will  have  to  meet  with  fear  and  trembling  in  a 
day  to  come  the  false  position  they  have  taken." 

"'The  Prophet  Joseph,"  says  Elder  Woodruff,  in  his  journal, 
"favored  the  admission  of  Canada  into  the  United  States.  He 
regarded  all  of  North  and  South  America  as  the  land  of  Zion,  and 
believed  that  the  principles  upon  which  the  government  of  the 
United  States  was  founded  should  govern  as  well  all  the  various 
nations  on  this  continent." 

On  the  8th  of  March,  a  number  of  leading  citizens  met  to  con- 
sider the  question  of  vice-president  on  the  presidential  ticket. 

Through  all  the  teachings  of  the  Prophet  in  those  days  there 
ran  a  spirit  of  deep  concern  for  the  completion  of  the  Temple,  so 
that  the  ordinances  to  be  performed  therein  might  be  enjoyed  by 
the  Saints.  ''These  ordinances,"  Joseph  insisted,  "must  be  per- 
formed in  this  life."  He  spoke  on  the  land  of  Zion  and  of  the 
days  to  come  when  there  would  be  stakes  established  throughout 
North  and  South  America.  His  words  were  like  the  sounds  of  a 
distant  echo;  their  realization  was  then  scarcely  within  the  com- 
pass of  the  most  vivid  imagination.  Now  that  stakes  of  Zion  are 
spreading  out  into  Canada,  Mexico,  and  various  states  of  the 
Union,  the  fulfillment  of  these  prophetic  utterances  is  within  the 
understanding  of  all  Latter-day  Saints.  And  in  view  of  these 
prophecies  one  may  exclaim  with  the  psalmist  of  old :  "Go  about 
Zion ;  count  the  towers  thereof." 


CHAPTER  20. 

THE  MARTYRDOM  OF  JOSEPH  AND  HYRUM,  1844. 

Mission  of  the  Apostles  to  the  East. — A  Warning  to  W.  W. — A  Sad 
Parting. — Political  News  of  the  Prophet  Published. — W.  W.  Arrives 
in  Boston,  June  26. — The  Martyrdom. — Its  Announcement  Reaches 
W.  W.  in  Portland,  Maine. — His  Return  to  Boston. — an  Epistle 
to  the  Elders  and  Saints  in  the  World.— W.  W.  Visits  His  Old 
Home. — Return  to  Nauvoo. — Conditions  in  That  City. 

The  fourth  of  March,  1844,  brought  to  Elder  Woodruff's 
life  the  satisfaction  that  comes  to  those  who  esteem  it  a  divinely 
appointed  joy  to  sit  beneath  their  own  vine  and  fig  tree.  He 
moved  on  that  day  to  the  new  home  he  had  erected  in  Illinois ; 
and  for  the  first  time  he  could  leave  his  family,  while  abroad 
preaching  the  gospel,  in  some  measure  of  comfort  and  independ- 
ence. He  felt  now,  more  than  ever,  from  a  material  point  of 
view,  that  he  had  prepared  for  the  missionary  service  which  be- 
longed to  his  calling. 

The  opportunity  for  missionary  service  soon  came.  The 
Laws,  Higbees,  Fosters,  Blakesley,  and  others  came  out  in  open 
rebellion  against  the  Prophet  of  God,  who  now  felt  a  foreboding 
of  evil  days  to  come.  The  Prophet,  therefore,  made  a  call  upon 
the  Twelve  to  take  a  mission  to  the  Eastern  States.  He  would 
not  have  their  lives  jeopardized  by  the  enmity  which  was  intensi- 
fying about  him.  Upon  the  Twelve  rested  the  responsibility  of 
the  Kingdon,  should  he  be  called  to  lay  down  his  life.  Elder 
Woodruff  left  Nauvoo  in  company  with  George  A.  Smith,  J.  M. 
Grant,  Ezra  Thayer,  and  the  latter's  son.  Of  this  circumstance 
he  writes,  "This  was  the  last  mission  the  Prophet  ever  gave  to 
the  Twelve  Apostles  in  this  dispensation.  He  wished  none  of 
us  to  remain  by  him  except  Willard  Richards.  Apostle  John 
Taylor  was  later  required  to  remain  and  take  charge  of  the  print- 
ing and  publications.  The  Prophet  then  turned  to  me  and  said  : 
'Brother  Woodruff,  I  want  you  to  go,  and  if  you  do  not  you  will 
die.'  His  words  rested  with  mighty  weight  upon  me  when  he 
spoke,  and  I  have  often  thought  since,  in  contemplation  of  the 
awful  tragedy  of  his  and  Hyrum's  martyrdom,  how  truly  his 


THE  MARTYRDOM  OF  JOSEPH  AND  HYRUM,  1844.  205 

words  would  have  been  verified  had  I  remained.  Elder  Taylor 
barely  escaped.  Willard  Richards  escaped  the  bullets  altogether. 
He  escaped,  as  was  written  of  him  later,  'without  even  a  hole  in 
his  robe.'  I  took  the  parting  hand  of  Hyrum  and  Joseph,  at  their 
own  dwellings.  Joseph  stood  in  the  entry  of  his  door  when  I  took 
his  hand  to  bid  him  farewell.  Brother  J.  M.  Grant  was  with 
me.  As  he  took  me  by  the  hand,  he  said :  'Brother  Woodruff, 
you  are  about  to  start  upon  your  mission.'  I  answered,  'Yes.' 
He  looked  me  steadily  in  the  eye  for  a  time  without  speaking  a 
word ;  he  looked  as  though  he  would  penetrate  my  very  soul,  and 
at  the  same  time  seemed  unspeakably  sorrowful,as  if  weighed  down 
by  a  foreboding  of  something  dreadful.  He  finally  spoke  in  a 
mournful  voice :  'God  bless  you,  Brother  Woodruff ;  go  in  peace.' 
I  turned  and  left  him  with  a  sorrowful  heart,  partaking  of  the 
same  spirit  which  rested  upon  him.  This  was  the  last  time  I  ever 
saw  his  face  or  heard  his  voice  again — in  the  flesh.  Sad  were  the 
last  months  of  the  Prophet's  life.  They  were  like  the  last  days 
of  Him  who  died  on  Calvary  for  the  redemption  of  a  fallen 
world.  The  Apostles  of  this  dispensation,  while  not  aware  of  the 
coming  events  in  all  their  fullness,  were  yet  more  fully  prepared 
for  the  sad  event  than  were  the  Apostles  of  Jerusalem.  Those  of 
the  latter  days  had  been  endowed  with  power  from  on  high,  and 
they  did  not  slumber  while  their  Prophet  suffered,  as  did  those 
'in  the  Garden  of  Gethsemane.'  " 

After  departing  upon  his  mission,  Elder  Woodruff  and  oth- 
ers passed  the  first  week  in  holding  public  meetings,  and  on  the 
18th  of  May  held  their  first  conference  in  Newark,  Kendall  Coun- 
ty, Illinois.  With  him  at  this  conference  was  George  A.  Smith 
of  the  Twelve.  At  its  close  they  were  joined  by  Elders  Charles 
G.  Rich,  David  Fulmer,  and  Henry  Jacobs  from  Nauvoo.  The 
evening  following  they  held  a  political  meeting  over  which  Wil- 
ford  Woodruff  presided.  Henry  Jacobs  read  the  views  of  Joseph 
Smith  on  the  policy  and  powers  of  the  general  government. 
Spirited  addresses  were  made  by  David  Fulmer,  Wilford  Wood- 
ruff, and  George  A.  Smith.  The  day  following  they  rode  thirty 
miles  to  Joliet,  where  a  similar  meeting  was  held,  and  where  a 
good  impression  was  made  upon  the  minds  of  the  people.  In  his 
journal  he  says:  "We  continued  from  place  to  place,  holding 
forth  in  public  assemblage  upon  political  subjects,  reading  the 


206  WiLFORD  WOODRUFF. 

views  of  Joseph  Smith  and  placing  him  before  the  public  as  a  fit 
candidate  for  the  presidency  of  the  United  States. 

"On  the  first  of  June  we  held  conference  in  Comstock,  Kala- 
mazoo  County,  Michigan.  There  were  present  two  of  the  Quor- 
um, myself  and  George  A.  Smith.  There  were  eight  high  priests ; 
S.  Bent,  Charles  C.  Richer,  David  Fulmer,  H.  Green,  Z.  Coltrin, 
Moses  Smith,  Ezra  Thayer,  and  G.  Coltrin;  eight  seventies  and 
fourteen  elders;  two  priests  and  one  deacon.  Charles  C.  Rich, 
in  council  with  the  officers,  appointed  the  elders  to  their  respec- 
tive stations  in  the  several  counties  of  the  state,  and  he  manifested 
much  wisdom  in  arranging  to  carry  out  his  work  both  in  politics 
and  religion  in  the  state  of  Michigan." 

On  the  eighth  day  they  held  a  conference  in  Pleasant  Valley, 
and  another  in  Franklin  on  the  fifteenth.  Soon  after  this  Elder 
Woodruff  proceeded  to  Boston,  where  he  arrived  on  the  26th  of 
June.  On  the  27th,  the  most  sorrowful  day  of  this  dispensation, 
he  was  in  company  with  President  Brigham  Young.  Of  this  day 
he  subsequently  wrote:  "The  day  of  the  martyrdom,  Brigham 
Young  and  myself  were  seated  in  the  railroad  station  at  the  time 
Joseph  and  Hyrum  were  assassinated.  This. was  June  the  27th, 
at  quarter  past  five  in  the  evening,  at  Carthage,  Illinois.  It  was 
half-past  six  in  Boston.  As  we  sat  in  the  station,  Brigham  was 
very  sorrowful  and  depressed  in  spirit,  not  knowing  the  cause. 
This  was  the  time  when  Satan  struck  the  heaviest  blow  he  had 
struck  since  the  Son  of  God  was  crucified.  We  well  knew  after- 
wards why  all  the  Twelve,  wherever  they  were  on  that  day  and 
at  that  time,  were,  like  the  president  of  our  Quorum,  sorrowful, 
and  burdened  in  spirit  without  knowing  why." 

On  the  ^9th  of  June  the  Twelve  held  a  conference  with  the 
Saints  in  Boston.  They  met  in  Franklin  Hall.  There  were  pres- 
ent Brigham  Young,  Heber  C.  Kimball,  Orson  Hyde,  Orson 
Pratt,  Wilford  Woodruff,  William  Smith,  and  Lyman  Wight. 
President  Young  presided.  It  occupied  two  days.  The  confer- 
ence was  well  attended,  and  every  effort  was  made  to  present 
the  views  of  the  Prophet  and  explain  the  character  of  the  Latter- 
day  Saints.  The  conference  also  received  instructions  in  political 
matters. 

July  first,  by  previous  appointment,  a  convention  was  held  in 


THE  MARTYRDOM  OF  JOSEPH  AND  HYRUM,  1844.  207 

Melodian  Hall.  Brigham  Young  of  Nauvoo  presided.  William 
Smith  and  Lyman  Wight  were  vice  presidents.  Wilford  Wood- 
ruff, Orson  Pratt,  and  A.  McAllister  of  Boston,  and  N.  H.  Felt 
of  Salem  were  secretaries.  Resolutions  were  passed  and  proceed- 
ings of  the  meeting  were  published  in  the  "Boston  Times"  of  July 
2nd,  1844.  An  evening  session  of  the  convention  was  held.  A 
number  of  rowdies  made  their  appearance  in  the  galleries.  While 
President  Young  was  speaking,  a  woman  by  the  name  of  Folsom, 
arose  and  began  to  harangue  the  audience ;  then  a  rowdy,  sup- 
ported by  a  large  number  of  kindred  spirits,  made  such  a  dis- 
turbance that  the  police  came  in  to  quell  those  creating  the  con- 
fusion. The  police,  however,  were  overpowered  by  the  rough  ele- 
ment and  the  meeting  was  broken  up.  The  convention,  however, 
adjourned  until  4  p.  m.  the  following  day,  to  meet  at  Bunker  Hill. 
Here  Heber  C.  Kimball  and  George  B.  Wallace  were  elected  dele- 
gates to  attend  the  Baltimore  National  Convention. 

On  July  2nd  the  Twelve  met  in  council  and  made  their  plans 
to  support  and  attend  the  several  conferences  in  the  various  states. 
Elder  Woodruff  and  his  old-time  friend,  Milton  Holmes,  whom 
he  had  not  seen  for  five  years,  went  into  Maine.  "We  left  Bos- 
ton," he  says,  "at  seven  p.  m.  on  the  2nd  and  arrived  at  Father 
Carter's  home  in  Scarboro  early  the  next  afternoon.  I  found  my 
wife's  father  and  mother  and  Brother  Fabyan  and  family  all  well." 
A  Brother  Stoddard  had  already  made  the  appointment  for  their 
conference  on  the  6th  and  7th  at  Scarboro,  in  a  Presbyterian  chap- 
el. About  six  hundred  people  assembled.  There  were  present  be- 
sides himself  S.  B.  Stoddard,  Milton  Holmes,  Elbridge  Tufts,  and 
Samuel  Parker. 

On  the  9th,  in  company  with  Milton  Holmes  and  Father  Car- 
ter, Elder  Woodruff  visited  Portland,  and  dined  with  his  brother- 
in-law,  Ezra  Carter.  While  there  he  saw  for  the  first  time  the  an- 
nouncement in  the  press  of  the  martyrdom  of  Joseph  and  Hyrum 
Smith.  It  was  published  in  the  "Boston  Times."  In  consequence 
of  the  shocking  news,  he  repaired  at  once  to  Boston,  and  the  day 
following  his  arrival  there  he  met  with  the  Saints  and  gave  them 
counsel  and  comfort  in  the  hour  of  their  bereavement.  "The  next 
day,"  he  says  in  his  journal,  "I  wrote  a  letter  to  the  editor  of  the 
"Prophet,"  published  in  New  York,  giving  a  word  of  exhortation 


208  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

to  the  Saints  abroad  to  maintain  their  integrity,  and  to  keep  the 
faith  and  endurance  of  the  Saints  even  unto  death.  The  following 
morning  we  obtained  information  from  Quincy,  giving  full  ac- 
count of  the  horrible  affair  at  Carthage  and  the  great  loss  which 
the  Church  had  sustained. 

"The  governor  himself  acknowledged  the  deatli  of  Joseph  and 
Hyrum  to  be  a  wanton  murder.  The  state  of  Illinois  was  in  com- 
motion, and  Governor  Ford  made  Quincy  his  headquarters 
and  issued  a  proclamation  to  the  citizens  of  the  state.  The  news 
of  the  day  stated  that  the  Mormon  leaders  in  Nauvoo  had  done 
all  they  could  to  restrain  the  disciples  of  the  martyred  Prophet 
from  vengeance.  Still  there  was  evidently  a  disposition  on  the 
part  of  the  people  and  the  troops  to  destroy  Nauvoo,  lest  the  Mor- 
mons should  hold  a  fearful  reckoning  with  the  mobocratic  ele- 
ment in  desperation  over  the  assassination  of  their  Prophet  and 
Patriarch.  'The  wicked  flee  when  no  man  pursueth." ' 

On  Sunday,  the  14th,  Elder  Woodruff  preached  twice  to  the 
Saints  in  Boston,  he  being  the  only  one  of  the  Twelve  then  in  that 
city.  On  the  morning  of  the  16th  of  July  he  received  a  letter 
from  Erastus  Snow  and  one  from  John  E.  Page,  both  confirming 
the  report  of  the  martyrdom.  The  same  day  he  received  the  first 
letter  he  had  obtained  from  his  wife  since  leaving  Nauvoo.  This 
letter  contained  the  narration  of  a  dream  given  to  the  Prophet 
Joseph  a  few  days  before  his  death.  In  the  dream  there  was  clearly 
indicated  to  him  the  conspiracy  and  treachery  of  William  and  Wil- 
son Law,  and  the  fact,  too,  that  they  would  yet  cry  unto  Joseph 
to  deliver  them  from  the  grasp  of  the  monster  into  whose  hands 
they  had  wilfully  placed  themselves;  and  that  his  power  to  help 
them  would  be  like  that  of  Lazarus,  to  whom  the  rich  man  ap- 
pealed. There  was  a  gulf  between  them. 

On  the  17th  of  July  he  says,  in  his  journal :  "Elder  Brigham 
Young  arrived  in  Boston.  I  walked  with  him  to  No.  57  Temple 
Street  and  called  upon  Sister  Vose.  Brother  Young  took  the  bed 
and  I  the  armchair,  and  then  we  veiled  our  faces  and  gave  vent 
to  our  grief.  Until  now  I  had  not  shed  a  tear  since  the  death  of 
the  Prophet.  My  soul  had  been  nerved  up  like  steel.  After  giv- 
ing vent  to  our  grief  in  tears  we  felt  more  composed.  Brother 
Brigham  left  the  city  the  same  day,  but  soon  returned.  Elders 


THE  MARTYRDOM  OF  JOSEPH  AND  HYRUM,  1844.  209 

Kimball,  Hyde,  and  Orson  Pratt  also  came.  We  held  a  council 
and  I  was  directed  to  write  a  letter  to  the  "Prophet,"  edited  in 
New  York,  advising  the  elders  who  had  families  in  Nauvoo  to  go 
immediately  to  them,  and  all  the  elders  of  the  Church  to  assem- 
ble forthwith  at  Nauvoo  for  a  council.  It  was  signed  by  order  of 
the  quorum  of  the  Twelve,  Brigham  Young,  president,  and  Wil- 
ford  Woodruff,  clerk.  This  order  of  the  quorum  was  subsequently 
published  in  the  "News,"  Volume  7,  No.  447. 

On  July  18th,  meeting  was  held  in  a  hall  on  Washington 
Street,  opposite  Boylston  Hall.  Elder  Hyde  spoke  on  the  martyr- 
dom of  Joseph  and  Hyrum,  and  was  followed  by  Brigham  Young, 
who  said :  "Be  of  good  cheer.  The  testimony  is  not  in  force  while 
the  testator  liveth;  when  he  dieth,  it  is  enforced.  So  it  is  with 
Joseph.  When  God  sends  a  man  to  do  a  work,  all  the  devils  in 
hell  cannot  kill  him  until  his  work  is  accompished.  It  was  thus 
with  Joseph.  He  prepared  all  things  and  gave  the  keys  to  men 
on  the  earth  and  said,  'I  am  soon  to  be  taken  from  you. ' : 

Soon  after  this  the  Twelve  left  for  Nauvoo.  Elder  Woodruff 
started  on  the  20th,  and  two  days  later  found  himself  at  his  native 
home  in  Farmington,  Connecticut.  "I  found  my  father  and  step- 
mother alone,  there  was  not  a  child  with  them  in  their  decline  of 
life  to  watch  over  them.  I  had  twenty-four  hours  to  stay  and  I 
happily  improved  the  time. 

"My  father  was  sixty-seven  years  of  age,  and  I  might  never 
see  him  again  in  mortality.  I  felt  deeply  impressed  of  late  that  I 
had  something  to  do  for  my  parents.  As  the  sable  shades  of  a 
serene  night  drew  their  curtain  over  the  earth  and  sealed  the  cares 
of  the  day,  we  went  alone  to  prayer.  There  were  none  but  con- 
genial spirits  there.  I  rose  and  with  a  spirit  like  that  of  Joseph 
of  old  towards  his  father  Jacob,  opened  my  heart  to  my  father, 
and  he  reciprocated  my  sentiments.  I  then  laid  my  hands  upon 
his  head  and  ordained  Aphek  Woodruff  a  high  priest  and  patri- 
arch after  the  order  of  Melchisedek,  and  sealed  him  up  unto  eter- 
nal life.  I  shall  never  forget  the  deep  satisfaction  and  heavenly 
spirit  of  that  night  beneath  my  father's  roof.  Sleep  departed  from 
me,  and  I  was  wrapped  in  the  meditations  and  visions  of  days 
gone  by  and  of  days  to  come." 

The  day  following  he  journeyed  on  to  New  York,  where  he 

15 


210  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

met  Orson  Hyde  and  Orson  Pratt.  When  they  reached  Schenec- 
tady  they  met  Brigham  Young,  Heber  C.  Kimball,  and  Lyman 
Wight.  The  six  journeyed  together  until  they  reached  Fairport, 
where  Elder  Hyde  separated  from  them  to  visit  his  family  in 
Kirtland. 

On  this  journey  homeward  President  Young  requested  Elder 
Woodruff  to  keep  an  account  of  the  events  of  those  times,  for  some 
day  he  would  be  called  upon  to  give  a  record  of  them.  It  was  dur- 
ing this  journey  that  Lyman  Wight  testified  that  while  he  was  in 
jail  in  Missouri  with  the  prophet,  that  Joseph  informed  him  that 
he  (Joseph)  would  not  live  to  see  his  40th  birthday,  but  enjoined 
him  not  to  speak  of  it  until  after  his  words  had  been  fulfilled.  It 
was  during  this  journey  also  that  Elder  Kimball  had  a  dream.  It 
showed  the  policy  of  the  nation  toward  the  work  of  God  and  the 
important  part  the  Twelve  would  perform  in  building  upon  the 
foundation  laid  by  the  Prophet. 

The  Twelve  arrived  in  Nauvoo  on  the  sixth  day  of  August, 
where  they  received  a  hearty  welcome  by  families  and  friends. 
"When  we  landed  in  the  city,  a  deep  gloom  seemed  to  rest  over 
Nauvoo  such  as  we  had  never  before  experienced." 

Those  were  days  of  heartfelt  anxiety.  Conflicting  spirits 
were  at  work  in  a  struggle  for  ascendency.  Selfish  ambitions  and 
sinister  motives  were  operating  among  the  few.  The  Saints,  gen- 
erally, were  trusting  themselves  to  an  overruling  Providence ; 
they  believed  that  at  the  proper  time  and  in  a  manner  unmistake- 
able,  there  would  be  some  manifestation  of  God's  watchcare  over 
His  Saints.  The  personal  ambitions  of  men  had  gained  no  de- 
cided sway  over  the  hearts  and  minds  of  the  great  body  of  the 
Church.  The  Apostles  had  just  arrived.  They  were  strong  men, 
and  the  people  felt  the  power  of  their  influence.  Those  who  were 
promoting  their  own  selfish  ends  were  likewise  concerned  over  the 
arrival  of  the  Twelve.  To  them  the  presence  of  these  men  meant 
more  a  contest  for  supremacy  than  it  did  an  opportunity  for  more 
light  and  a  better  understanding.  The  humble  and  the  God-fear- 
ing among  the  people  possessed  the  key  of  their  own  safety.  They 
were  seeking  a  will  higher  than  their  own,  and  were  willing  when 
they  found  it  to  yield  obedience.  They  knew  that  it  was  not  their 
work.  They  appreciated  fully  the  fact  that  they  were  humble  in- 
struments and  therefore  wanted  to  place  themselves  in  harmony 


THE  MARTYRDOM  OF  JOSEPH  AND  HYRUM,  1844.  211 

with  that  divine  authority  which  had  been  their  guide  and  their 
anchor  in  bygone  days.  Those  who  were  seeking  the  light  were 
the  first  to  behold  it.  The  days  following  the  arrival  in  Nauvoo 
of  President  Young  and  other  members  of  the  Twelve  were  days 
of  great  future  significance  in  the  history  of  the  Church;  every 
event  of  those  days  has  been  a  land-mark  in  the  history  of  God's 
people.  What  followed  of  importance  is  carefully  recorded  by 
Elder  Woodruff  in  his  journal.  The  contents  of  that  journal  are 
of  supreme  historical  importance  in  the  annals  of  the  Church. 


CHAPTER  21. 
THE  SUCCESSION,  1844. 

Sidney  Rigdon's  Claim  to  Guardianship. — Rigdon's  Spiritual  Con- 
dition.— Comparison  of  Sidney  Rigdon  and  Frederick  Williams. — 
Remarks  of  Brigham  Young. — Meeting  on  Aug.  8,  1844. — Brigham 
Young  Follows  Sidney  Rigdon  in  Address  to  the  People. — Mem- 
bers of  the  Twelve  Speak. — Vote  on  Question  of  Leadership. 

The  return  of  the  Twelve  to  Nauvoo  at  that  particular  time 
was  both  opportune  and  providential.  Elder  Woodruff's  care- 
ful record  of  what  was  said  and  done  gives  us  an  insight  into 
the  condition  of  the  city  and  into  the  feelings  of  the  people. 
The  minds  of  the  Saints  were  agitated,  their  hearts  were  sorrow- 
ful and  darkness  seemed  to  becloud  their  path;  they  were  like 
sheep  without  a  shepherd,  since  their  beloved  Prophet  had  been 
taken  away. 

Elder  John  Taylor  was  recovering  from  his  wounds ;  and  on 
the  7th  of  August,  1844,  the  Twelve  met  in  the  forenoon  in  coun- 
cil at  his  home.  At  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  the  Twelve, 
the  high  council,  and  the  high  priests  met  in  the  Seventies'  Hall. 
It  was  there  that  Sidney  Rigdon  made  his  appearance,  he  hav- 
ing returned  from  Pittsburg,  On  invitation  of  President  Young 
he  took  charge  of  the  meeting.  Sidney  Rigdon  presented  to 
the  people  his  claims  to  the  guardianship  of  the  Church.  He 
recounted  to  those  present,  a  vision  which  he  said  he  received 
in  Pittsburg  on  the  27th  of  June,  the  day  of  the  Prophet's  martyr- 
dom. This  vision  is  given  by  Elder  Woodruff  in  his  journal 
as  follows:  "This  was  presented  to  my  mind,  not  as  an  open 
vision,  but  rather  as  a  continuation  of  the  vision  mentioned  in 
the  Doctrine  and  Covenants.  It  was  shown  to  me  that  His  Church 
must  be  built  up  unto  Joseph  and  that  all  the  blessings  we  re- 
ceived must  come  through  him.  I  have  been  ordained  as  spokes- 
man to  Joseph  and  must  see  that  the  Church  is  governed  in  a 
proper  manner.  Joseph  sustains  the  same  relationship  to  this 
Church  as  he  has  always  done.  No  man  can  be  a  successor  of 
Joseph.  The  Kingdom  has  to  be  built  up  to  Jesus  Christ  through 
Joseph.  There  must  still  be  revelation.  The  martyred  Prophet 
js  still  the  head  of  this  Church.  Every  quorum  should  stand  in 


THE   SUCCESSION,    1844.  213 

the  order  in  which  its  members  received  their  anointings.  I  have 
been  ordained  a  spokesman  to  Joseph  and  was  commanded  to 
speak  for  him.  The  Church  is  not  disorganized  though  our  head 
is  gone.  We  have  a  diversity  of  feelings  on  this  matter.  I 
have  been  called  to  be  a  spokesman  unto  Joseph  and  I  want  to 
build  up  the  Church  unto  him;  and  if  the  people  call  me  to 
sustain  this  place,  I  want  it  upon  the  principle  that  every  in- 
dividual shall  acknowledge  my  right  for  himself.  I  propose  to 
be  a  guardian  to  the  people.  In  this  matter  I  have  discharged 
my  duty  and  have  done  what  God  has  commanded  me  to  do.  The 
people  may  please  themselves  whether  they  accept  me  or  not." 

It  will  be  remembered  that  although  Sidney  Rigdon  had 
for  a  long  time  been  faithful  and  had  passed  through  many  per- 
secutions and  tribulations  with  Joseph,  he  had  weakened  and  had 
become  "weary  in  well  doing."  When  he  came  out  of  Liberty 
jail  he  made  an  expression  both  presumptuous  and  sacrilegious 
by  saying,  in  substance,  that  the  Savior  was  nothing  in  suffer- 
ing, compared  with  himself.  Again  when  the  Prophet  gazed  up- 
on Commerce,  the  place  where  Nauvoo  was  built,  he  prophetically 
remarked :  "It  is  a  beautiful  site  but  not  long  a  resting  place  for 
the  Saints."  Sidney  was  so  impetuous  and  so  weary  of  suf- 
fering that  in  a  tone  of  vexation  he  said  of  Joseph's  words:  "I 
thought  that  Joseph  knew  better  than  to  prophesy  evil  concerning 
the  Saints." 

The  foregoing  remarks  disclose  the  state  of  Elder  Rigdon's 
mind  and  explain  the  interpretation  which  he  put  upon  the  sac- 
rifices he  had  made  for  the  gospel's  sake.  From  these  sacrifices 
he  sought  honor  rather  than  the  knowledge  and  spirit  they 
contained.  Elder  Rigdon  further  manifested  a  weakness  in  his 
faith  by  his  critical  attitude  towards  the  Prophet  whose  mind, 
to  Sidney  Rigdon's  knowledge,  had  been  so  wonderfully  enlight- 
ened by  a  divine  power  that  enabled  him  to  foresee  future  events. 
When  Elder  Rigdon,  in  closing  his  talk,  remarked  that  the  people 
could  do  as  they  pleased  about  it,  he  manifested  a  weakness  of 
conviction  and  a  spirit  of  indifference  to  his  own  claims  that 
created  an  equal  indifference  in  .the  minds  of  those  who  listened 
to  his  words. 

Before  his  death,  Joseph  had  conferred  the  keys  of  his  divine 
authority  upon  the  Twelve  who  stood  next  in  authority  to  the 


214  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

Presidency  of  the  Church  and  they  succeeded  to  the  leadership 
when  the  latter  for  any  reason  became  disorganized. 

Before  the  Prophet's  death  Elder  Rigdon  became  separated 
from  the  body  of  the  Church  and  really  abandoned  his  calling  by 
his  return  to  his  former  home  in  Pittsburg.  Associated  in  this 
particular  event  in  the  history  of  the  Church  are  the  words  of  the 
Prophet  which  so  perfectly  portrayed,  not  only  Sidney  Rigdon's 
character  and  future  life,  but  also  the  marvelous  inspiration  which 
characterized  the  words  of  the  Prophet.  From  Church  History, 
Volume  I.,  page  448,  the  following  is  given : 

"Brother  Sidney  is  a  man  whom  I  love  but  is  not  cap- 
able of  that  pure  and  steadfast  love  for  those  who  are  his  bene- 
factors that  should  characterize  a  president  of  the  Church  of  Christ. 
This  with  some  other  little  things,  such  as  selfishness  and  indepen- 
dence of  mind,  which  too  often  manifested,  destroy  the  confidence 
of  those  who  would  lay  down  their  lives  for  him — these  are  his 
faults.  But  notwithstanding  these  things,  he  is  a  very  great 
and  good  man ;  a  man  of  great  power  of  words,  and  can  gain  the 
friendship  of  his  hearers  very  quickly.  He  is  a  man  whom  God 
will  uphold,  if  he  will  continue  faithful  to  his  calling.  O  God, 
grant  that  he  may  for  the  Lord's  saKe.  Amen." 

"And  again,  blessed  be  brother  Sidney,  notwithstanding  he 
shall  be  high  and  lifted  up,  yet  he  shall  bow  down  under  the 
yoke  like  unto  an  ass  that  croucheth  beneath  his  burden,  that 
learneth  his  master's  will  by  the  stroke  of  the  rod;  thus  saith 
the  Lord:  yet,  the  Lord  will  have  mercy  on  hjii  and  he  shall 
bring  forth  much  fruit,  even  as  the  vine  of  the  choice  grape  when 
her  clusters  are  ripe,  before  the  time  of  the  gleaning  of  the  vint- 
age ;  and  the  Lord  shall  make  his  heart  merry  as  with  sweet  wine, 
because  of  him  who  putteth  forth  his  hand,  and  lifteth  him  up 
out  of  the  deep  mire,  and  pointeth  him  out  the  way,  and  guideth 
his  feet  when  he  stumbles  and  humbleth  him  in  his  pride.  Bless- 
ed are  his  generations;  nevertheless  one  shall  hunt  after  them  as 
a  man  hunteth  after  an  ass  that  has  strayed  in  the  wilderness, 
and  straightway  findeth  him  and  bringeth  him  into  the  fold.  Thus 
shall  the  Lord  watch  over  his  generation,  that  they  may  De  saved, 
Even  so.  Amen." 

"The  man  who  willeth  to  do  well,  we  would  extol  his  vir- 
tues, and  speak  not  of  his  faults  behind  his  back.  A  man  who 


THE  SUCCESSION,  1844.  215 

wilfully  turneth  away  from  his  friend  without  a  cause,  is  not 
easily  forgiven.  The  kindness  of  a  man  should  never  be  for- 
gotten. That  person  who  never  forsaketh  his  trust  should  ever 
have  the  highest  place  of  regard  in  our  hearts,  and  our  love  should 
never  fail,  but  increase  more  and  more,  and  this  is  my  disposition 
and  these  are  my  sentiments/' 

"Brother  Frederick  G.  Williams  is  one  of  those  men  in  whom 
I  place  the  greatest  confidence  and  trust,  for  I  have  found  him 
ever  full  of  brotherly  love,  and  kindness.  He  is  not  a  man  of 
many  words  but  is  ever  winning  because  of  his  constant  mind. 
He  shall  ever  have  a  place  in  my  heart,  and  is  ever  entitled  to 
my  confidence.  He  is  perfectly  upright  and  honest  and  seeks  with 
all  his  heart  to  magnify  his  Presidency  in  the  Church  of  Christ,  but 
often  fails  because  of  lack  of  confidence  in  himself.  God  grant  that 
he  may  overcome  all  evil.  Blessed  be  Brother  Frederick  for  he 
shall  never  want  a  friend,  and  his  generation  after  him  shall 
flourish.  The  Lord  hath  appointed  him  an  inheritance  upon  the 
land  of  Zion :  yea,  and  his  head  shall  blossom,  and  lie  shall  be  as 
an  olive  branch  that  is  bowed  down  with  fruit.  Even  so.  Amen." 

The  fulfillment  of  these  words  were  wonderfully  brought 
about  recently  through  the  discovery  of  Sidney  Rigdon's  son, 
John  W.,  in  New  York.  The  son,  most  of  his  life,  had  been  sep- 
arted  from  the  Church  and  all  its  interests.  The  proselyting  of 
the  elders  in  that  city  awakened  in  him  a  spirit  of  inquiry  into 
the  doctrines  which  his  father  had  so  ably  expounded.  The  son 
became  converted  to  the  divinity  of  those  doctrines  and  espoused 
the  teachings  of  the  Church. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  posterity  of  Frederick  Williams 
became  numerous  and  faithful.  In  view  of  such  divine  insight 
into  the  lives  of  men  as  well  as  into  the  course  of  events,  who  can 
doubt?  Joseph  Smith  stood  forth  in  prophetic  majesty  like 
Moses,  Samuel,  Isaiah,  Peter,  James,  John,  and  others  of  old. 

Returning  to  that  important  meeting  in  the  Seventies'  Hall, 
we  find  recorded  in  Elder  Woodruff's  journal  the  words  of  Presi- 
dent Young.  They  are  given  by  that  faithful  chronicler  as  fol- 
lows: "I  do  not  care  who  leads  the  Church  as  long  as  the  Lord 
directs  it.  One  thing  I  must  know  and  that  is  what  God  says 
about  it.  I  have  the  keys,  and,  therefore,  the  means  of  obtaining 
the  mind  of  God  upon  this  subject.  I  know  there  are  those  in  our 


216  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

midst  who  will  seek  the  lives  of  the  Twelve  as  they  did  the  lives 
of  Joseph  and  Hyrum.  We  shall  ordain  others  and  give  them  the 
fulness  of  priesthood,  so  that  if  we  are  killed  the  priesthood  shall 
remain.  Joseph  conferred  upon  our  heads  all  the  keys  and  powers 
belonging  to  the  apostleship  which  he  held  before  he  was  taken 
away.  No  man,  no  set  of  men,  can  get  between  Joseph  and  the 
Twelve  in  this  world  or  in  the  world  to  come.  How  often  Joseph 
has  said  to  the  Twelve :  T  have  laid  the  foundation,  and  you  must 
build  thereon ;  for  upon  your  shoulders  the  Kingdom  rests.'  The 
Twelve  as  a  quorum  will  not  be  permitted  to  tarry  here  long,  they 
will  go  abroad  and  bear  off  the  Kingdom  to  the  nations  of  the 
earth.  They  will  baptize  people  faster  than  mobs  can  kill  them. 
I  would  like  it,  were  it  my  privilege,  to  take  my  valise  and  travel 
and  preach  until  we  had  a  people  gathered  who  would  be  true. 
My  private  feelings  would  be  to  let  the  affairs  of  men  and  wom- 
en alone,  except  to  preach  the  gospel  and  to  baptize  people 
into  the  Kingdom  of  God.  However,  what  duty  places  upon  me 
I  intend  to  fulfill." 

Upon  the  suggestion  of  President  Young,  a  special  conference 
was  appointed  for  the  following  Tuesday,  August  8,  at  ten  a.  m. 
To  this  those  present  gave  unanimous  assent. 

At  the  request  of  William  Marks,  who  then  presided  over 
the  stake  in  Nauvoo,  a  special  meeting  was  held  in  the  morn- 
ing to  choose  a  guardian  for  the  Church.  At  that  time  Sidney 
Rigdon  took  his  position  in  a  wagon  about  two  rods  in  front  of  the 
stand  and  talked  to  the  people  for  about  an  hour  and  a  half  upon 
the  choice  of  a  guardian  for  the  Church.  Those  who  were  pres- 
ent on  that  occasion  and  who  were  familiar  with  the  eloquence 
of  Sidney  Rigdon,  say  that  all  his  former  inspiration  and  elo- 
quence had  vanished  while  setting  forth  his  personal  claims  for 
recognition.  He  spoke  as  one  who  had  forsaken  the  path  of  duty 
and  had  become,  like  many  others,  indifferent  to  his  obligations 
in  the  Church. 

When  this  meeting  was  dismissed,  President  Young  made  an 
appointment  with  the  brethen  to  assemble  at  two  p.  m.  that  day. 
There  were  present  among  the  assembled  multitude,  President 
Young,  Heber  C.  Kimball,  Parley  P.  Pratt,  Orson  Pratt,  Wilford 
Woodruff,  Willard  Richards,  and  George  A.  Smith.  The  various 
quorums  were  assigned  to  their  respective  places  around  the  stand. 


THE  SUCCESSION,  1844.  217 

After  the  opening  exercises,  President  Young  arose  and  said: 
"Attention  all !  This  congregation  makes  me  think  of  the  days 
of  King  Benjamin  when  the  multitude  was  so  great  that  all  could 
not  hear.  Let  none  complain  of  the  size  of  this  congregation,  it 
was  necessary  to  call  you  together.  For  the  first  time  in  the 
history  of  our  lives,  for  the  first  time  in  this  dispensation  of  the 
gospel,  we  are  without  the  Prophet  Joseph  in  our  midst.  I  step 
forth,  therefore  ,to  act  in  my  calling  in  connection  with  the  Quorum 
of  the  Twelve,  the  Apostles  of  Jesus  Christ  of  this  generation — 
Apostles  whom  God  has  called  by  revelation  througn  tlie  Prophet 
Joseph  Smith  and  who  are  ordained  and  anointed  to  carry  the 
keys  of  the  Kingdom  of  God  unto  all  the  world. 

"Hitherto  the  people  have  walked  by  sight  and  not  so  much 
by  faith.  We  have  had  the  Prophet  as  the  mouthpiece  of  the 
Lord;  now  he  is  gone.  He  has  sealed  his  testimony  with  his 
blood.  We  are  called  for  the  first  time  to  walk  by  faith.  Now 
that  our  Prohet  and  Patriarch  are  taken  from  our  midst,  in  bo-- 
half of  the  Twelve  I  submit  to  the  people  this  question :  Do  you 
want  someone  to  guard,  to  guide,  to  lead  you  into  the  King  lorn 
of  God  as  a  guardian,  spokesman,  or  something  else?  If  so, 
signify  it  by  raising  your  right  hand.  (There  was  no  vote). 

"When  I  came  to  this  stand  I  had  peculiar  feelings  and  im- 
pressions. The  faces  of  this  people  seemed  to  say:  we  want  a 
shepherd  to  guide  us  through  this  world.  To  all  who  want  to 
draw  apart  from  the  Church  I  say,  let  them  do  it  if  they  choose, 
but  they  will  not  prosper.  They  will  find  that  there  is  a  power 
with  the  Apostles  which  will  carry  the  work  off  victoriously  and 
which  will  build  up  and  defend  the  Church  and  Kingdom  of  God 
in  all  the  world.  What  do  the  people  want  ?  I  want  the  privilege 
of  weeping  and  mourning  for  thirty  days  at  least,  and  then  rising 
up  and  shaking  myself  and  telling  the  people  what  the  Lord  wants 
of  them.  Although  my  heart  is  too  full  of  mourning  to  launch 
out  into  business  transactions  and  into  the  organizations  of  the 
Church,  I  feel  compelled  this  day  to  step  forth  and  discharge  all 
those  duties  which  God  has  placed  upon  me. 

"I  now  wish  to  speak  of  the  organization  of  the  Church  of 
Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints.  The  Church  is  organized,  and 
you  want  to  know  how  it  is  organized,  I  will  tell  you.  I  know 
your  feelings.  Do  you  want  me  to  tell  you  your  feelings  ?  There 


218  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

is  President  Rigdon  who  was  counselor  to  Joseph.  I  ask,  where 
are  Joseph  and  Hyrum?  They  are  gone  beyond  the  veil,  and  if 
President  Rigdon  wants  to  act  as  his  counselor,  he  must  go  be- 
yond the  veil  where  he  is. 

"There  has  been  much  said  about  President  Rigdon  being 
President  of  the  Church  and  leading  the  people — being  the  head, 
etc.,  etc.  Brother  Rigdon  has  come  sixteen  hundred  miles  to  tell 
you  what  he  wants  to  do  for  you.  If  the  people  want  President 
Rigdon  to  lead  them  they  may  have  him ;  but  I  say  unto  you  that 
the  Quorum  of  the  Twelve  have  the  keys  of  the  Kingdom  in  all 
the  world.  The  Twelve  are  appointed  by  the  finger  of  God.  Here 
is  Brigham,  have  his  knees  ever  faltered?  Have  his  lips  ever 
quivered?  Here  are  Heber  and  the  rest  of  the  Twelve,  an  inde- 
pendent body  who  have  the  keys  of  the  priesthood ;  the  keys  of  the 
Kingdom  of  God  to  deliver  to  all  the  world;  this  is  true,  so  help 
me  God!  They  stand  next  to  Joseph  and  are  as  the  Presi- 
dency of  the  Church.  I  do  not  know  whether  my  enemies  will 
take  my  life  or  not  and  I  do  not  care,  for  I  want  to  be  with  the 
man  I  love. 

"You  cannot  fill  the  office  of  a  prophet,  seer,  and  revelator. 
God  must  do  that.  You  are  like  children  without  a  father,  and 
sheep  without  a  shepherd.  You  must  not  appoint  any  man  at 
year  head ;  if  you  do,  the  Twelve  must  ordain  him.  You  cannot 
appoint  any  man  at  your  head,  but  if  you  do  want  any  other  man 
or  men  to  lead  you,  take  him  or  them,  and  we  will  go  our  way  to 
build  up  the  Kingdom  of  God  in  all  the  world. 

"I  know  who  are  Jospeh's  friends  and  who  are  his  enemies ; 
I  know  where  the  keys  of  the  Kingdom  are,  where  they  will  enter- 
nally  be.  You  cannot  call  a  man  to  be  a  prophet.  You  cannot 
take  Elder  Rigdon  and  place  him  above  the  Twelve ;  if  so,  he  must 
be  ordained  by  them. 

"I  tell  you  there  is  an  over-anxiety  to  hurry  matters  here. 
You  cannot  take  any  man  and  put  him  at  the  head.  You  would 
scatter  the  Saints  to  the  four  winds.  You  would  sever  the 
priesthood.  So  long  as  we  remain  as  we  are,  the  Heavenly  Head 
is  in  constant  co-operation  with  us ;  and  if  you  go  out  of  that 
course,  God  willl  have  nothing  to  do  with  you. 

"Again,  some  perhaps  think  that  our  beloved  Brother  Rig- 
don would  not  be  honored,  would  not  be  looked  to  as  a  friend ; 


THE  SUCCESSION,  1844.  219 

but  if  he  does  right  and  remains  faithful,  he  will  not  act  against 
our  counsel  nor  we  against  his,  but  act  together  and  be  as  one. 

"I  again  repeat — no  man  can  stand  at  our  head  except  Go  a 
reveals  it  from  the  heavens.  I  have  spared  no  pains  to  learn  my 
lesson  of  the  Kingdom  in  this  world  and  in  the  eternal  worlds ; 
and  if  it  were  not  so,  I  could  go  and  live  in  peace;  but  for  the 
gospel  and  your  sakes,  I  shall  stand  in  my  place.  We  are  liable, 
all  the  day  long,  to  be  killed.  You  have  never  lived  by  faith. 

"Brother  Joseph,  the  Prophet,  has  laid  the  foundation  for  a 
great  work  and  we  will  build  upon  it.  You  have  never  seen  the 
quorums  built  one  upon  another.  There  is  an  almighty  foundation 
laid  and  we  can  build  a  Kingdom  such  as  there  never  was  in  the 
world.  We  can  build  a  Kingdom  faster  than  Satan  can  kill  the 
Saints  off.  . 

"What  do  you  want?  Do  you  want  a  patriarch  for  the  whole 
Church?  To  this  we  are  perfectly  willing.  If  Brother  Samuel 
H.  Smith  had  been  living,  it  would  have  been  his  right  and  priv- 
ilege, but  he  is  dead.  He  is  gone  to  Joseph  and  Hyrum.  He  is 
out  of  the  reach  of  bullets  and  spears  and  he  can  associate  him- 
self with  his  brothers,  his  friends,  and  the  Saints. 

"Do  you  want  a  patriarch?  Here  is  Brother  William  left. 
Here  is  Uncle  John  Smith,  uncle  to  the  Prophet  Joseph.  It  is 
their  right.  The  right  of  the  patriarchal  priesthood  belongs  to 
Joseph's  family. 

"Do  you  want  a  trustee-in-trust  ?  Has  there  been  a  bishop 
who  has  stood  in  his  lot  yet?  What  is  his  business?  To  take 
charge  of  the  temporal  affairs  so  that  the  Twelve  and  the  elders 
may  go  on  their  business.  Joseph  condescended  to  do  their  busi- 
ness for  them.  Joseph  condescended  to  offer  himself  for  Presi- 
dency of  the  United  States,  and  it  was  a  great  condescension. 

"Do  you  want  a  spokesman?  Here  are  Elder  Rigdon,  Broth- 
er Amasa  Lyman,  (whom  Joseph  exepected  to  take  as  a  counseler) 
and  myself.  Do  you  want  the  Church  properly  organized,  or  do 
you-  want  a  spokesman.  Elder  Rigdon  claims  to  be  spokesman 
to  the  Prophet.  Very  well — he  was.  But  can  he  now  act  in 
that  office? 

"If  he  wants  now  to  be  a  spokesman  to  the  Prophet  he  must 
go  to  the  other  side  of  the  veil  for  the  Prophet  is  there,  but 


220  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

Elder  Rigdon  is  here.  Why  will  Elder  Rigdon  be  a  fool?  Who 
knows  anything  of  the  priesthood  or  of  the  organization  of  the 
Kingdom  of  God  ?  I  am  plain.  Does  the  Church  want,  it  as  God 
organized  it,  or  do  you  want  to  clip  the  power  of  the  priesthood, 
and  let  those  who  have  the  right  go  and  build  up  ttie  Kingdom 
in  all  the  world  wherever  the  people  will  hear  them? 

"If  there  is  a  spokesman,  if  he  is  a  king  and  priest,  let  him 
go  and  build  up  a  kingdom  unto  himself.  The  Twelve  are  at  the 
head  of  the  Church.  I  want  to  live  on  the  earth  and  spread  truth 
through  all  the  world.  You  Saints  of  Latter-days  want  things 
right.  If  ten  thousand  should  rise  up  and  say  they  have  Joseph's 
shoes,  I  know  they  would  be  imposters.  In  the  priesthood  you 
have  a  right  to  build  up  a  kingdom  if  you  know  how  the  Church  is 
organized. 

"Now  if  you  want  Sidney  Rigdon  or  William  Law  to  lead 
you,  or  any  body  else,  you  are  welcome  to  them  both,  but  I  tell  you 
in  the  name  of  the  Lord  that  no  man  can  put  another  between 
the  Twelve  and  the  Prophet  Joseph.  Why  ?  Because  Joseph  was 
their  file  leader  and  he  has  committed  into  their  hands  the  keys  of 
the  Kingdom  in  this  last  dispensation  for  all  the  world.  I  ask, 
who  has  stood  next  to  Joseph  ?  I  have ;  and  I  will  stand  next  to 
him.  We  have  a  head  and  that  head  is  the  Apostleship,  the  spirit 
and  power  of  Joseph,  and  we  now  can  begin  to  see  the  necessity 
of  that  Apostleship. 

"President  Rigdon  was  at  his  side,  not  above.  No  man  had  a 
right  to  counsel  the  Twelve  but  Joseph  Smith.  Think  of  these 
sayings.  You  cannot  appoint  a  prophet ;  but  if  you  let  the  Twelve 
remain  and  act  in  their  place,  the  keys  of  the  Kingdom  are  with 
them,  and  they  can  manage  the  affairs  of  the  Church  and  direct 
all  things  aright. 

"Now  all  this  does  not  lessen  the  character  of  President 
Rigdon.  Let  him  magnify  his  calling  and  Joseph  will  want  him 
behind  the  veil.  Let  him  be  careful  what  he  does  lest  that  thread 
which  binds  us  together  be  cut  asunder.  May  God  bless  us  all." 

Following  the  remarks  of  President  Brigham  Young,  Anlasa 
Lyman  spoke  a  few  words  fully  sustaining  President  Young 
and  the  Twelve.  Elder  Lyman  had  been  chosen  as  a  counselor 
to  the  Prophet  Joseph  and  in  reference  to  the  matter  pending 
said:  "I  am  gratified  with  the  open,  frank,  and  plain  exposition 


THE  SUCCESSION,  1844.  221 

of  President  Young.  He  has  seen  the  relation  I  bear  to  our  de- 
ceased brother.  I  never  did  conceive  that  it  gave  me  a  right  to 
stand  -  above  the  Twelve.  I  make  no  exceptions,  whatever,  to 
anything  he  has  said.  President  Young  has  stood  next  to  the 
Prophet  Joseph  with  the  Twelve  and  I  have  stood  next  to  them 
and  will  be  with  the  Twelve  forever.  We  have  a  head  here, 
what  is  that  head?  The  Quorum  of  the  Twelve  Apostles." 

The  words,  the  appearance,  and  the  spirit  of  Brigham  Young 
were  so  convincing  and  so  like  those  of  the  Prophet  Joseph  that 
the  people  knew  the  voice  of  their  new  shepherd. 

President  Rigdon  next  called  upon  W.  W.  Phelps  to  speak 
for  him  as  he  could  not  speak  for  himself.  Although  Elder 
Phelps  spoke  at  some  length,  he  did  not  advocate  the  claims  of 
Elder  Rigdon.  He  sustained  the  right  and  duty  of  the  Twelve 
Apostles  to  stand  at  the  head,  and  expressed  his  hope  that  Elder 
Rigdon  would  submit  to  that  authority. 

Apostle  Parley  P.  Pratt  then  spoke  in  support  of  President 
Young  and  the  Twelve  and  said  with  reference  to  the  wicked 
men  in  Nauvoo :  "If  there  are  wicked  men  here,  it  is  because 
we  support  them.  Stop  dealing  with  them  and  they  will  go  away. 
I  am  willing  to  do  good  to  all  men,  especially  to  the  household  of 
faith.  Mobs  and  wicked  men  will  cease  only  when  you  cease 
to  support  them.  I  know  we  can  all  live  and  be  happy — when  we 
deal  with  honest  men.  If  some  men  want  a  doctor  to  cure  them, 
they  will  send  directly  for  the  worst  man  they  can  find.  I  would 
die  a  natural  death  rather  than  have  a  wicked  doctor  help  me  off. 
Cunning  device  and  hypocritical  sophistry  gain  an  ascendency  in 
Nauvoo,  and  this  they  have  often  done  elsewhere  in  the  History 
of  the  Church." 

At  the  close  of  Elder  Pratt's  remarks  President  Young  arose 
and  said :  "If  Brother  Rigdon  is  the  person  you  want  to  lead  you, 
vote  for  him ;  but  if  you  do,  then  follow  him  and  take  his  counsel 
hereafter  as  you  did  the  counsel  of  Joseph;  and  do  not  say  so 
unless  you  mean  to  follow  him.  I  will  say  the  same  for  the 
Twelve.  Don't  make  a  covenant  to  support  them  unless  you  in- 
tend to  abide  by  their  counsel.  President  Rigdon  wants  me  to 
bring  up  the  first  question  of  sustaining  the  Twelve.  If  the 
Church  wants  the  Twelve  to  stand  at  its  head,  to  be  the  Presi- 
dency of  the  Church  in  all  the  world,  standing  next  to  Joseph,  to 


222  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

walk  in  their  calling  and  to  hold  the  keys  of  this  Kingdom,  mani- 
fest it  by  holding  up  the  right  hand.  (There  was  a  unanimous 
vote  in  favor  of  the  proposition.)  If  there  be  any  of  a  contrary 
mind,  lift  up  your  hands  in  like  manner.  (No  hand  went  up). 
This  supercedes  the  other  question  and  the  necessity  of  putting  it 
to  the  quorums/' 

The  remarks  of  President  Young  on  this  occasion  clearly  indi- 
cate that  there  was  no  disposition  to  treat  unkindly  or  with  dis- 
respect the  feelings  of  Elder  Rigdon,  or  to  disregard  the  fact  of 
his  long  experience,  and  of  his  sufferings  for  the  gospel's  sake. 
President  Young  continued:  "We  feel  as  though  we  could  take 
Brother  Rigdon  along  with  us.  We  want  such  a  man.  Let  him 
be  one  with  us  and  we  one  with  him.'"  Later  in  his  remarks 
President  Young  asked  the  congregation  if  they  would  sustain 
Elder  Rigdon  in  his  relationship  to  the  Twelve.  The  vote  to  do 
so  was  unanimous. 

Of  the  deceased  Prophet,  President  Young  said:  "'You  did 
not  know  whom  you  had  amongst  you.  Joseph  so  loved  this 
people  that  he  gave  his  life  for  them.  Hyrum  loved  his  brother 
and  this  people  unto  death.  Joseph  and  Hyrum  have  given  their 
lives  for  the  Church.  Very  few  knew  Joseph's  character,  who 
lovfcd  you  unto  death.  He  has  now  sealed  his  testimony  with 
his  blood.  If  the  Twelve  had  been  here,  they  would  not  have  seen 
him  given  up.  He  should  not  have  been  given  up.  He  was  in 
your  midst  and  you  did  not  know  him.  He  has  been  taken  away, 
for  the  people  are  not  worthy  of  him.  I  do  not  know  whether 
my  enemies  will  kill  me  or  not.  I  would  wish  to  be  with  the 
man  I  love." 

The  patriarch  of  the  Church  had  been  taken  away  and  the 
office  therefore  left  vacant.  Of  this  matter  President  Young 
said:  "We  shall  have  a  patriarch,  and  the  right  to  this  office  is 
in  the  family  of  Joseph  Smith.  It  belongs  to  some  of  his  relations. 
Here  is  Uncle  John.  He  has  been  ordained  a  patriarch.  Brother 
Samuel  would  have  received  it,  but  he  also  has  been  taken  away. 
The  right  is  in  Uncle  John  or  in  one  of  his  brothers."  The 
matter  of  selecting  a  patriarch  was  left  to  the  Twelve  for  future 
action  and  for  the  purpose  of  learning  the  will  of  the  Lord  con- 
cerning it.  At  that  time  the  Patriarch  Hyrum's  son,  John,  who 
now  fills  the  office  was  only  ten  years  of  age.  Uncle  John,  broth- 


THE   SUCCESSION,   1844.  223 

er  to  Joseph's  father,  was  finally  chosen  to  fill  the  place  which  he 
did  with  honor  and  satisfaction  during  the  rest  of  his  life. 

Since  that  memorable  conference  all  therein  said  by  President 
Young  and  his  associates  is  confirmed  by  the  position  taken  with 
respect  to  the  authority  or  the  leadership  in  the  Church.  Not- 
withstanding the  predictions  of  a  migration  by  the  Saints  to  the 
valleys  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  the  leaders  adhered  strictly  to 
the  divine  command,  admonishing  them  to  complete  the  Temple. 
By  the  conscientious  regard  for  the  word  of  God  which  was 
manifested  to  them  from  day  to  day  they  accomplished  the  work 
at  hand  and  trusted  their  future  movements  to  the  guidance  of 
their  Heavenly  Father.  They  waited  upon  the  Lord  and  were 
taught  by  Him  the  lessons  of  patience  as  well  as  the  lessons  of 
faith.  The  conference  just  closed  was  a  notable  landmark  in  the 
history  of  the  Church.  Its  decisions  have  been  faithfully  kept  and 
the  wisdom  of  those  decisions,  time  has  justified. 


CHAPTER  22. 
SECOND   CALL  TO   GREAT   BRITAIN,   1844. 

The  New  Leadership. — Second  Call  to  Great  Britain. — W  arning  Against 
Leading  Companies  from  Nauvoo. — Instructions  To  Finish  the 
Temple  and  To  Build  up  the  City.— W.  W.  Visits  Emma  Smith  and 
Others. — Parting  Address  to  the  Saints. 

The  mid-summer  days  of  1844  were  full  of  uncertainties, 
wonderment,  some  misgivings,  many  jealousies,  and  considerable 
resistance  to  the  newly  established  authority  and  leadership  in 
the  Church. 

Joseph  Smith  was  a  wonderful  man,  a  man  with  a  marvelous 
career.  The  full  force  of  his  prophetic  mission  had  not  fallen 
upon  those  who  were  his  contemporaries.  A  person's  relationship 
with  him  in  those  days  was  no  doubt  a  favored  opportunity.  His 
magnetism,  individual  force,  and  the  personal  qualities  of  his  life 
impressed  those  with  whom  he  was  most  intimately  associated, 
.those  who  had  sincerely  accepted  his  divine  calling.  It  is  not  true, 
however,  that  the  highest  and  best  understanding  of  his  prophetic 
mission  could  be  had  by  personal  contact.  The  highest  and  best 
testimony  that  ever  came  to  men  and  women  in  the  world  respect- 
ing the  prophetic  calling  of  Joseph  Smith  came  to  them  through 
the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  By  that  spirit  men  who  never  saw 
him,  never  felt  the  magnetism  of  his  personality,  were  among 
the  most  devoted  in  their  adherence  to  his  teachings. 

Those  Saints  who  saw  in  Joseph  Smith  the  instrumentality 
of  a  divine  purpose,  and  saw  above  and  beyond  their  young 
Prophet  the  glories  of  a  new  dispensation,  did  not  hesitate  at  th~ 
call  of  a  new  shepherd,  the  accents  and  tones  of  whose  voice  had 
the  ring  of  the  same  inspiration  that  had  moved  other  hearts 
in  the  days  gone  by.  Ambitions  had  to  be  reckoned  with,  and 
they  are  full  of  seduction  and  danger  when  they  obscure  the  vision 
by  selfish  aims.  There  is  always  darkness  when  men  stand  in 
their  own  light ;  there  is  nothing  that  dims  a  man's  vision  so  much 
as  his  own  shadow.  There  were  aspiring  men  who  cherished 
the  desire  to  put  to  the  test  their  own  personal  influence.  It  is 
so  easy  for  personal  influence  to  beget  pride, — pride  which  not 
only  shuts  off  that  influence,  but  which  also  makes  men  helpless 


SECOND  CALL  TO  GREAT  BRITAIN,  1844.        225 

to  realize  its  absence  long  after  it  has  departed.  Even  after  the 
vote  of  the  conference  had  been  general  to  sustain  the  new  leader- 
ship, there  were  small  factions  who  wandered  away  from  the 
body  of  the  Church. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Twelve  Apostles  on  the  12th  of  August, 
the  subject  of  missionary  work  came  up  for  consideration.  The 
new  movement  called  forth  a  proselyting  spirit  that  was  just  as 
strong  after  Joseph's  death  as  it  was  before.  The  American  con- 
tinent was  considered  none  too  large  for  a  field  of  operation.  It 
was  districted  for  missionary  purposes  and  presidents  were  ap- 
pointed over  the  several  divisions.  At  this  meeting  Elder  Wood- 
ruff was  chosen  to  preside  over  the  European  mission.  One 
never  reads  of  his  call  abroad  without  some  feeling  of  regret  that 
so  faithful  a  chronicler  of  current  events  should  be  separated  from 
the  main  body  of  the  Church,  and  future  generations  deprived 
of  the  detailed  narrative  which  he  gave  of  the  counsels,  teachings, 
and  movements  of  the  leaders. 

On  Sunday,  the  18th,  President  Young  addressed  a  vast  con- 
gregation of  Saints,  a  synopsis  of  whose  teachings  is  found  in 
Elder  Woodruff's  journal.  "I  discover,"  says  President  Young, 
"a  disposition  in  the  sheep  to  scatter  abroad  now  that  their  former 
shepherd  has  been  taken  from  them.  I  do  not  mean  to  say  that  it 
will  never  be  right  for  the  people  to  leave  this  place,  but  they 
should  wait  until  the  proper  time  comes  and  until  they  can  go 
under  proper  counsel.  The  report  has  gone  through  the  city  that 
the  Twelve  have  secret  understandings  with  those  who  are  going 
away,  and  with  those  who  are  taking  companies  with  them ;  and 
that  although  the  Twelve  will  speak  against  it  pubholy,  yet  private- 
ly they  approve  such  migration.  If  it  were  the  last  words  I  had 
to  speak  before  going  into  the  eternal  world,  I  would  solemnly 
declare  that  there  is  not  one  word  of  truth  in  such  a  report.  No 
man  has  any  right  through  consent  of  the  Twelve  to  lead  one  soul 
out  of  this  city  except  Lyman  Wight  and  George  Miller  who  have 
the  privilege  of  taking  the  Pine  Company.  If  they  go  contrary 
to  our  counsel,  they  will  go  to  their  own  self-destruction.  If 
men  do  not  cease  striving  to  be  great  by  exalting  themselves  and 
by  leading  people  astray,  they  shall  fall  and  not  rise  again." 

Those  were  great  words,  words  remarkably  fulfilled  in  the 
subsequent  career  of  Lyman  Wight  who  rebelled  against  the  auth- 

16 


226  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

ority  of  the  Twelve  and  led  a  little  body  of  people  into  Texas. 
His  influence,  however,  soon  departed.  His  followers  scattered 
and  he  died  of  mountain  fever.  The  same  fate  befell  others  who 
pursued  the  same  course.  It  was  too  bad  that  Wight  should  thus 
obscure  what  had  been  in  him  in  earlier  days,  a  great  loyalty  and 
a  great  devotion. 

Continuing,  President  Young  said :  "I  wish  you  distinctly  to 
understand  that  the  counsel  of  the  Twelve  is  for  every  family  that 
does  not  belong  to  the  Pine  Company  to  stay  in  Nauvoo  to  build 
the  Temple  and  obtain  the  endowments  to  be  given  therein.  Do 
not  scatter.  United  we  stand,  divided  we  fall.  It  has  been  whis- 
pered abroad  that  all  who  go  into  the  wilderness  with  Wight 
and  Miller  will  get  their  endowments.  They  cannot  give  an 
endowment  in  the  wilderness.  If  we  do  not  carry  out  the  plan 
laid  down  by  Joseph  we  can  get  no  further  endowments.  I  want 
this  to  sink  deep  into  your  hearts  that  you  may  appreciate  it. 

"Do  the  people  leave  here  because  they  are  afraid?  If  so, 
I  tell  them  before  God  that  they  shall  have  no  place  to  rest,  but 
shall  flee  from  place  to  place  like  the  Jews.  I  would  rather  have 
the  dead  body  of  the  Prophet  than  some  men  who  are  alive.  We 
want  to  build  the  Temple  in  this  place  even  if  we  have  to  do  as 
the  Jews  did  in  their  erection  of  the  Temple  at  Jerusalem ;  work 
with  a  sword  in  one  hand  and  a  trowel  in  the  other.  Stay  here. 
Plow,  sow,  and  build.  Put  your  plow  shares  into  the  praine. 
One  plow  share  will  do  more  to  drive  off  the  mob  than  two  guns. 

"Do  you  suppose  the  mouth  of  God  is  closed  to  be  opened 
no  more?  If  this  were  true,  I  would  not  give  the  ashes  of  a  rye 
straw  for  this  Church.  If  God  has  ceased  to  speak  by  revelation 
or  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  there  is  no  salvation,  but  such  is  not  so. 
Woe  !  Woe !  Woe  !  to  all  who  have  shed  the  blood  of  the  Saints 
and  the  Lord's  anointed.  If  you  have  the  spirit  of  God  you  can 
discern  right  from  wrong.  When  a  man  is  not  right,  even  though 
his  language  is  as  smooth  as  oil,  there  will  be  many  queries  about 
him,  he  will  not  edify  the  body  of  the  Saints  and  I  give  this  to 
you  as  a  key.  Store  your  grain  in  Nauvoo,  for  it  will  be  needed 
there  while  you  are  building  the  Temple. 

"I  want  to  say  to  the  hands  upon  the  Temple,  be  united ;  and 
to  the  committee,  don't  turn  away  any  person  because  he  is 
English,  Irish,  or  Scotch.  Employ  every  man  you  can,  and  build 


SECOND  CALL  TO  GREAT  BRITAIN,  1844.        227 

the  Temple  and  build  your  homes.  I  would  rather  pay  out  every 
cent  to  build  up  this  place  and  receive  an  endowment,  even  were 
I  driven  the  next  minute  without  anything  to  "take  with  me. 

"I  had  a  dream  which  I  will  relate  here.  I  saw  a  fruit  tree 
and  went  to  it  in  search  of  fruit.  I  soon  discovered  that  some 
of  the  main  branches  at  the  top  of  the  tree  growing  from  the 
body  were  dead.  It  seemed  necessary  to  cut  off  the  dead  branches 
in  order  to  save  the  tree.  I  asked  someone  to  help  me  cut  them  off. 
He  stepped  on  a  large  green  limb.  He  was  afraid  it  would  break, 
so  I  put  my  shoulder  under  it  and  held  it  up  while  he  cut  off  the 
dead  branches.  The  green  limb  was  cracked  but  it  did  not  break. 
After  we  cut  off  the  dead  branches  the  wounds  healed  up  and  the 
tree  grew  nicely.  Now  let  us  cut  off  the  dead  branches  of  the 
Church  that  good  fruit  may  grow." 

The  central  idea  now  in  the  mind  of  Brigham  Young  and  the 
paramount  influence  actuating  him  in  those  days  may  easily  be 
seen  in  the  steadfast  purpose  he  manifested  to  build  upon  the 
foundation  which  the  Prophet  had  already  laid.  He  had  no  am- 
bition to  excel  his  predecessor  and  was  therefore  loyal  to  the 
Prophet,  and  throughout  all  his  life  he  magnified  his  calling  by 
sustaing  the  prophetic  mission  of  Joseph  Smith.  A  few  of  the 
leaders  fell  by  the  wayside,  but  those  who  were  foremost  in  sup- 
porting the  Prophet  at  the  time  of  his  martyrdom  were  found 
faithful  after  his  death. 

Elder  Woodruff  was  no  less  enthusiastic  in  the  great  latter 
day  work  than  he  had  formerly  been.  The  men  he  most  re- 
spected he  regarded  simply  as  instrumentalities  of  a  divine  pur- 
pose; for  to  his  mind  it  was  a  great  thing  to  be  an  instrument 
in  the  hands  of  God  in  the  furtherance  of  a  new  and  grand  dis- 
pensation. His  missionary  zeal  never  waned  and  those  mid- 
summer days  of  1844  found  him  busily  occupied  making  prepar- 
ations for  his  departure  to  England  where  he  was  to  preside  over 
the  British  Mission.  His  wife  was  to  accompany  nim,  and  ar- 
rangements were  made  to  leave  their  son,  Wilford,  during  their 
absence  with  his  old  time  friend,  John  Benbow. 

Before  leaving  Nauvoo,  he  paid  a  visit  to  Emma  Smith  to 
whose  life  he  sought  to  bring  consolation  in  the  hour  of  her  be- 
reavement. She  gave  him  a  piece  of  oak  for  a  staff.  The  oak 
had  been  taken  from  Joseph's  coffin.  She  also  presented  him  with 


228  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

a  pair  of  white  cotton  gloves,  and  to  his  wife  she  gave  a  handker- 
chief. He  and  Mrs.  Woodruff  next  called  upon  Mary  Smith, 
widow  of  Hyrum,  and  the  mother  of  President  Joseph  F.  Smith. 
She  gave  Elder  Woodruff  several  small  locks  of  hair  taken  from 
the  heads  of  Joseph,  Hyrum,  Samuel,  and  Don  Carlos,  all  broth- 
ers who  had  passed  away  into  the  other  world.  Speaking  of 
these  relics  Elder  Woodruff  says :  "I  also  obtained  some  hair  of 
the  Quorum  of  the  Twelve  Apostles.  My  purpose  in  getting  it 
was  that  I  might  put  a  part  of  each  of  these  collections  in  the 
knob  of  my  staff  as  a  relic  of  those  noble  men,  the  master  spirits 
of  the  nineteenth  century."  These  relics  he  held  as  something 
sacred  during  his  life  time,  and  they  are  now  in  the  possession 
of  his  family. 

"I  next  visited  Mother  Lucy  Smith,  the  mother  of  the  Proph- 
et, and  of  a  large  family  of  sons.  This  noble  mother  and  proph- 
etess felt  sorely  grieved  over  the  loss  of  her  children,  and  lamented 
the  cruel  treatment  she  had  receivd  at  the  hands  of  an  unfeeling 
world.  She  begged  a  blessing  at  my  hands.  I  laid  my  hands  upon 
her  head  and  by  the  spirit  of  God  pronounced  upon  her  a  bless- 
ing. This  was  August  23,  1844.  I  quote  from  that  blessing  as 
follows :  "Let  thy  heart  be  comforted  in  the  midst  of  thy  sorrow 
for  thou  shalt  be  held  forever  in  honorable  remembrance  in  the 
congregations  of  the  righteous.  Thou  shalt  be  remembered  in 
thy  wants  during  the  remainder  of  thy  days;  and  when  thou 
shalt  be  called  upon  to  depart,  thou  shalt  lie  down  in  peace  having 
seen  the  salvation  of  thy  God  who  has  laid  the  everlasting  foun- 
dation for  the  deliverance  of  Israel  through  the  instrumentality  of 
thy  sons.'  " 

That  God  had  made  her  sons  the  instrumentality  in  the  open- 
ing of  a  new  dispensation  gave  the  aged  mother  an  abiding  con- 
solation in  the  midst  of  her  grief. 

On  the  24th  of  August  Elder  Woodruff  was  set  apart  for  his 
mission  to  Europe  under  the  hands  of  the  Twelve  Apostles,  John 
Taylor  pronouncing  the  blessing.  On  Sunday  the  25th  Elder  Wood- 
ruff addressed  the  Saints  in  Nauvoo,  and  from  the  synopsis  he  made 
of  his  remarks,  the  following  quotation  is  here  given  :  "There  is  a 
spirit  in  man,  and  the  inspiration  of  the  Almighty  giveth  him 
understanding.  It  is  through  this  spirit  which  giveth  understand- 
ing that  this  congregation  is  assembled  at  this  place.  You  have 


SECOND  CALL  TO  GREAT  BRITAIN,  1844.         229 

the  spirit  of  God  and  you  therefore  understand  His  ways  and 
purposes.  I  have  now  one  important  declaration  to  make  to  you 
and  that  is  that  inasmuch  as  you  have  been  anointed  in  heart, 
mind,  and  action  in  supporting  your  counselors,  the  priesthood  of 
God,  the  present  authorities  of  the  Church,  as  you  have  supported 
the  Prophet  while  he  was  alive,  you  will  be  safe  and  you  will  be 
blessed.  You  will  also  be  protected,  but  if  you  are  divided  and 
reject  the  counsels  of  God,  you  will  fall.  Union  and  faithfulness 
are  necessary  for  your  salvation.  It  is  true  that  you  have  been 
led  by  one  of  the  best  men  that  ever  graced  humanity  or  taber- 
nacled in  the  flesh,  but  he  is  gone,  he  sea!ed  his  testimony  with  his 
blood,  he  loved  this  people  unto  death. 

"I  now  call  upon  the  people  to  be  united  in  building  upon  the 
foundation  which  the  Prophet  laid  during  his  lifetime.  You  have 
been  called  to  suffer  much  for  the  cause  in  which  you  are  engaged, 
but  if  judgment  begins  at  the  House  of  God,  Babylon  will  not  es- 
cape. If  there  is  fire  in  the  green  tree,  what  shall  happen  to  the 
dry  tree.  No  people  are  better  prepared  for  the  shock  that  is  com- 
ing to  this  world  than  are  the  Latter-day  Saints.  The  real  object 
we  have  is  to  secure  the  blessings  which  lie  beyond  the  veil  and 
which  will  be  found  in  the  first  resurrection.  For  these  blessings 
we  are  preparing  ourselves. 

"The  fact  that  the  Prophet  sealed  his  testimony  with  his 
blood  does  not  destroy  the  gospel  or  lessen  the  power  and  purposes 
of  God.  Truth  has  not  been  annihilated,  neither  has  the  priest- 
hood found  its  burial.  The  testimony  of  Jesus  is  now  in  force. 
My  counsel,  therefore,  is  to  follow  the  example  of  those  who  are 
gone  and  who  have  been  faithful  unto  death.  If  you  would  be 
united,  go  in  all  your  might  and  build  that  Temple  and  get  your 
endowments. 

"I  earnestly  exhort  you  to  faithfulness  and  ask  your  faith 
and  prayers  in  my  behalf.  I  also  want  your  forgiveness  for  any 
wrong  I  may  have  done.  I  bid  the  congregation  farewell." 

"The  next  week  I  went  to  the  river  with  Mrs.  Woodruff 
where  we  were  baptized  for  some  of  our  dead  friends."  At  mid- 
night of  that  day  Elder  Woodruff  and  his  wife,  accompanied  by 
Chas.  C.  Rich,  Elder  Goddard,  and  several  others  ascended  the 
walls  of  the  Temple  where  they  knelt  in  solemn  prayer.  Elder 
Woodruff,  being  mouth,  poured  out  his  soul  to  God  for  the  sue- 


230  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

cessful  completion  of  the  Temple.     He  also  implored  divine  aid 
for  a  prosperous  season  for  the  Church. 

In  the  completion  of  the  Temple  was  centered  the  hope  of  all 
the  devoted  Latter-day  Saints  of  those  days.  The  leaders  of  the 
Church  prayed  and  labored  unceasingly  for  its  completion.  The 
spirit  of  apostasy  in  those  times  manifested  itself  most  strongly  in 
the  efforts  of  those  who  sought  to  get  away  from  Nauvoo,  who 
wanted  to  establish  in  some  distant  place  the  Church  anew.  These 
dissenters  argued  that  Nauvoo  must  be  abandoned,  and  they  were 
right  in  that  conclusion ;  but  Nauvoo  was  not  to  be  abandoned  at 
that  time  nor  under  their  leadership.  It  sometimes  happens  in  this 
life  that  greater  wisdom  and  virtue  are  found  in  the  time  an  event 
is  accomplished  than  in  the  accomplishment  of  the  event  itself. 
The  great  truth  of  the  exodus  from  Nauvoo  was  to  be  sought 
for  rather  in  the  circumstances  of  that  exodus,  than  in  the  fact 
itself. 

That  was  not  the  first  time  nor  was  it  the  last  time  that  men. 
anticipating  the  accomplishment  of  some  divine  purpose,  placed 
themselves  in  front  of  those  appointed  for  the  accomplishment 
of  God's  will.  It  sometimes  requires  as  much  virtue  to  refrain 
from  doing  when  the  time  has  not  yet  arrived,  as  it  required  to 
do  when  the  command  was  given.  It  is  not  always  easy  for  men  to 
wait  upon  the  Lord,  especially  when  they  are  actuated  by  an  over- 
weening ambition  to  anticipate  His  purposes  and  be  the  first  to 
undertake  their  accomplishment. 

The  men  in  those  days  who  were  opposing  the  completion  of 
the  Temple,  were  full  of  sophistries.  They  argued  then,  as  men 
argue  now,  largely  in  harmony  with  their  own  selfish  ends  and 
overpowering  ambitions.  If  their  arguments  could  not  be,  to  their 
minds,  successfully  answered,  they  must  be  right.  To  their 
minds  it  was  evident  that  the  Saints  must  sooner  or  later  leave 
Nauvoo.  Why  build  the  Temple,  they  asked,  and  thus  throw  away 
the  labor  of  their  hands  in  the  hour  of  its  completion.  They  argued 
the  folly  of  such  a  course,  and  some  who  were  loosely  anchored  in 
their  faith  were  led  away  by  the  sophistries  contained  in  such 
arguments. 

With  the  thoughtful,  it  was  otherwise.  The  Temple  might 
be  destroyed  even  before  its  completion,  or  they  might  not  be 
permitted  to  enjoy,  at  any  length,  its  blessings  after  it  was  finished. 


SECOND  CALL  TO  GREAT  BRITAIN,  1844.        231 

With  them  that  was  not  the  question.  Their  highest  guidance 
was  found  in  the  observance  of  God's  will.  He  had  said  so ;  if  so, 
enough.  The  spirit  bore  testimony  long  before  the  mind  had  evi- 
dence of  the  great  truth  contained  in  God's  command.  The 
same  spirit  that  actuated  Christ  in  the  garden  of  Gethsemane,  act- 
uated His  faithful  followers  in  those  trying  days  in  Nauvoo.  "Thy 
will  be  done."  It  is  hard  for  men  who  have  strong  wills  to  yield  to 
other  wills,  even  though  it  be  God's  will  which  is  at  variance  with 
their  own.  Men  were  taught  then,  as  they  were  taught  in  ancient 
Israel,  to  wait  upon  the  Lord. 

The  over-anxious,  the  ambitious,  the  rebellious,  would  not 
wait  upon  the  Lord.  They  went  their  own  way;  they  were  scat- 
tered abroad.  Not  having  learned  the  lesson  of  self-restraint,  the 
light  and  truth  of  the  gospel  became  obscured  in  their  minds,  and 
their  own  will  they  mistook  for  God's  will.  They  fell  by  the 
wayside. 

A  letter  containing  his  appointment  is  given  in  his  journal 
as  follows: 

"Nauvoo,  August  22,  1844. 
To  all  Elders  and  Saints  in  Great  Britain  Greeting: 

We  send  our  beloved  Brother  Wilford  Woodruff  to  England 
to  take  charge  of  all  business  transactions  pertaining  to  the 
Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints,  both  spiritual  and 
temporal.  We  wish  you  to  give  diligent  heed  to  his  counsel  in  all 
things,  and  as  we  have  not  the  opportunity  of  informing  you  of 
what  has  transpired  this  season  by  letter,  our  beloved  Brother  will 
make  known  unto  you  all  things.  We  wish  the  brethren  to  be 
faithful  and  diligent  in  keeping  all  the  commandments  of  God, 
and  in  hearkening  to  the  counsels  of  those  who  are  sent  to  counsel 
them.  Let  no  man  or  set  of  men  think  they  have  power  of  auth- 
ority or  the  keys  of  the  Kingdom  above  Apostle  Wilford  Wood- 
ruff whom  we  send  unto  you  to  instruct  you  in  the  things  pertain- 
ing to  life  and  salvation.  Though  our  Prophet  be  slain  for  the  word 
of  God  and  the  testimony  of  Jesus,  yet  the  keys  of  the  Kingdom 
remain  in  the  Church  and  the  heavens  are  not  closed,  neither 
is  the  mouth  of  the  Almighty  sealed  up  that  He  cannot  speak. 
The  God  of  Israel  will  communicate  to  His  disciples  all  things 
necessary  for  the  building  up  of  His  Kingdom  on  the  earth  until 


232  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

Israel  is  gathered,  yea  even  all  the  blood  of  Abraham  scattered 
over  all  the  earth,  Zion  established,  Jerusalem  rebuilt,  and  the 
whole  earth  be  filled  with  the  glory  and  knowledge  of  God.  We 
wish  all  the  Saints  in  England  to  continue  their  gathering  as  usual 
to  the  land  of  America;  and  they  may  have  the  privilege  of  ap- 
pointing a  committee  to  visit  the  land  of  America  to  prepare  a 
location  for  a  settlement  of  the  brethren  from  Europe  according 
to  their  desire  under  the  direction  and  counsel  of  Elder  Wilford 
Woodruff;  and  further  we  would  say  unto  the  Saints  in  all  the 
world  that  may  be  visited  by  Elder  Wilford  Woodruff  that  inas- 
much as  they  will  hearken  to  his  counsel,  they  shall  be  blest,  inas- 
much as  they  will  render  him  any  assistance  in  his  mission  they 
will  be  doing  the  will  of  God  and  shall  not  lose  their  reward; 
and  we  desire  that  all  Saints  may  use  their  efforts  to  sustain  him 
in  this  important  mission  which  he  is  called  to  fulfill  by  their  faith, 
prayers,  and  brotherly  love  according  to  the  grace  of  God ;  for  he 
is  qualified  to  teach  in  all  things  pertaining  to  the  Church  and 
and  Kingdom  of  God  established  in  these  last  days.  Therefore, 
dear  brethren,  we  would  say  unto  you  in  conclusion  be  humble 
and  faithful  and  hearken  diligently  unto  the  counsel  of  this  our 
beloved  brother  in  the  Lord,  Elder  Wilford  Woodruff,  and  the 
blessings  of  the  Lord  will  attend  you,  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ. 
Amen. 

BRIGHAM  YOUNG, 

President  of  the  Twelve. 

WILLARD  RICHARDS, 

Clerk." 


CHAPTER  23. 
IN  THE  BRITISH  MISSION,  1844-45-46. 

Departure. — Route. — Visits  Home  of  Solomon  Mack. — A  Peculiar 
Dream. — On  the  Ocean.— Copyright  of  Doctrine  and  Covenants.— 
Visit  to  Scotland. — Lemington. — Troubles  in  Nauvoo. — Condition  of 
the  Mission. — Preparation  for  His  Return. 

August  28th,  1844,  was  the  day  appointed  for  the  departure 
of  Wilford  Woodruff  and  his  companions  to  the  British  Mission. 
Those  who  were  to  accompany  him  were  his  wife  and  two  chil- 
dren, Hyrum  Clark  and  wife,  and  Captain  Dan  Jones  and  wife. 
He  said  good-by  on  the  Temple  Block  at  Nauvoo  to  his  fellow 
members  of  the  Twelve  and  started  at  once  for  Chicago  whither 
he  and  his  companions  were  conveyed  by  teams. 

On  the  8th  of  September,  they  left  Chicago  on  tlie  propellor, 
Oswego,  and  made  their  journey  eastward  on  the  Lakes.  They 
stopped  about  three  hours  at  Manatou  Islands  where  he  with 
others  had  been  wrecked  on  the  Cheasapeake  in  September,  1841. 
While  here  they  carved  their  names  on  some  white  stones,  and  also 
the  events  associated  with  the  wreck.  At  midnight  while  on  their 
way  a  fire  alarm  was  sounded  and  the  passengers  were  brought 
together  by  terror  of  the  alarm.  The  flame,  however,  was  soon 
extinguished  and  they  all  retired  again  to  their  rest.  They  contin- 
ued their  journey  on  Lake  Erie,  the  Williams  Canal,  and  Lake 
Ontario. 

Elder  Woodruff  then  went  by  rail  to  his  birthplace  in  Farm- 
ington,  Connecticut,  where  he  paid  his  aged  father  another  visit. 
While  he  was  laboring  among  the  Saints  in  and  about  Boston,  his 
wife  paid  a  visit  to  her  home  in  Scarboro,  Maine.  The  branches 
of  the  Church  in  Boston  and  Lowell  were  not  in  a  healthy  con- 
dition. He,  therefore,  worked  zealously  to  bring  about  a  refor- 
mation and  to  warn  the  Saints  against  some  iniquities  which  had 
crept  into  the  Church. 

While  in  the  Eastern  States  he  visited  the  home  of  Lucy 
Smith's  brother,  Soloman  Mack.  The  old  homestead  of  Mother 
Smith  awakened  within  him  a  feeling  of  reverence  which  he  had 
for  the  Prophet,  and  for  the  scenes  associated  with  his  mother's 
home. 


234  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

From  Vermont  he  went  to  Scarboro,  Maine,  to  join  his  wife 
and  children  there.  Leaving  his  oldest  rhild,  Phoebe,  at  the  home 
of  Ezra  Carter,  his  father-in-law,  he  left  with  his  wife  and  young- 
est child,  Susan,  for  New  York.  The  scenes  of  his  former  mis- 
sionary experiences  in  the  Eastern  States  were  both  familiar 
and  interesting  to  him.  He  knew  the  inroads  that  are  often  made 
upon  the  faith  of  the  saints  when  left  too  long  without  a  shep- 
herd. He  encouraged,  admonished,  and  warned  them  to  be  faith- 
ful to  the  covenants  they  had  made.  He  makes  note  in  his  jour- 
nal during  this  visit  of  October  22,  1844,  the  last  day  set  by  the 
Millerites  for  the  second  coming  of  Christ. 

Speaking  of  his  visit  to  Maine  he  says :  "While  I  was  at 
the  home  of  my  father-in-law  I  had  a  peculiar  dream.  Much 
of  it  was  unutterable  and  cannot  be  written;  indeed,  I  do  not 
comprehend  it  myself.  Among  other  things  I  was  called  with 
the  Twelve  to  hold  the  keys  of  the  Kingdom  in  all  the  world.  I 
traveled  with  them  over  much  of  the  earth  and  I  also  traveled 
through  many  countries  alone.  When  I  finished  my  journey  I 
saw  many  things  which  I  cannot  write,  but  in  the  end,  Joseph, 
the  Prophet,  assisted  me  to  come  where  he  was  and  pointed  out  to 
me  my  place  and  work.  I  immediately  entered  into  the  duties  of 
the  new  calling  to  which  I  was  appointed. 

The  same  night  I  had  another  dream.  I  was  in  the  presence 
of  the  Prophet,  and  was  conversing  with  him  about  his  death. 
I  told  him  I  felt  bad  over  it,  and  that  had  I  known  he  would  have 
been  tiken  so  soon  I  should  have  conversed  with  him  more  while 
he  lived.  I  would  have  asked  him  many  questions.  In  reply  he 
said  that  it  was  not  his  fault  that  I  did  not." 

Whatever  the  significance  of  these  dreams  may  have  had,  they 
clearly  indicated  the  loving  remembrance  in  which  he  held  his 
great  leader.  Around  the  name  and  memory  of  the  man  there  was 
to  him  a  great  halo.  The  influence  of  Joseph  Smith  upon  the 
life  of  Wilford  Woodruff  never  waned.  There  was  something 
about  this  modern  Prophet  that  invited  the  veneration  of  his  de- 
voted followers  who  proclaimed  his  name  and  mission  from  the 
housetops  of  every  part  of  the  world  where  their  duties  and 
missions  might  take  them. 

After  reaching  New  York  on  the  29th  of  November,  he  paid 
a  visit  to  Elder  Jedediah  M.  Grant  who  was  then  performing  a 


IN  THE  BRITISH   MISSION,   1844-45-46.  235 

mission  in  Philadelphia.  On  his  return  to  the  former  city  he 
made  preparation  for  his  voyage  to  Europe.  He  speaks  of  a 
letter  he  received  in  New  York  from  President  Young  in  which 
the  latter  gives  him  an  account  of  the  reckless  and  unwarranted 
course  of  William  Smith  and  George  J.  Adams.  On  the  8th  he 
and  his  party,  together  with  Milton  Holmes  and  Leonard  Hardy, 
set  sail  for  Liverpool  on  the  packet  ship,  John  R.  Skiddy.  On 
the  llth  they  encountered  a  severe  storm  at  sea,  a  storm  which 
greatly  terrified  the  passengers.  "We  kneeled  down,"  he  said, 
"and  unitedly  prayed  that  the  storm  might  cease  and  that  the 
wind  might  change  so  that  we  could  go  forward  and  not  back- 
ward. In  a  short  time  the  wind  suddenly  ceased  and  finally 
changed  to  the  southwest  which  gave  us  a  fair  wind." 

Christmas  day  they  passed  upon  the  ocean.  On  the  28th 
they  entered  the  Irish  Channel  where  they  were  driven  about 
for  some  days  by  foul  winds.  Finally  on  the  3rd  of  January, 
1845,  they  landed  in  Liverpool  with  feelings  of  thanksgiving  and 
prayer  for  their  safe  arrival.  They  were  twenty-seven  days  at 
sea. 

The  day  following  their  arrival  they  were  met  by  Elders 
Hedlock  and  Ward.  They  inquired  into  the  affairs  of  the  mis- 
sion and  on  January  5th  he  addressed  the  people  in  Music  Hall. 
They  made  their  headquarters  with  a  Brother  William  Powell, 
who,  Elder  Woodruff  observes,  boarded  the  elders  for  a  quarter 
of  a  century. 

The  new  year  witnessed  the  beginning  of  his  active  work 
in  the  missionary  field.  Arrangements  had  to  be  made  for  the 
emigration  of  the  saints  to  Nauvoo.  In  those  days  they  went  to 
New  Orleans,  thence  up  the  Mississippi  to  Nauvoo.  Conferences 
had  to  be  visited,  business  affairs  of  the  mission  transacted,  and  at- 
tention given  to  the  opening  of  new  fields  for  missionary  activi- 
ties. 

The  work  in  the  British  Mission,  however,  did  not  occupy 
wholly  the  thoughts  and  feelings  of  Elder  Woodruff.  He  had 
left  Nauvoo  in  an  unsettled  condition,  the  future  of  that  city  was 
full  of  uncertainty.  The  work  on  the  Temple  was  all  important, 
with  the  conviction  he  had  long  since  formed  that  that  sacred 
structure  must  be  completed.  Letters  from  home,  however, 
brought  him  encouragement  and  assurances.  President  Young 


236  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

wrote  him  encouraging  letters  informing  him  of  the  unity  and 
prosperity  of  the  Church  in  America.  He  also  told  him  of  the 
call  of  Parley  P.  Pratt  to  the  presidency  of  the  Eastern  States 
Mission.  He  explained  the  plan  to  publish  a  paper  in  New  York 
City. 

On  the  16th  of  March  special  conference  was  held  in  Man- 
chester. Elder  Woodruff  was  there  with  his  two  counselors, 
Reuben  Hedlock  and  Thomas  Ward.  He  mentions  the  fact 
that  there  were  present  five  other  high  priests,  thirty  elders, 
twenty-one  teachers,  and  four  deacons.  The  conference  there 
was  crowded  with  eager  listeners,  both  members  and  non-members 
of  the  Church.  "The  spirit  of  the  Lord,"  he  said,  "was  with 
us.  Love  and  union  pervaded  the  congregation.  It  was  a  scene 
that  made  the  heart  glad  when  we  beheld  in  a  foreign  land  so 
many  Saints  assembled,  Saints  united  in  the  everlasting  covenant. 
I  had  often  thought  how  much  I  would  like  to  see  the  Prophet 
Joseph  meet  with  a  conference  of  Saints  in  England.  It  was  not 
granted,  however,  to  the  British  Nation  to  have  the  Prophet  of 
God  in  that  land.  This  was  one  of  the  most  interesting  confer- 
ences I  had  ever  attended  abroad.  It  fulfilled  a  prophecy  I  had 
made  in  the  House  of  the  Lord  in  Kirtland  in  1837  to  the  effect 
that  I  should  attend  a  conference  with  Elder  Milton  Holmes  in 
the  British  Isles." 

These  old  associates  of  Wiford  Woodruff,  men  tried  and 
true,  were  always  held  in  loving  remembrance  by  him.  He  loved 
those  who  loved  God.  The  names  o.f  those  old-time  friends  lin- 
gered in  his  memory  throughout  all  the  years  of  a  long,  busy  life. 

Since  he  could  conveniently  do  so,  immediately  after  the 
Manchester  conference,  he  repaired  to  Idle,  in  Yorkshire,  that  he 
might  visit  the  last  resting  place  of  the  remains  of  Elder  Lorenzo 
Barnes,  the  first  elder  in  this  dispensation  who  had  laid  down  his 
life  in  a  foreign  land.  It  was  not  that  fact  alone  which  brought 
forth  this  respect.  The  memory  of  Lorenzo  Barnes  grew  out 
of  an  old-time  companionship  in  their  early  associations,  and  es- 
pecially in  the  journey  of  Zion's  Camp.  Of  this  visit  to  the  grave 
of  his  beloved  friend  he  writes :  "Before  arriving  we  passed 
through  a  beautiful  green  valley  which  is  located  on  the  top  of  a 
hill.  The  fields  of  grass  were  as  green  as  in  May,  although  it  was 
now  February.  This  gave  to  the  landscape  a  charm  both  picttir- 


IN  THE  BRITISH   MISSION,   1844-45-46.  237 

esque  and  inspiring.  As  we  traveled  the  road,  we  reflected  that 
we  were  covering  the  footsteps  of  a  departed  brother  who  had 
traversed  the  same  roadway  many  a  time  in  his  mission  to  dissemi- 
nate the  teachings  of  Jesus  Christ.  I  felt  sorrowful,  I  was  filled 
with  meditation.  We  called  upon  Elder  Thomas  Corciingly  and 
family  who  cared  for  Elder  Barnes  in  his  last  sickness.  They 
pointed  out  to  us  the  room  where  he  spent  the  last  hours  of  his 
mortal  life. 

"After  taking  some  refreshments  we  walked  to  the  church- 
yard where  we  gazed  upon  the  peaceful,  silent  grave  of  our  de- 
parted brother.  My  feelings  were  sensitive  and  sad.  While  stand- 
ing over  his  grave  I  offed  up  a  prayer  to  Israel's  God  that  I  too 
might  die  the  death  of  the  righteous,  that  my  end  might  be  as 
peaceful  and  secure  as  that  of  our  departed  brother." 

There  is  an  illustration  in  that  prayer,  a  marked  character- 
istic in  the  life  of  Wilford  Woodruff.  The  burden  of  his  thoughts, 
the  great  object  of  his  supplication  was  that  he  might  endure  to 
the  end.  What  the  end  should  be  was  with  him  the  great  con- 
cern of  his  life.  He  envied  those,  if  he  ever  envied  at  all,  who 
were  valiant  in  every  crisis  and  who  were  steadfast  to  the  death. 
To  him  there  was  no  triumph  in  life  like  the  triumph  in  death.  He 
was  not  so  concerned  about  worldly  greatness,  about  the  race  of 
the  swift,  nor  the  battle  of  the  strong ;  what  he  sought  above  all 
else  was  endurance,  that  endurance  which,  after  all,  contains  the 
greatest  virtue,  as  it  embodies  the  greatest  strength.  Yet  often 
men  underrate  the  supreme  value  of  endurance  in  their  ambi- 
tion to  be  great  and  strong. 

On  the  23rd  of  September,  Elder  Woodruff  attended  a  con- 
ference in  Bradford.  The  meetings  were  attended  by  large  num- 
bers. Elder  Elijah  F.  Sheets,  long  and  honorably  known  through- 
out Utah  as  Bishop  Sheets,  was  then  presiding  over  that  confer- 
ence. Of  that  occasion  he  writes  in  his  journal:  "The  congre- 
gation was  as  still  as  death."  He  spoke  upon  the  mission  and 
teachings  of  the  Prophet  Joseph  Smith  whose  recent  martyrdom 
had  still  its  mournful  affects  upon  the  Saints  who  were  sorely  dis- 
appointed that  they  had  not  the  opportunity  in  life  to  hear  the 
words  that  dropped  from  the  lips  of  him  whom  God  had  called 
to  open  the  great  dispensation  of  the  last  days. 

"On  my  birthday,  March  1st,  1845,  I  received  a  letter  from 


238  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

a  friend.  It  contained  a  copy  of  a  letter  dated  Pittsburg,  Jan- 
uary 30th,  1845.  and  was  written  by  John  Greenbow  to  his  father 
in  Kendall.  The  letter  contained  a  statement  to  the  effect  that  he 
was  getting  the  Doctrine  and  Covenants  stereotyped  and  that  he 
would  bring  the  plates  to  England  for  the  purpose  of  printing, 
publishing,  and  copyrighting  the  book  so  that  the  Church  could 
not  print  and  publish  it.  This  was  a  bold  scheme  by  apostates 
to  steal  the  book  containing  the  revelations  of  God  to  the  Church. 
There  was  in  this  proposed  action,  no  doubt,  an  intention  to 
change  the  wording  and  thus  deceive  the  world.  I  regarded  the 
receipt  of  the  letter  as  nothing  less  than  providential,  an  inter- 
position of  our  Heavenly  Father  who  knew  the  evil  design  of  the 
wicked  and  therefore  caused  the  letter  to  come  into  my  hands.  I 
spent  the  day  examining  the  laws  of  England  relative  to  copy- 
rights." 

This  information  aroused  Elder  Woodruff  to  immediate  ac- 
tion, and  as  early  as  June  7,  1845,  he  secured  the  copyright  of 
the  book  which  was  entered  at  Stationer's  Hall,  England. 

On  the  9th  of  March  Elder  Woodruff  records  the  fact  that 
he  held  conference  in  Preston  where  he  visited  the  old  cock-pit, 
where  Elders  Kimball  and  Hyde  first  openly  declared  the  mes- 
sage of  the  gospel  to  the  people  of  England,  and  where  they  were 
soon  followed  by  Willard  Richards.  He  with  his  companion  also 
walked  up  and  down  the  river  where  so  many  hundreds  of  the 
Saints  had  been  baptized.  At  the  Preston  conference  he  men- 
tions the  fact  that  there  were  several  branches  represented  with 
the  total  membership  of  five  hundred  souls.  This  was  the  first 
conference  organized  in  the  British  Mission  eight  years  before 
by  Heber  C.  Kimball. 

Throughout  Elder  Woodruff's  journal  of  those  times  may  be 
found  minute  descriptions  of  historical  places  and  of  public  monu- 
ments. He  was  also  deeply  interested  in  the  history  of  the  coun- 
tries which  he  visited,  and  his  journal  shows  the  special  signifi- 
cance which  historical  monuments  had  to  his  mind.  He  further 
knew  that  his  sympathy  and  interest  in  the  people  would  be  in- 
creased by  knowledge  of  their  national  history  and  of  those  con- 
ditions which  in  the  past  had  been  foremost  in  shaping  their  char- 
acter. Many  an  elder  has,  no  doubt,  realized  the  mistake  of  either 
falsely  or  imperfectly  estimating  the  character  of  those  whose 


IN  THE  BRITISH  MISSION,  1844-45-46.          239 

ear  he  was  seeking  to  gain.  Elder  Woodruff's  journal  shows, 
however,  that  he  greatly  appreciated  the  superior  qualities  of 
the  English  people  and  their  great  contributions  to  the  system 
of  free  governments.  From  the  history  of  the  English  people  he 
often  found  it  convenient  to  take  his  text ;  in  short,  he  made  him- 
self at  home  among  the  English  by  his  knowledge  of  them  and 
their  institutions. 

On  the  13th  of  March  he  left  Liverpool,  on  the  steamer 
Commodore,  for  Scotland,  whither  he  went  to  attend  a  confer- 
ence in  Glasgow.  He  was  accompanied  by  his  counselors  Hed- 
lock  and  Ward,  also  by  Elder  Banks.  They  reached  the  mouth 
of  the  Clyde  River  at  six  o'clock  in  the  morning.  The  high- 
lands were  covered  with  snow  and  a  severe  storm  was  raging 
in  Glasgow.  On  the  way  they  passed  tfye  famous  rock  known  in 
Scottish  history  as  Dumbarton  on  which  was  then  stationed  a 
regiment  of  soldiers  to  protect  the  river  Clyde.  He  also  mentions 
Bell's  monument  erected  in  memory  of  John  Bell  who  was  the 
first  to  run  a  steamer  up  the  river  Clyde  to  Glasgow. 

On  the  evening  of  their  arrival,  a  council  was  held  with  the 
officers  of  the  Church  in  that  city.  Two  days  later  a  conference 
was  held  in  Felon's  Hall.  There,  fifteen  branches  of  the  Church 
were  represented  containing  a  total  membership  of  1,065  persons. 
There  were  present  also  thirty-five  elders,  fifty-one  priests,  thirty- 
seven  teachers,  and  twenty-four  deacons.  Then,  as  now,  Scot- 
land was  the  home  of  a  large  number  of  the  blood  of  Israel. 

While  here,  he  paid  visits  to  Cots  Bridge,  Whifflett,  and  Ster- 
ling. He  also  visited  manufacturing  establishments  and  historical 
places.  He  found  special  interest  in  those  places  that  were  so  full 
of  the  memories  of  Bruce  and  of  Wallace  and  of  John  Knox.  The 
company  later  went  to  Endinburgh  where  they  visited  the  Saints 
and  the  chief  historical  places  about  that  city.  The  conference 
there  consisted  of  eleven  branches  with  the  membership  of  409 
souls.  He  was  particularly  interested  in  the  high  cliff  known  as 
Authur's  Seat.  It  was  there  that  Elder  Orson  Pratt  who  first 
brought  the  gospel  to  Edinburgh  was  wont  to  go  that  he  might 
engage  himself  in  meditation  and  prayer.  This  elevation  affords 
a  most  excellent  view  of  the  city  and  its  surroundings. 

Leaving  Edinburgh  the  company  returned  to  Liverpool  where 
a  conference  was  held  on  the  30th  of  March,  1845.  At  this  con- 


240  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

ference  there  were  present  four  high  priests,  eighteen  elders,  thir- 
teen priests,  and  eight  teachers.  It  consisted  of  twelve  branches 
with  a  membership  of  676  souls. 

Liverpool  was  then,  as  it  has  ever  since  been,  the  headquarters 
of  the  Church  in  Great  Britain.  Preparations  were  made  at  the 
Liverpool  conference  for  the  general  conference  of  the  British 
Mission  to  be  held  April  6th  in  Manchester.  The  meetings  there 
convened  in  Science  Hall.  It  was  the  largest  conference  up  to 
that  time  ever  held  in  the  British  Mission.  This  mission  at  that 
time  contained  many  of  the  finest  characters  ever  known  in  the 
Church.  The  men  who  embraced  the  gospel,  as  a  whole,  in  those 
days  were  strong  characters  whose  endurance  and  whose  will 
power  peculiarly  fitted  them  for  the  pioneer  work  they  were  soon 
to  undertake  in  the  development  of  this  inter-mountain  region. 

Upon  his  return  to  Liverpool,  Elder  Woodruff  sent  the 
following  epitaph  to  Elder  E.  F.  Sheets  to  be  placed  upon  the 
tombstone  of  Elder  Lorenzo  D.  Barnes :  "In  memory  of  Lorenzo 
D.  Barnes,  who  died  on  the  20th  of  December,  1842,  aged  thirty 
years.  He  was  a  native  of  the  United  States,  an  elder  of  the 
Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints,  a  member  of  the 
high  priests'  quorum  and  also  Zion's  Camp  in  A.  D.  1834,  and 
the  first  gospel  messenger  from  Nauvoo  who  has  found  a  grave  in 
a  foreign  land. 

"Sleep  on,  Lorenzo,  but  ere  long  from  this 

The  conquered  tomb  shall  yield  her  captured  prey. 

Then  with  thy  Quorum  shalt  thou  reign  in  bliss 
As  king  and  priest  for  an  Eternal  Day." 

The  latter  part  of  April  he  paid  a  visit  to  Newton  where  he 
examined  the  great  vitriol  works  which  are  among  the  largest 
in  the  world.  He  also  went  through  the  great  engine  factory  at 
that  place  where  a  number  of  the  brethren  were  working.  They 
were  men  well  qualified  to  carry  on  the  work  in  all  its  branches. 
He  relates  the  circumstances  of  a  peculiar  tradition  of  a  church 
in  the  vicinity  of  the  city:  "From  the  Newton  Engine  Factory 
I  walked  several  miles  through  very  pleasant  scenery  consisting 
of  green  fields,  hedges,  trees,  and  gardens.  I  visited  a  church 


IN  THE  BRITISH  MISSION,   1844-45-46.  241 

on  the  side  of  which  was  the  figure  of  a  pig  in  stone,  and  a  stone 
was  hung  around  its  neck.  According  to  tradition  the  materials 
for  this  church  were  drawn  to  another  place  quite  a  distance  from 
where  the  church  now  stands.  The  pig  came  along  and  took 
a  stone  in  his  mouth  and  carried  it,  squealing  as  he  went.  The 
pig  finally  dropped  the  stone  on  the  spot  where  the  church  now 
stands.  The  circumstance  the  people  regarded  as  an  omen  and 
erected  their  church  on  its  present  site." 

In  the  beginning  of  May  he  visited  the  churches  in  Preston 
and  Blackburn  and  then  walked  with  Brother  Speakman  to 
Whaley  where  he  visited  the  old  Abbey,  the  largest  he  had  ever 
seen.  It  covered  several  acres  of  ground  and  was  then  almost  in 
total  ruin.  It  was  built  as  early  as  one  thousand  A.  D. 

The  following  day  they  visited  the  Jesuit  College  at  Stoney- 
hurst.  On  Sunday  May  llth  they  attended  the  Clithero  con- 
ference. Of  this  conference  the  following  is  taken  from  his 
journal :  "Elder  Speakman  was  called  to  preside  in  the  after- 
noon, the  Sacrament  was  administered  and  the  power  of  God 
rested  so  abundantly  upon  the  congregation  that  many  were 
moved  to  tears."  (This  is  the  conference  of  which  Brother  Kimball 
speaks  in  his  journal.)  "I  was  so  overwhelmed  by  the  spirit  of 
God  and  the  simplicity  of  the  people  that  I  could  scarcely  speak. 
They  were  like  little  children,  as  pure-minded  and  innocent  as 
angels.  Many  of  them  bore  their  testimony  to  the  work  of  God." 

On  the  15th  of  the  same  month,  he  took  a  steamer  for  Carlisle 
to  attend  a  conference  there.  Of  the  steamship  and  voyage  he 
wrote.  "It  was  newly  painted  from  stem  to  stern  and  we  could 
not  sit  down  without  carrying  away  the  paint.  I  accordingly 
paid  two  shillings  for  the  use  of  a  bunk  among  the  sailors.  I 
had  no  sooner  gone  below  than  I  was  enveloped  in  the  most  horrid 
stench  rising  from  a  cargo  of  guano.  I  lay  down  but  became  as 
sick  as  death  and  vomited  at  intervals  for  five  hours.  I  was 
strained  to  such  a  degree  that  blood  ran  out  of  my  nose.  The  sail- 
ors filled  the  place  with  tobacco  smoke  which  was  more  intol- 
erable than  the  other  stench  which  I  had  to  endure.  This  was 
the  most  horrible  night  I  ever  passed  at  sea.  We  reached  port  at 
two  o'clock  in  the  morning.  I  crossed  the  ferry  and  took  a  canal 
boat  to  Carlisle." 


17 


242  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

At  the  Carlisle  conference  six  branches  of  the  Church  were 
represented  and  the  membership  of  the  conference  was  165.  He 
returned,  at  the  close  of  the  conference,  to  Liverpool  by  the  same 
boat  which  on  the  return  voyage,  however,  was  loaded  with 
sheep,  horses,  and  cattle. 

His  journal  at  this  time  contains  the  following:  "On  the 
24th  of  May,  which  was  the  seventh  day  of  the  week,  at  six 
o'clock  in  the  morning,  the  last  stone  was  laid  on  the  Temple  of 
the  Lord  at  Nauvoo  with  shouts  of  joy  and  'Glory  to  God  in 
the  Highest.'  The  Lord  finished  his  work  on  the  seventh  day 
and  rested." 

On  the  6th  of  June,  1845,  President  Woodruff  left  Liver- 
pool for  London  by  rail  for  the  purpose  of  securing  the  copy- 
right of  the  Doctrine  and  Covenants.  He  immediately  employed 
a  printer  and  published  three  thousand  copies.  This  was  the 
first  edition  of  that  book  published  in  the  British  Mission. 

As  the  27th  of  June  approached,  President  Woodruff  ap- 
pointed that  day  a  day  of  prayer  and  fasting  throughout  all  the 
churches  of  the  British  Isles.  It  was  the  day  of  the  martyrdom 
oi  Joseph  and  Hyrum.  On  the  18th  of  the  following  month  there 
was  born  to  him  in  Liverpool  a  son  whom  he  named  Joseph,  in 
honor  of  the  Prophet. 

On  the  13th  of  September  he  attended  a  conference  at  Man- 
chester. That  conference  then  numbered  1,769  souls,  including 
44  elders,  99  priests,  57  teachers,  and  27  deacons.  During  the 
three  months  preceding  this  conference,  there  had  been  baptized 
into  the  Church  in  that  conference  a  hundred  and  fifteen  souls. 

On  October  5th  he  paid  a  visit  to  the  Lemington  confer- 
ence. There  was  much  prejudice  at  that  place  against  the  Saints. 
Shortly  before  this  visit  there,  mobs  had  assembled  and  broken 
up  the  bannisters,  stairs,  benches,  and  tables  in  the  building 
where  the  Saints  met  for  worship.  Of  Lemington  he  said :  "This 
is  one  of  the  first  aristocratic  towns  in  England.  Here  the  nobility 
come  together  for  the  select  society  of  their  own  class,  and  be- 
cause of  the  sulphur  springs  at  this  place.  The  streets  and  build- 
ings of  the  town  are  rich  and  splendid  in  appearance." 

Of  Warwick  Castle  in  that  region  he  says:  "It  is  con- 
sidered the  most  splendid  castle  in  England  and  is  furnished 


IN  THE  BRITISH.  MISSION,  1844-45-46.  243 

with  all  the  magnificence  which  art  and  the  wealth  of  Earldom 
could  bestow  upon  it.  It  is  333  feet  long  and  is  divided  into  a 
large  number  of  rooms.  The  walls  are  hung  with  gorgeous 
tapestry,  and  the  rooms  furnished  with  the  costliest  furniture  and 
the  richest  damask.  Chairs,  tables,  and  stands  were  inlaid  with 
pearl,  and  other  precious  stones.  Some  of  these  articles  of  furni- 
ture cost  seventy-five  thousand  dollars  each.  From  the  windows  of 
the  castle  we  looked  out  upon  the  stately  cedars  of  Lebanon,  upon 
oaks,  firs,  and  a  great  variety  of  shrubbery.  The  castle  is  eight 
hundred  years  old.  The  tower  is  150  feet  high." 

Elder  Woodruff  always  availed  himself  of  every  opportunity 
to  visit  historic  places  which  he  describes  at  great  length  in  de- 
tail. 

From  Warwick  Castle  Elder  Woodruff  went  with  his  coun- 
selor, Hedlock,  to  Birmingham.  Here  they  were  received  with 
great  demonstration,  and  preparations  were  made  for  a  joyous 
reception  for  the  President  of  the  Mission.  Five  hundred  Saints 
awaited  Elder  Woodruff  and  his  companions  as  they  entered 
the  door,  and  round  after  round  of  applause  went  up  to  greet 
them.  There  was  such  clapping  of  hands  and  stamping  of  feet 
that  the  room  in  which  they  were  gathered  trembled.  All  wished 
to  shake  the  hand  of  their  President  and  it  was  with  great  diffi- 
culty that  he  reached  the  stand  upon  entering  the  room.  He 
talked  to  the  people  at  some  length.  The  manifestation  of  love 
for  him,  however,  was  not  confined  to  Birmingham.  He  enjoyed 
the  affection  and  enthusiasm  of  the  Saints  wherever  he  went. 

While  all  this  enthusiasm  was  manifested  by  the  Saints  in 
the  British  Mission,  their  brethren  and  sisters  over  the  sea  in 
the  city  of  Nauvoo  were  filled  with  deep  anxiety  and  fear.  Mobs 
were  gathering  against  the  Saints  and  the  enemy  were  pressing 
in  upon  them  with  the  spirit  of  hatred  that  brought  depression 
and  sorrow  to  the  hearts  of  the  people  in  the  beautiful  city  of 
Nauvoo,  which  was  fast  reaching  its  doom. 

He  called  a  meeting  of  his  counselors  and  the  leading  men 
before  whom  he  laid  the  spiritual  and  temporal  conditions  of 
the  Church  in  England  and  gave  them  some  idea  of  conditions 
at  home.  Soon  thereafter  he  received  word  from  President 
Young  that  the  mob  was  growing  in  numbers  and  in  violence, 


244  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

that  the  only  terms  of  peace  they  would  accept  from  the  Saints 
was  their  exile  from  the  state.  This  condition  of  affairs  Elder 
Woodruff  characterizes  in  his  journal  as  unjust,  tyrannical,  and 
un-American.  Such  news  naturally  depressed  his  spirit  greatly 
and  made  his  continuance  in  the  British  Mission  so  uncertain 
that  he  looked  forward  for  an  early  release.  He  at  once  called 
a  special  conference  to  be  held  in  Manchester  December  14,  1845. 
According  to  the  statistics  he  gives,  there  were  during  the  eight 
months  previous  1573  baptized.  The  total  membership  of  the 
Church  in  the  Brtish  Isles  had  now  reached  11,032  exclusive  of 
those  in  the  Staffordshire  conference  which  were  not  reported 
at  that  time.  There  were  reported  in  the  priesthood  one  Apostle, 
eight  high  priests,  392  elders,  590  priests,  311  teachers,  and  188 
deacons.  This  would  make,  including  those  of  the  Staffordshire 
conference  something  like  1,500  men  in  the  mission  bearing  the 
priesthood.  Those  were  days  of  marvelous  activity  in  proselyt- 
ing. Within  eight  years  the  Church  had  grown  in  that  land  to 
large  proportions,  and  the  people  were  constantly  emigrating  to 
America. 

On  Christmas  Evening  of  that  year  he  attended  with  his 
wife  St.  John's  Market  where  high  mass  was  held  in  the  Catho- 
lic Church.  This  was  the  first  time  in  his  life  that,  he  had  at- 
tended such  services.  He  desired  to  acquaint  himself  with  the  re- 
ligious ceremonies  as  well  as  the  religious  beliefs  of  others,  and 
took  advantage  of  opportunities  to  learn  all  he  could  in  view 
of  his  probable  return  in  the  near  future  to  Nauvoo. 

His  release  soon  came  and  he  began  at  once  to  put  the 
Church  financially  as  well  as  spiritually  in  a  safe  and  prosperous 
condition.  He  reported  property  in  excess  of  the  debts  to  the 
amount  of  574  pounds  and  16  shillings.  This  was  over  $2800.00. 
Wherever  a  financial  trust  was  put  upon  him  he  regarded  his 
duties  in  the  matter  as  both  sacred  and  important.  All  his  life 
long  he  guarded  himself  against  the  temptations  that  so  fre- 
quently overtake  men  in  administering  the  property  of  others. 
He  fully  realized  that  financial  dishonor  robs  men  not  only  of  the 
confidence  of  their  fellow-men  but  of  the  blessings  of  God.  He 
was  scrupulously  careful  to  account  for  every  farthing  entrusted 
to  him,  and  his  presidency,  therefore,  of  the  British  Mission  was 


IN  THE  BRITISH  MISSION,   1844-45-46.  245 

marked  both  by  zeal  in  preaching  the  gospel,  and  by  high-minded 
honesty  in  the  administration  of  funds. 

The  year  1845  was  now  drawing  to  a  close.  During  the 
entire  year  his  work  had  been  directed  in  a  foreign  land.  He  had 
personally  baptized  but  few,  had  administered  to  something  like 
a  hundred  persons,  published  three  thousand  copies  of  the  Doc- 
trine and  Covenants,  and  twenty  thousand  copies  of  the  Proclam- 
ation of  the  Twelve  Apostles.  He  had  collected  three  hundred 
pounds  for  the  Nauvoo  Temple  and  had  been  indefatigable  in 
the  management  of  the  British  Mission. 

He  was  now  released  to  return  home.  On  the  3rd  of  Jan- 
uary, 1846,  he  visited  Preston.  On  the  10th  he  made  a  feast 
for  a  few  of  his  brethren,  and  on  the  15th  took  his  family  on 
board  the  ship  Liverpool.  He  went  with  them  10  miles  and  then 
returned  to  the  shore.  It  was  planned  that  his  wife  should  go 
with  the  Saints  then  emigrating  to  Nauvoo.  As  soon  as  the  business 
of  the  mission  could  be  attended  to,  he  expected  to  leave,  himself. 
He  wrote  a  valedictory  for  the  Millennial  Star  and  on  the  23rd 
of  January  he  set  sail  for  America  and  arrived  in  New  York 
March  6th.  The  voyage  was  uneventful  except  that  the  second 
mate  fell  overboard  and  was  lost  at  sea.  He  was  performing 
some  perilous  duty  that  he  did  not  require  of  his  men.  The  voy- 
age at  that  season  of  the  year  was  attended  by  cold  weather  and 
the  usual  winter  storms.  They  were  forty-three  days  en  route. 

After  reaching  the  United  States,  he  paid  a  hasty  visit  to 
his  old  home  in  Connecticut  where  his  father  ana  step-mothei 
were  preparing  to  emigrate  to  Nauvoo.  He  also  went  to  Maine 
where  he  found  his  daughter  who  had  remained  there  during 
his  absence.  They  reached  Nauvoo  in  his  father's  party  on  the 
13th  of  April.  He  says :  "We  stopped  at  Keokuk,  and  at  two 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon  we  began  to  ascend  the  rapids.  I  took 
my  spy  glass  and  enjoyed  a  view  of  the  city  and  the  Temple 
in  the  distance.  They  looked  very  beautiful  to  me." 

He  had  been  a  zealous  mission  president.  He  kept  a  care- 
ful record.  He  attended  with  scrupulous  care  to  all  the  details 
of  the  mission.  He  made  himself  familiar  with  the  conditions 
in  every  conference.  He  promoted  peace  and  good  will  among  the 
Saints  everywhere  throughout  Great  Britain.  He  was  humble 


246  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

and  unassuming.  He  was  simply  the  instrumentality  of  God's 
purposes  in  promulgating  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ.  He  was  de- 
void of  those  ambitions  that  engender  jealousy,  misgivings,  and 
hatreds.  His  own  industrious  life  inspired  those  with  whom  he 
was  associated  with  the  same  indefatigable  spirit  with  which  he  was 
possessed.  To  this  day  the  landmarks  of  his  mission  in  Great 
Britain  are  pointed  out  to  the  elders  who  perform  ministerial 
labors  there.  He  is  referred  to  as  a  model  missionary  and  is  a 
man  with  a  record  that  others  are  happy  to  emulate. 


CHAPTER  24. 

ON  THE  BANKS  OF  THE  MISSOURI,  1846. 

Dedication  of  the  Temple  in  Nauvoo. — The  Exodus  to  Council  Bluffs. 
— Accident  to  His  Father. — Reaches  Mt.  Pisgah. — Meets  Brigham 
Young. — Recruiting  of  the  Mormon  Battalion. — Colonel  Kane. — 
Departure  of  the  Battalion. — Organizations  at  Winter  Quarters. — 
A  Conference  with  the  Chiefs  of  the  Leading  Indian  Tribes. — 
Explorations. — Remarks  by  President  Young. 

Before  Elder  Woodruff  reached  his  home  in  Nauvoo,  Presi- 
dent Young  with  a  number  of  the  Saints  had  already  commenced 
their  memorable  exodus  from  that  city.  The  Saints  were  in  a 
state  of  active  preparation  for  their  departure  westward.  The 
mob  was  active,  determined,  and  vindictive.  The  hatred  against 
the  Saints  had  become  so  intense  among  the  anti-Mormon  ele- 
ment in  Western  Illinois  that  it  was  a  source  of  great  disquietude 
among  the  people  of  Nauvoo.  In  the  midst  of  the  persecutions, 
however,  there  had  been  a  faithful  devotion  to  the  work  on  the 
Temple  which  resulted  in  its  completion  and  preparation  for  dedi- 
cation. 

Under  date  of  April  30th,  1846,  Elder  Woodruff's  journal 
contains  the  following:  "In  the  evening  of  this  day  I  repaired  to 
the  Temple  with  Elder  Orson  Hyde  and  about  twenty  other 
elders  of  Israel.  There  we  were  all  clothed  in  our  priestly  robes 
and  dedicated  the  Temple  of  the  Lord,  erected  to  His  most  holy 
name  by  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints.  Not- 
withstanding the  predictions  of  false  prophets  and  the  threat 
of  mobs  that  the  building  should  never  be  completed  nor  dedi- 
cated, their  words  had  fallen  to  the  ground.  The  Temple  was 
now  finished  and  dedicated  to  Him.  After  the  dedication,  we 
raised  our  voices  in  a  united  shout  of  'Hosanna  to  God  and  the 
Lamb!'  After  offering  our  prayers  we  returned  to  our  homes, 
thankful  for  the  privilege  enjoyed  in  our  evening  services." 

On  May  1st,  1846,  a  public  dedication  of  the  Temple  took 
place  at  which  Elder  Woodruff  opened  the  services  by  prayer. 
Elder  Orson  Hyde  made  approriate  remarks  and  then  offered  the 
dedicatory  prayer.  On  Sunday  the  3rd  the  assembly  room  of 
the  Temple  was  filled  and  addresses  were  made  by  Elders  Hyde 


248  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

and  Woodruff.  A  point  had  been  gained ;  under  stress  and  strain 
the  Temple  had  been  completed  and  dedicated.  More,  however, 
than  the  completion  of  the  Temple  had  been  accomplished  by  the 
construction  of  that  sacred  edifice.  Its  rites  and  ceremonies  had 
enlarged  the  vision  of  the  Saints  and  broadened  their  conceptions 
of  eternity.  Their  relations  and  obligations  to  the  dead  brought 
home  to  them  greater  responsibilities  than  they  had  ever  here- 
tofore imagined.  Furthermore,  they  perceived  the  importance 
of  a  new  gathering  place  wherein  they  might  erect  other  Temples 
to  the  worship  of  their  God.  From  that  day  to  the  present  time, 
temple  work  has  had  a  peculiar  influence  upon  the  lives  of  the 
Latter-day  Saints.  It  has  engendered  brotherly  love,  a  spirit 
of  unity,  and  a  steadfast  devotion  to  God  that  perhaps  nothing 
else  in  all  their  experience  in  the  Church  has  given  them.  The 
work  in  Nauvoo  was  done ;  henceforth  the  city  of  the  Saints  was 
to  be  nothing  more  to  them  than  a  memory  until  God  should  de- 
termine otherwise.  It  brought  its  joys;  but  its  history  was  also 
full  of  sad  reminiscences,  apostacy,  murderous  intent,  and  de- 
struction. 

"I  was  in  Nauvoo,"  says  Elder  Woodruff,  "on  the  26th  of 
May,  1846,  for  the  last  time,  and  left  the  city  of  the  Saints  feel- 
ing that  most  likely  I  was  taking  a  final  farewell  of  Nauvoo  for 
this  life.  I  looked  back  upon  the  Temple  and  City  as  they  receded 
from  view  and  asked  the  Lord  to  remember  the  sacrifices  of  His 
Saints." 

Elder  Woodruff  had  already  left  Nauvoo  on  the  16th  and 
had  preached  his  farewell  sermon  there  on  the  previous  Sunday. 
The  farewell  of  which  he  now  speaks  followed  his  return  to 
the  City  a  few  days  later  to  obtain  goods  which  he  had  left 
behind.  There  he  met  a  company  of  Saints  who  had  just  arrived 
from  Pennsylvania.  Among  them  was  Brother  Sidwell  who  gave 
to  Orson  Hyde  several  hundred  dollars  for  the  Camp  of  Israel. 
He  also  gave  a  hundred  dollars  each  for  Elders  Hyde  and  Wood- 
ruff. 

The  little  company  of  which  he  had  charge  consisted  of  his 
wife  and  children,  his  father,  and  a  few  other  members  of  the 
family.  They  had  three  baggage  wagons,  one  family  carriage,  six 
yoke  of  oxen,  six  cows,  four  calves,  one  yearling,  and  a  pair  of 
mules,  making  in  all  twenty-five  head  of  animals.  The  father  was 


ON  THE  BANKS  OF  THE  MISSOURI,  1846.          249 

aged  and  had  no  grown  sons  other  than  Wilford  to  assist  him, 
so  that  the  weight  and  responsibility  fell  upon  the  son. 

There  began  now  the  tedious  and  distressing  journey  across 
the  state  of  Iowa.  The  inconveniences  of  loaded  wagons  and 
the  inclemency  of  the  weather  superseded  the  comforts  and  con- 
veniences of  well-appointed  homes.  On  the  first  day  out  their 
wagon  mired  down  in  the  mud;  the  wagon  tongue  and  several 
chains  were  broken  in  the  effort  to  extricate  it.  Similar  acci- 
dents occurred  at  intervals,  and  on  the  twenty-seventh  he  says 
in  his  journal  that  while  his  father  was  trying  to  climb  into  the 
wagon  fell  to  the  ground.  Both  wheels  of  the  wagon  which  was 
loaded  with  twenty-five  hundred  pounds  ran  over  his  legs.  It 
was  marvelous  that  no  bones  were  broken. 

At  Farmington,  Iowa,  they  bought  a  supply  of  flour  consist- 
ing of  four  barrels.  There  they  crossed  the  Des  Moines  River 
at  the  ferry.  They  were  then  twenty-five  miles  from  Nauvoo  on 
the  28th  day  of  May.  Several  days  later  they  overtook  the  Ramus 
Company  consisting  of  about  twenty-five  wagons.  On  the  even- 
ing of  Sunday  the  7th  they  traveled  some  distance  when  they 
came  to  a  long  swail  which  covered  a  distance  of  one  and  a  half 
miles.  It  was  wet  and  miry.  He  succeeded  in  getting  his  car- 
riage across  by  dark,  but  in  the  center  of  the  swamp  his  baggage 
wagons  cut  through  the  turf,  and  the  wheels  went  down  almost 
to  the  hubs.  He  worked  most  of  that  night  in  mud  and  water 
nearly  knee  deep  and  at  the  same  time  kept  a  watch  upon  the 
cattle.  About  daylight  he  rolled  himself  up  in  a  buffalo  robe  and 
went  to  sleep.  All  day  Monday  they  were  obliged  to  rest  and 
prepare  for  the  journey  the  following  day.  His  anxiety  to  over- 
take the  main  body  of  the  pioneers  led  to  this  violation  of  his 
custom  to  refrain  wholly  from  work  on  the  Lord's  day.  Tues- 
day, the  9th,  the  company  traveled  twelve  miles  and  camped  with 
a  body  of  Saints  from  Macedonia.  The  latter  had  thiry-one 
wagons.  Here  and  there  they  were  joined  by  scattered  families 
of  Saints  who  were  wending  their  weary  way  westward.  On  the 
15th  of  June  they  reached  the  Camp  of  Israel  called  Mt.  Pisgah. 

President  Kimball  and  others  of  the  Twelve  were  still  ahead. 
Elder  Charles  C.  Rich  had  been  left  in  charge  at  Mt.  Pisgah. 
There  were  many  of  his  old-time  friends  there  and  the  meeting 
brought  with  it  reminiscences  of  earlier  days.  There  was  an  ex- 


250  WILFORD   WOODRUFF. 

change  of  the  experiences  which  they  had  undergone  since  Broth- 
er Woodruff  had  left  them  for  his  mission,  more  than  a  year  be- 
fore. "I  encamped,"  he  says,  "on  the  east  side  of  the  creek  near 
the  Camp  of  Israel.  Here  I  learned  that  Brother  Noah  Rogers 
recently  from  a  mission  to  the  South  Sea  Islands  had  died  and 
was  the  first  to  find  a  resting  place  in  the  burial  ground  at  Mt. 
Pisgah.  Brother  Turnbow,  one  of  our  company,  lost  a  child 
today.  I  was  present  at  its  funeral."  Lorenzo  Snow  was  also 
in  this  company  and  was  suffering  from  sickness,  but  found  great 
relief  in  the  administration  of  Elder  Woodruff. 

On  the  21st  he  preached  to  a  large  congregation  of  Saints 
and  was  followed  by  Elders  Rich,  Benson,  and  Sherwood.  That 
day  a  messenger  arrived  from  President  Young,  who  was  at  Coun- 
cil Bluffs.  The  messenger  brought  a  call  for  one  hundred  mounted 
men  who  were  to  serve  as  dragoons  and  as  buffalo  hunters  for  the 
Camp  of  Israel.  In  response  to  the  call,  Elder  Woodruff  and 
sixty  others  stepped  to  the  front.  He  reported  the  response  to 
President  Young. 

On  the  26th  the  camp  was  thrown  into  some  excitement  by 
the  appearance  of  Captain  Allen  and  three  dragoons  of  the  Unit- 
ed States  army.  The  object  of  their  visit  was  to  raise  volunteers 
for  the  Mexican  War.  He  was  sent  by  Colonel  Kearney  who  was 
acting  under  instructions  from  President  James  K.  Polk.  These 
messengers  were  shown  every  courtesy,  but  were  asked  to  confer 
with  President  Young.  The  day  following,  Elder  Woodruff  wrote 
President  Young  a  letter  in  advance  of  the  messengers  who  were 
commissioned  to  make  a  call  for  volunteers. 

When  the  27th  of  June  arrived,  the  anniversary  of  the  mar- 
tyrdom of  Joseph  and  Hyrum,  Elder  Woodruff  though  in  poor 
health  at  the  time  addressed  the  Saints  in  Pisgah.  It  was  his 
farewell  sermon  at  that  place,  for  on  the  following  day  he  took 
up  his  travels  again  for  Council  Bluffs. 

"I  stopped  my  carriage,"  he  says,  "on  the  top  of  a  hill  in 
the  midst  of  a  rolling  prairie  wherel  had  an  extended  view  of 
all  about  me.  I  beheld  the  Saints  coming  in  all  directions  from 
hills  and  dales,  groves  and  prairies  with  their  wagons,  flocks, 
and  herds,  by  the  thousands.  It  looked  like  the  movement  of  a 
nation." 

Traveling  a  few  miles  from  this  point  of  observation  he  met 


ON  THE  BANKS  OF  THE  MISSOURI,  1846.        251 

Parley  P.  Pratt,  who  was  returning  from  Council  Bluffs  with  a 
message  to  raise  a  company  of  men  to  go  in  advance  to  the  Rocky 
Mountains  without  their  families.  The  Quorum  of  the  Twelve 
had  volunteered  to  go  and  in  Elder  Woodruff's  breast  there  was 
a  heart- felt  desire  to  take  up  the  proposed  pioneer  movement  in- 
to the  wilderness.  He  therefore  hurried  on  with  as  much  speed  as 
the  ox-teams  could  endure.  They  traveled  more  than  twenty 
miles  that  day. 

The  day  following  they  were  overtaken  by  Parley  P.  Pratt 
who  was  returning  to  Council  Bluffs  after  having  delivered  his 
message.  He  was  accompanied  by  Ezra  T.  Benson  who  had  re- 
cently been  chosen  to  take  the  place  in  the  Quorum  of  the  Twelve 
formerly  occupied  by  John  E.  Page.  These  brethren  expressed  a 
wish  that  Elder  Woodruff  accompany  them  to  the  Bluffs.  The 
latter,  in  response,  saddled  his  horse,  and  leaving  his  family  and 
company,  went  on  to  join  President  Young  and  those  with  him 
at  the  front. 

On  the  4th  of  July  they  rode  ten  miles  and  breakfasted  with 
some  of  the  brethren  whom  they  met.  To  their  great  surprise  they 
were  informed  that  President  Brigham  Young,  Heber  C.  Kim- 
ball,  and  Willard  Richards  were  near  by  on  their  way  to  Pisgah 
to  raise  volunteers  for  the  service  of  the  United  States  army. 
"We  immediately  rode  down  to  where  they  were  located."  he 
says  in  his  journal.  "It  was  truly  a  happy  meeting.  I  rejoiced 
to  strike  hands  once  more  with  those  noble  men.  It  was  the 
first  time  we  had  met  since  I  left  Nauvoo  on  my  mission  to  Eng- 
land soon  after  the  martyrdom  of  Joseph  and  Hyrum-" 

This  changed  somewhat  his  plan  of  travel,  and  upon  the 
invitation  of  President  Young,  Elders  Woodruff  and  Benson  re- 
turned with  him  until  he  met  his  family  and  company  with-  whom 
he  journeyed  to  Council  Bluffs  which  he  reached  on  the  7th  of 
July,  1846. 

Upon  his  arrival  at  the  Missouri  River,  he  set  about  the 
task  of  raising  volunteers  for  the  government  service.  It  was 
about  this  time  that  the  Saints  there  were  visited  by  Thomas  L. 
Kane  from  the  City  of  Washington.  His  interest  in  the  Latter- 
day  Saints,  his  deep  and  unfeigned  sympathy  for  them,  naturally 
awakened*  feelings  of  gratitude  toward  one  whose  sympathies 
for  them  were  so  genuine.  The  Colonel's  description  of  Nauvoo, 


252  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

and  his  defense  generally  of  the  Latter-day  Saints,  have  always 
made  his  name  with  them  a  synonym  of  friendship.  To  what 
extent  their  faith  and  beliefs  brought  conviction  to  his  soul,  it 
will  perhaps  be  impossible  to  say.  It  is  certain,  however,  that  the 
new  religion  awakened  in  him  some  belief  that  these  unpopular 
people  were  perhaps  after  all  the  instrument  of  a  divine  providence 
in  transforming  the  religious  views  of  the  modern  world ;  for  on 
the  7th  of  September  he  sought  and  received  a  patriarchal  bless- 
ing under  the  hands  of  father  John  Smith,  who  at*  the  time  was 
living  in  a  tent.  Elder  Woodruff  wrote  the  blessing  as  it  fell 
from  the  lips  of  the  Patriarch  and  presented  it  to  the  Colonel. 

It  was  Colonel  Kane's  belief,  and  it  was  so  represented  by 
him  to  the  Saints,  that  President  Polk  was  favorable  to  them  and 
had  really  proposed  the  Mormon  Battalion  with  the  intention  in 
his  heart  of  helping  them  across  the  plains  by  government  aid. 
There  was,  however,  some  skepticism,  and  a  belief  among  some 
that  the  whole  scheme  was  an  anti-Mormon  device,  and  intended 
to  weaken  the  Saints  in  their  exodus,  and  make  them  an  easy  prey 
to  the  Indians  who  might  encompass  the  complete  destruction  of 
the  Saints  on  the  plains. 

Brigham  Young  and  other  leaders  were  actively  engaged  in 
recruiting  men  for  service  in  the  Battalion.  President  Young 
had  returned  from  Mt.  Pisgah  and  met  in  council  with  the 
Twelve.  Colonel  Kane  was  present.  Such  tasks  as  these  re- 
quired just  such  enthusiasm  and  heart-felt  conviction  as  men 
like  Wilford  Woodruff  could  give  to  them. 

On  July  the  15th  Elders  Orson  Hyde,  Parley  P.  Pratt,  and 
John  Taylor  were  appointed  to  a  mission  in  Great  Britain  for  the 
purpose  of  regulating  the  affairs  of  the  Church  there  and  of  ap- 
pointing a  new  presidency  over  that  mission. 

On  the  16th  of  July  Elder  Woodruff  writes :  "It  was  a  great 
day  in  the  Camp  of  Israel.  Four  companies  of  volunteers  were 
organized  and  ready  for  marching.  They  were  brought  together 
~"d  formed  in  a  hollow  square  by  their  captains.  They  were 
then  addressed  by  several  of  the  Quorum  of  the  Twelve  after 
which  the  Battalion  began  its  march  in  double  file  over  the 
Redemption  Hill,  seven  miles  across  the  Missouri  River  bottom 
to  the  ferry.  The  brethren  who  formed  these  companies  left 
their  families,  teams,  wagons,  and  cattle  by  the  wayside  not  ex- 


ON  THE  BANKS  OF  THE  MISSOURI,  1846.         253 

pecting  to  meet  them  again  for  one  or  two  years.  They  left 
their  wives  and  children  to  their  brethren  and  to  the  tender 
mercies  of  God,  before  they  went.  With  cheerful  hearts  they  be- 
lieved that  they  were  doing  the  will  of  their  Heavenly  Father. 
As  I  viewed  them  I  felt  as  though  I  was  looking  upon  the  first 
Battalion  of  the  army  of  Israel,  engaged  in  the  service  of  the 
United  States." 

Upon  the  departure  of  the  Battalion,  the  Twelve  proceeded 
at  once  to  ordain  Ezra  T.  Benson  who  had  been  called  to  their 
Quorum.  That  evening  Elder  Woodruff  entertained  the  Apostles 
as  his  guests  at  supper.  That  body  of  men  felt  some  pride  in  the 
success  that  had  attended  their  efforts  to  enlist  the  Battalion. 
They  were  full  of  joy  and  were  rejoicing  together  over  the  satis- 
faction which  they  felt  in  accomplishing  that  which  they  hoped 
would  be  of  lasting  benefit  and  honor  to  the  Latter-day  Saints. 

A  few  days  later  while  the  Battalion  of  five  hundred  were 
in  camp  at  the  ferry,  they  were  addressed  by  President  Young, 
who  bestowed  freely  upon  them  his  blessings  and  his  promises 
of  safety.  After  that  a  concert  was  given  in  honor  of  Colonel 
Allen,  the  commander  of  the  men,  who  were  now  ready  to  begin 
their  long  and  perilous  march  to  the  sea. 

With  the  departure  of  the  Battalion,  another  great  move  in 
the  exodus  had  been  made.  The  way  across  the  plains,  however, 
had  to  be  blazed  and  a  route  established  for  the  travel  of  the 
tens  of  thousands  who  should  follow  the  first  company  in  quest 
of  a  home  far  removed  from  the  confines  of  civilization,  a  home 
where  the  saints  of  God  might  enjoy  the  freedom  and  the  rest 
that  had  been  denied  them  ever  since  the  organization  of  the 
Church  in  April,  1830. 

During  that  period  of  sixteen  years  the  Saints  had  been  con- 
stantly fleeing  from  mobs  and  from  the  tyranny  of  oppressors. 
They  were  in  a  state  of  constant  uncertainty  and  could  find  com- 
fort and  consolation  only  in  the  divine  assurance  that  they  were 
a  peculiar  people,  a  chosen  people,  destined  to  open  a  new  and 
marvelous  dispensation  among  the  children  of  men. 

The  primitive  conditions  in  which  the  Saints  now  found  them- 
selves along  the  banks  of  the  Missouri  River  naturally  gave  rise 
to  misgivings,  murmurings,  discontent,  and  sometimes  rebellious 
sentiment.  To  maintain  peace  and  order  under  such  circum- 


254  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

stances  was  no  easy  task.  The  leaders  labored  early  and  late 
and  urged  constantly,  peace,  fraternity,  and  good  will.  A  new 
burden  had  been  imposed  upon  those  who  were  left  behind  and 
who  were  required  to  provide  for  the  welfare  of  the  families 
of  the  soldiers.  About  ninety  men  were  appointed  among  the 
Saints  to  act  as  bishops.  One  of  their  special  duties  was  to  look 
after  the  families  of  those  who  were  left  dependent  upon  the 
Church  at  large.  On  the  21st  of  the  month  a  higTi  council  was 
appointed.  Isaac  Morley  became  senior  member. 

Preparatory  to  the  march  across  the  plains  the  coming  sum- 
mer, some  explorations  were  begun.  Elder  Woodruff  traveled 
along  the  country  of  the  Big  Pigeon  River  on  which  the  camp 
of  the  Saints  was  established.  On  the  25th  of  July  he  crossed 
the  river  to  the  Nebraska  side  with  his  family,  wagons,  and  house- 
hold effects.  On  the  2nd  of  August  the  Twelve  met  in  council 
and  decided  that  Winter  Quarters  should  be  established  on  the 
site  then  occupied  by  the  camp.  On  the  evening  of  that  day  Presi- 
dent Young  and  Elder  Richards  called  at  the  tent  of  Wilford  Wood- 
ruff where  President  Young  gave  him  and  his  family  some  instruc- 
tions on  the  subject  of  the  priesthood  and  of  the  sealing  power. 
That  day  was  also  marked  by  the  arrival  of  a  messenger  from 
the  Mormon  Battalion  that  was  now  within  thirty  miles  from 
Leavenworth. 

After  settling  the  question  of  a  location  for  the  winter,  twelve 
men  were  selected  to  serve  in  the  joint  capacity  of  a  High  Council 
and  City  Council  for  the  transaction  of  all  business  relating  to 
the  settlement  of  the  Saints  during  the  winter. 

About  this  time  there  was  a  meeting  of  the  Saints  with  Colo- 
nel Kane,  and  in  it  the  adoption  of  certain  resolutions  of  respect 
and  gratitude  to  President  Polk  for  the  steps  taken  by  him  in 
arming  five  hundred  men  and  of  furnishing  them  an  opportunity 
to  reach  the  valleys  of  the  Rocky  Mountains.  At  this  time  they 
also  urgently  protested  against  the  appointment  of  Lilburn  W. 
Boggs,  the  former  governor  of  Missouri,  and  a  bitter  enemy  of 
the  people,  as  governor  of  California  and  Oregon,  a  position  he 
was  anxious  to  occupy  and  one  which  his  friends  were  helping 
him  to  secure. 

At  this  time  President  Young  informed  Colonel  Kane  that  it 
was  the  intention  of  the  Saints  to  settle  in  the  Great  Basin,  and 


ON  THE  BANKS  OF  THE  MISSOURI,  1846.         255 

that  as  soon  as  they  were  located  to  apply  for  a  territorial  gov- 
ernment. Thus  their  plans  were  early  revealed  to  a  tried  and 
trusted  friend. 

The  Sunday  following,  a  meeting  was  held  at  a  place  pre- 
pared for  worship,  a  place  capable  of  seating  about  three  hundred 
people.  After  the  people  were  addressed  by  Apostle  Woodruff, 
President  Young  declared  that  when  the  Latter-day  Saints  should 
finally  reach  their  resting  place,  he  would  labor  hard  to  build 
another  temple.  The  erection  of  a  temple  whose  blessings  they 
so  meagerly  enjoyed  in  Nauvoo  was  constantly  in  the  mind  of 
the  leaders  who  were  inspired  by  a  desire  to  enjoy  the  ordinances 
for  the  living  and  dead  which  belonged,  peculiarly,  to  the  temples 
of  God. 

In  the  management  of  the  affairs  at  Winter  Quarters,  the 
Saints  were  divided  into  encampments  and  these  again  into  sub- 
divisions. President  Young'  took  charge  of  division  1.  That 
allotted  to  Elder  Woodruff  was  No  10.  It  consisted  of  thirty- 
six  men,  thirty-two  wagons,  nine  horses,  129  oxen,  59  cows,  four 
mules,  and  forty  sheep.  The  whole  of  Winter  Quarters  con- 
sisted at  this  time  of  549  men,  597  wagons,  229  horses,  2,110 
oxen,  1,168  cows,  49  mules,  and  660  sheep. 

The  entire  population  of  those  that  located  at  Council  Bluffs 
at  that  time  is  not  stated  in  his  journal. 

On  August  17  Orrin  P.  Rockwell  arrived  in  camp  and  brought 
with  him  the  mail  from  Nauvoo.  The  letters  from  home  showed 
that  the  mob  were  still  active,  that  some  of  the  Saints  had 
been  whipped  in  a  shameful  manner  and  that  there  was  no  hope 
of  any  return  to  the  city  they  loved  so  well.  There  was  nothing 
in  the  information  that  reached  them  from  Nauvoo  to  give  the 
least  encouragement  to  any  of  their  number  to  turn  back;  their 
hope  was  now  all  directed  westward. 

There  was  naturally  much  suffering  in  the  midst  of  all  the 
exposure  to  which  the  Saints  were  subjected.  Elder  Woodruff 
records  the  fact  that  his  wife  suffered  a  great  deal  from  sick- 
ness and  it  was  with  great  difficulty  that  she  was  kept  alive. 

The  Mormon  Battalion  constituted  the  advance-guard  for  the 
pioneer  movement.  It  is  true  that  they  were  taking  a  route 
different  from  that  which  the  body  of  the  Saints  intended  to  fol- 
low, but  the  Battalion  was  penetrating  the  great  and  unknown 


256  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

wilderness.  Its  difficulties  would  be  their  difficulties,  its  hardships, 
their  hardships.  All  news  therefore  brought  back  from  the  Battal- 
ion was  discussed  by  the  Saints  on  the  banks  of  the  Missouri  with 
intense  interest.  They  had  reason  to  be  proud  of  their  repre- 
sentatives in  blue.  The  soldiers  were  making  a  good  record.  They 
were  spoken  highly  of  because  of  their  exemplary  habits,  their 
willing  service,  and  their  powers  of  endurance. 

He  writes  in  his  journal  of  August  22nd  that  he,  in  com- 
pany with  other  members  of  the  Twelve,  crossed  the  river  to 
Council  Point  where  they  found  many  of  the  people  sick.  They 
went  about  administering  to  them,  and  after  rebuking  the  dis- 
eases that  were  afflicting  the  Saints,  they  went  on  to  what  is  called 
Redemption  Hill.  Upon  their  return  to  Council  Point,  they  found, 
to  their  great  pleasure  and  gratification,  that  the  exercises  of  the 
healing  power  with  which  the  Lord  had  clothed  them  was  resulting 
in  the  restoration  of  those  to  whom  they  had  administered. 

The  leaders  here  were  planning  an  exodus  for  the  coming 
year.  Preparations  of  all  kinds  were  therefore  being  made  for  a 
journey  of  a  thousand  miles  through  the  wilderness,  the  country 
of  the  red  man.  The  Book  of  Mormon  taught  them  who  the 
red  man  was  and  the  promises  of  which  some  day  he  should  be 
a  happy  recipient.  Their  sympathy  for  the  Indian,  therefore, 
rested  upon  religious  convictions  which  they  entertained  for  his 
future,  a  future  in  which  he  would  find  redemption  from  the 
slothful  and  slovenly  conditions  of  life  into  which  he  had  fallen. 

On  the  27th  the  Twelve  and  the  high  council  met  with  the 
representatives  of  two  great  Indian  tribes.  The  object  of  the 
meeting  was  to  get  the  permission  to  remain  upon  their  lands  and 
use  the  wood,  grass,  and  water  as  long  as  they  wished  to  stay. 
"We  first  met  with  the  Ottos  between  whom  and  the  Omahas 
there  was  a  dispute  as  to  who  owned  the  land.  The  Ottos  said 
the  land  was  theirs.  The  chief  with  five  or  six  others  was  pres- 
ent. We  talked  to  him,  after  which  he  returned  home.  We  later 
met  in  council  with  the  Omahas.  The  old  chief's  name  was  Big 
Elk  and  his  son,  a  young  chief,  called  Young  Elk.  There  were 
also  present  with  them  about  sixty  old  men  and  braves  of  the 
tribe.  As  it  was  late,  the  council  adjourned  until  the  morrow. 
On  the  28th  we  met  in  the  morning  with  the  Omaha  chiefs.  We 
smoked  the  pipe  of  peace  and  President  Young  then  spoke  to 


ON  THE  BANKS  OF  THE  MISSOURI,  1846.         257 

them  through  their  interpreter.  He  told  them  it  was  our  desire 
to  winter  there ;  and  if  they  wished  it  we  would  do  some  work  for 
them,  make  them  a  field,  repair  their  guns. 

Big  Elk  replied:  "My  son,  thou  hast  spoken  well.  I  have 
all  thou  hast  said  in  my  heart.  I  have  much  I  want  to  say.  We 
are  poor,  when  we  go  to  hunt  game  in  one  place  we  meet  the 
enemy  and  so  in  another,  and  our  enemies  kill  us.  We  do  not 
kill  them.  I  hope  we  shall  be  friends.  You  may  stay  on  these 
lands  two  years  or  more.  Our  young  men  may  watch  your  cattle. 
We  would  be  glad  to  have  you  trade  with  us.  We  will  warn  you 
of  danger  from  other  Indians."  Much  more  was  said  by  Big 
Elk  after  which  the  council  closed  and  the  Indians,  after  being 
fed,  returned  to  their  homes. 

On  September  11,  1846,  the  leaders  rode  out  in  search  of 
Old  Council  Bluffs.  They  built  a  bridge  to  cross  a  creek,  and 
after  traveling  over  flats  and  hills  they  came  to  the  object  of 
their  search  about  sundown.  They  found  that  there  was  once 
on  that  place  some  old  barracks.  Nothing  was  left  of  it  ex- 
cept the  body  of  the  magazine  with  one  gable  end.  The  object  of 
this  search  was  to  make  themselves  familiar  with  the  surrounding 
country  and  to  gain  information. 

Orson  Pratt  had  been  on  a  visit  to  the  Otto  and  Omaha  In- 
dians, and  on  his  return  reported  that  it  was  the  wish  of  each  of 
these  tribes  to  perform  a  war  dance  before  the  people.  The 
Omahas  were  then  on  their  way  to  war  with  the  Sioux. 

It  was  necessary  to  secure  a  certain  class  and  a  certain 
amount  of  provisions  for  the  journey  of  the  coming  season.  Bish- 
op Whitney  and  several  others  were  delegated  to  proceed  to  Saint 
Louis  and  make  the  necessary  purchases.  There  was  a  busy  life 
in  the  camp.  As  winter  approached,  men  were  actively  engaged 
in  putting  up  log  cabins,  making  dugouts,  and  taking  what  pre- 
cautions they  could,  under  the  circumstances,  against  the  inclem- 
ency of  the  winter  season. 

The  situation  was  so  full  of  anxiety  and  attended  by  so 
many  fears,  that  it  was  necessary  to  keep  up  the  spirits  and  cul- 
tivate the  hopes  of  the  people.  Amusements,  chiefly  dancing, 
were  provided.  These  amusements  gave  opportunity  to  unruly 
characters  to  demonstrate  their  unworthiness.  Mirth,  especially 

18 


WILFORD  WOODRUFF 

excessive  mirth,  breaks  down  the  natural  reserve  of  man  and  dis- 
closes much  of  his  motives  and  especially  his  follies  and  vices. 

The  Saints  assembled  at  that  time  were  gathered  from  all 
parts  of  the  states  and  from  Great  Britam.  That  community  con- 
sisted of  men  and  women  of  all  shades  of  thought,  all  traditions, 
beliefs,  and  customs.  The  grave  and  austere,  and  devoted  Saints 
mingled  with  the  light-minded,  the  indifferent,  and  the  gay.  There 
were  those  that  constituted  the  drift  wood  of  the  community. 
They  were  found  piled  up  where  the  current  had  taken  them. 
Some  in  the  camp  had  no  faith,  others  made  no  pretentions  to 
faith.  There  were  young  men  who  were  wild  and  unruly.  Such 
conditions  naturally  gave  the  leaders  much  anxiety  and  brought 
to  them  some  discouragement.  They  realized  that  it  would  be  easy 
to  bring  disorder  and  confusion  into  their  midst.  Recording  the 
remarks  of  President  Young  to  the  people  on  Sunday,  Sept.  13th, 
Elder  Woodruff  quotes  as  follows :  "I  wish  to  say  a  few  words 
upon  principle.  There  is  one  thing  I  want  you  to  realize  and  that 
is  that  God,  angels  and  saints — Heaven  and  all  of  God's"  creations 
— are  governed  by  law.  I  want  the  Camp  of  Israel  to  understand 
that  we  must  be  so  governed.  If  Heaven  were  not  so  controlled, 
what  sort  of  a  place  would  it  be  ?  Every  man  would  be  in  danger 
of  losing  his  rights  and  of  having  them  trampled  upon.  All  ce- 
lestial beings  are  governed  by  law  and  order,  for  the  celestial  law 
is  a  perfect  order  of  things,  a  perfect  system  of  light,  law,  intel- 
ligence, exaltation,  and  glory.  We  do  not  arrive  at  this  all  at  once. 
A  prophet  once  declared  that  we  should  have  precept  upon  pre- 
cept, line  upon  line,  here  a  little  and  there  a  little  until  we  arrive 
at  a  fullness  of  knowledge  and  glory,  even  a  fullness  which  reigns 
in  the  Heavens. 

"We  must  begin  to  be  governed  by  law  here  before  we  are 
prepared  to  receive  the  fullness  that  reigns  in  the  Heavens.  We 
must  have  law  and  order  in  our  midst." 

Some  agitation  was  manifested  at  this  time  in  consequence 
of  certain  favors  received  by  those  who  then  on  the  banks  of  the 
Missouri  River  were  permitted  to  have  more  than  one  wife.  Re- 
specting this  President  Young  is  quoted  as  saying :  "Some  young 
men  are  jealous  for  fear  I  shall  receive  more  blessings,  more 
wives,  or  some  other  blessings  than  themselves.  These  men  have 


ON  THE  BANKS  OF  THE  MISSOURI,  1846.         259 

never  preached  the  gospel  in  their  lives.  If  they  will  travel  the 
world  over  in  poverty  as  I  have  done  and  on  foot  with  blood  in 
their  shoes  and  spend  years  and  years  to  save  the  world  they  will 
cease  to  be  jealous  of  the  blessings  that  I  enjoy.  A  woman  who 
has  the  spirit  of  God  will  join  herself  to  a  good  man  who  honors 
and  bears  the  Holy  Priesthood.  Such  a  man,  if  he  continues  faith- 
ful, will  be  saved  in  eternal  glory  and  all  who  are  with  him. 

"I  am  determined  that  my  affections  shall  be  with  God.  I  will 
not  allow  them  to  be  placed  upon  things  that  perish.  When 
plagues  and  disease  get  hold  of  our  bodies  we  become  loathsome, 
our  beauty  fades  away.  Our  affections  should  be  placed  upon 
things  that  are  noble,  exalted,  lasting,  and  glorious.  I  love  an  ex- 
alted mind,  it  is  eternal  and  cannot  fade.  I  want  all  my  affections 
to  be  subject  to  God  and  to  the  principles  of  glory  and  eternal  life." 

A  pleasure  loving  camp  in  those  days  had  many  of  the  same 
temptations  that  beset  the  pleasure  loving  world  now.  Those, 
then,  in  whose  minds  every  thing  was  associated  with  a  pleasure 
loving  spirit  attributed  self  gratification  to  the  motives  of  their 
leaders  who  were  then  inculcating  faith  by  teaching  and  practicing 
the  doctrine  of  plural  marriage. 

On  the  23rd  of  September  the  Saints  removed  their  encamp- 
ment from  the  prairie  ridge  where  they  had  been  located  to  the 
tableland  on  the  bank  of  the  Missouri  River.  At  the  latter  place 
a  townsite  was  laid  out  into  blocks,  120  by  40  rods.  Each  block 
was  divided  into  lots  four  by  ten. 

Two  days  later  Daniel  H.  Wells  and  Elder  Cutler  arrived 
from  Nauvoo.  At' the  meeting  on  Sunday  afternoon  of  the  27th 
they  gave  an  account  of  the  Battle  of  Nauvoo,  where  the  Saints 
were  engaged  in  resisting  the  encroaching  mob.  Three  of  the 
Saints  were  killed  and  two  wounded.  It  was  never  known  how 
many  of  the  mob  lost  their  lives.  The  skirmish  resulted  in  a  treaty 
which  required  the  Saints  to  leave  the  city  within  five  days.  The 
little  remnant  of  those  compelled  to  leave  was  composed  chiefly  of 
men  and  women  whose  circumstances  did  not  permit  them  to  leave 
with  the  main  body  of  the  Church.  A  few  remained  to  protect  the 
property  rights  of  the  people  who  had  been  driven  from  the  city. 
There  were  a  few  who  fostered  some  lingering  thoughts  of  re- 
turning to  Nauvoo,  or  of  mercenary  advantages  in  days  to  come. 


260  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

These  property  rights  which  the  Saints  sought  to  retain  only  ex- 
cited the  cupidity  and  murderous  disposition  of  the  mob.  It  was 
the  property  of  the  Saints  they  craved  and  bloodshed  did  not  stand 
between  them  and  the  cravings  of  their  own  selfish  dispositions. 
This  lingering  remnant  was,  therefore,  inhumanely  treated  and 
driven  into  the  wilderness  without  provisions  and  without  shelter. 
Their  distress  was  pitiful.  The  Battle  of  Nauvoo  removed  from 
the  hearts  of  all  the  Saints  the  last  lingering  hope  of  any  return 
to  that  city.  All  was  gone,  their  property  rights  destroyed,  and  their 
homes  passed  to  new  ownerships.  The  destruction  of  all  hope  in 
their  return  to  the  city  they  loved  made  their  undertaking  in  a 
new  and  perilous  journey  the  only  thing  to  be  reckoned  with. 

The  first  Sunday  in  October,  Orson  Pratt,  Amasa  Lyman, 
and  Wilford  Woodruff  began  the  organization  of  the  new  city  of 
Winter  Quarters.  It  was  divided  into  13  wards,  with  a  bishop 
over  each.  Thus,  responsibility  was  extended  and  order  more  firm- 
ly established  throughout  the  Camp. 

On  the  15th  Elder  Woodruff  met  with  one  of  those  serious 
experiences  recorded  in  his  chapter  of  accidents.  He  was  struck 
by  a  falling  tree  and  disabled  for  a  number  of  weeks.  While  he 
was  recovering  his  little  son  Joseph  was  stricken  with  disease  and 
died  on  the  12th  of  November. 

On  the  17th  of  that  month  Elder  Woodruff  took  up  again  his 
manual  labor.  Writing  in  his  journal  of  those  times  he  says :  "I 
had  never  seen  the  Latter-day  Saints  in  any  situation  where  they 
seemed  to  be  passing  through  greater  tribulations.  After  being 
exposed  to  the  sufferings  of  a  tedious  journey  of  ten  months  in 
tents  and  wagons,  they  were  obliged  to  build  a  city  of  log  houses 
numbering  more  than  one  thousand.  All  this  work  had  only  a 
temporary  enjoyment.  We  had  to  go  a  great  distance  for  wood 
and  timber,  and  it  was  difficult  to  secure  from  the  deep  ravines 
and  hollows  where  we  found  it.  The  labor  was  hard  to  endure. 
I  was  endeavoring  to  build  a  log  house  for  myself  and  one  for  my 
father." 

Quite  a  number  died  during  the  winter  of  1846-47,  in  Win- 
ter Quarters.  Elder  Woodruff  records  the  death  of  Sister  Ben- 
bow,  the  wife  of  his  time-honored  friend. 

On  the  8th  of  December  there  was  born  to  him  a  son  whom 


ON  THE  BANKS  OF  THE  MISSOURI,  1846.         261 

he  named  Ezra  who  lived  only  a  few  days  and  was  buried  by  the 
side  of  his  brother  Joseph.  Thus  afflictions  and  death  visited  the 
Saints  while  they  were  camping  along  the  banks  of  the  Missouri 
River.  By  the  close  of  that  year  their  numbers  reached  3483. 
Christmas  day  was  duly  observed  and  such  joy  and  such  gratitude 
as  were  possible  under  the  circumstances  were  manifested 
throughout  the  Camp. 

On  the  29th  the  Twelve  met  to  consider  the  organization  of  a 
pioneer  company  whose  duty  it  would  be  to  set  out  for  the  valleys 
the  following  spring.  From  now  on  there  was  a  feverish  excite- 
ment in  consequence  of  the  preparation  going  on  for  the  accom- 
plishment of  a  journey  whose  vicissitudes  they  could  not  even 
imagine.  Truly  they  had  to  walk  in  the  light  of  faith.  In  turn  it 
filled  their  hearts  with  hope  and  fond  anticipations.  Faith  taught 
them  to  look  on  the  bright  side  of  life  and  anticipate  the  best,  that 
they  might  endure  cheerfully  the  worst  that  was  to  overtake  them. 
Thus  ended  the  year  1846  in  the  life  of  Wilford  Woodruff. 


CHAPTER  25. 
DEPARTURE  OF  THE  PIONEERS.— APRIL  7,  1847. 

Arrival  of  Parley  P.  Pratt  and  John  Taylor  at  Winter  Quarters. — 
Organization  of  the  Pioneers. — Manner  of  Forming  Camp. — Horse 
Feed  Enroute. — Pawnee  Indians. — A  Practical  Joke. — Crossing 
Loup  Fork. 

On  the  outskirts  of  civilization,  near  the  banks  of  the  Mis- 
souri River,  on  the  7th  day  of  April,  1847,  might  have  been  seen 
a  large  body  of  men  and  women  anxiously  gazing  on  a  band  of 
pioneers  just  taking  their  departure  from  wives  and  children, 
friends  and  neighbors,  and  setting  out  upon  a  perilous  journey  in 
quest  of  a  resting  place  in  the  Rocky  Mountains.  In  the  hearts 
of  wives  and  friends  there  was  a  strange  mixture  of  fear  and  faith. 
What  the  outcome  would  be,  none  could  foresee;  and  the  proba- 
bilities of  danger  from  the  hostile  red  man  were  only  mitigated 
by  the  fervent  faith  which  had  served  them  well  in  the  trying  or- 
deal of  other  troublous  times  through  which  the  Church  had 
passed.  The  pioneers  were  missionaries  whose  trust  in  the  direc- 
tion and  care  of  an  over-ruling  Providence  was  uppermost  in  their 
minds. 

Just  to  the  west  of  Winter  Quarters,  there  arises  one  of  those 
rolling,  undulating  ridges  which  skirt  the  Missouri  for  many  miles. 
When  the  top  of  this  elevation  was  reached,  Elder  Woodruff  took 
a  parting  view  of  the  city,  and  through  his  field  glasses  he  could 
see  his  wife  and  children  whose  lingering  gaze  followed  the  pio- 
neers as  long  as  they  could  be  seen. 

The  first  day's  journey  covered  a  distance  of  seven  miles  from 
Winter  Quarters.  Naturally  enough,  many  things  necessary  for 
such  a  journey  had  been  forgotten ;  some  needed  counsel  had  been 
overlooked;  some  words  of  caution  had  not  been  spoken.  The 
leaders  of  the  pioneers  not  only  faced  the  uncertainties  of  a  long 
and  tedious  journey,  but  they  left  behind  them  a  large  number  of 
brethren  and  sisters  whose  welfare  and  unity  might  be  greatly 
disturbed  in  the  absence  of  those  trusted  leaders,  whose  counsels 
had  been  their  watchword  and  whose  leadership  seemed  necessary 
for  their  safety.  Under  these  circumstances  a  few  days  passed 
before  the  company  was  well  on  its  way. 


DEPARTURE  OF  THE  PIONEERS,  1847.  263 

In  the  meantime,  Parley  P.  Pratt  had  just  arrived  from  his 
mission  to  Great  Britain,  and  the  tidings  which  this  prince  of  mis- 
sionaries had  brought  from  a  foreign  land  were  a  matter  of  su- 
preme importance  to  the  Prophet  Brigham  Young  who  returned 
to  Winter  Quarters  to  greet  the  newly  arrived  missionary.  Dur- 
ing this  time,  Wilford  Woodruff  was  exploring  the  neighboring 
country.  The  delay  of  President  Young  led  him  likewise  to  re- 
turn to  Winter  Quarters.  He  was  within  a  half  mile  of  his  home 
when  he  met  the  Twelve  returning  to  the  camp  of  the  pioneers. 
With  characteristic  submission  to  order  and  discipline,  he  turned 
about  without  seeing  his  family  and  joined  the  brethren  on  their 
return. 

The  camp  had  scarcely  been  set  in  motion  when  news  of'  the 
arrival  of  John  Taylor  from  Great  Britain  caused  the  Twelve  to 
return  again  to  Winter  Quarters.  This  time  they  were  accom- 
panied by  Wilford  Woodruff  who  succeeded  in  adding  to  his 
equipment  another  horse  for  the  journey.  These  reunions  in  the 
midst  of  troublous  times  were  heartfelt  demonstrations  of  broth- 
erly love  and  mutual  good  will.  The  importance  of  Elder  Tay- 
lor's return  was  enhanced  by  the  fact  that  he  had  brought  with 
him  two  sextants,  two  barometers,  two  artificial  horizons,  one  cir- 
cle of  reflection,  and  one  telescope,  which  were  highly  valuable 
for  the  acquisition  of  important  data  along  the  journey.  The  next 
return  of  the  leaders  to  the  camp  of  the  pioneers  was  final  and 
the  journey  was  taken  up  with  renewed  enthusiasm  and  a  deter- 
mination to  move  on  unremittingly  to  the  goal  of  their  undertak- 
ing. 

The  first  week  of  the  journey  was  passed  in  reaching  and 
crossing  the  Elk  Horn  River  which  flows  into  the  Platte  whose 
banks  were  soon  to  be,  for  most  of  the  distance,  the  guide  of  the 
pioneers.  It  is  a  stream  whose  small  tributaries  were  to  give  the 
Saints  considerable  trouble  in  their  efforts  to  get  their  wagons  and 
teams  over  the  treacherous  quicksands  that  were  common  along 
the  banks  of  the  Platte  in  eastern  Nebraska. 

It  was  during  these  early  days  that  Jesse  C.  Little  returned 
from  the  Eastern  States  mission.  He  brought  with  him  presents 
for  the  Twelve  from  friends  in  the  East.  "Col.  Kane  had  sent  me 
a  patent  life  preserver  and  a  stop  compass."  Brothers  Little, 


264  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

Rockwood,  and  Reading  returned  to  Winter  Quarters  next  morn- 
ing (April  16),  and  the  company  continued  four  miles  up  the 
Platte.  "Before  we  left  this  morning,  the  camp  came  together 
and  was  organized  as  a  military  body  into  companies  of  hundreds, 
fifties,  and  tens.  Stephen  Markham  and  A.  P.  Rockwood  were 
appointed  captains  of  hundreds."  Of  this  organization  Brigham 
Young  was  Lieutenant  General  and  Wilford  Woodruff  was  ap- 
pointed captain  of  the  first  ten,  an  appointment  which  character- 
ized the  man.  His  nervous  energy,  his  untiring  effort,  his  prompt 
and  ready  action  naturally  fitted  him  for  the  leading  captain. 

"The  camp  consisted  of  seventy-three  wagons,  one  hundred 
and  forty-three  men,  three  women,  and  two  children,  making  in 
all  one  hundred  and  forty-eight  souls.  The  general  orders  from 
Brigham  Young  for  the  camp  were  as  follows :  'The  whole  regi- 
ment was  to  journey  in  a  compact  body  as  they  were  in  an  Indian 
country,  and  every  man  was  to  carry  his  gun  loaded.  The  cap- 
locks  were  to  be  shut  on  a  piece  of  buckskin  with  the  caps  ready 
to  slip  on  in  an  instant  in  case  of  attacks ;  for  flint-locks,  guncotton 
or  tow  was  to  be  put  in  the  pan  and  the  powder  flask  kept  handy  to 
prime  without  delay.  Every  man  was  to  walk  by  the  side  of  his 
wagon  and  not  to  leave  it  except  sent  away  by  order.'  The  object 
of  all  this  caution  was  to  prevent  accident,  for  strict  discipline 
was  necessary  while  traveling  through  a  hostile  Indian  country. 

"On  Saturday,  the  17th,"  continues  Wilford  Woodruff,  "some 
traders  came  down  from  the  Pawnees  and  camped  with  us  over 
night ;  they  had  plenty  of  buffalo  meat  dried,  and  gave  us  what  we 
needed,  and  informed  us  that  we  were  in  two  days'  drive  of  a  large 
band  of  Pawnees. 

"On  the  following  morning  President  Young  called  the  cap- 
tains together  and  gave  the  following  instructions :  'We  were 
to  start  in  the  morning,  two  wagons  abreast.  All  who  were  not 
driving  teams  were  to  carry  their  guns  and  walk  beside  the 
wagons,  and  no  man  was  to  go  hunting  or  get  out  of  sight  of  the 
wagons.  In  the  morning  the  bugle  was  to  be  blown  at  five 
o'clock  and  the  pioneers  were  to  arise  and  pray,  cook,  eat,  and 
feed  the  horses  and  start  at  the  call  of  the  bugle  at  seven  o'clock. 
In  the  evening  the  bugle  was  to  be  blown  at  half  past  eight  when 
all  were  to  go  to  prayers  in  their  several  wagons  and  retire  by 


DEPARTURE  OF  THE  PIONEERS,  1847.  265 

nine  o'clock.  Each  Saturday  night  we  were  to  pitch  what  tents 
we  had  and  prepare  our  camps  for  rest  on  the  Sabbath.' 

"On  the  morning  of  the  19th  of  April,  Prof.  Pratt  took  an 
observation  and  found  the  latitude  to  be  41  degrees  27  minutes  and 
5  seconds.  The  point  of  observation  was  on  the  north  bend  of  the 
Platte,  10J  miles  north  of  where  the  Saints  had  crossed  the  river. 
It  was  while  camping  at  this  place  that  Elder  Little  overtook  the 
Saints  on  his  return  from  the  Eastern  States  mission.  On  the  eve- 
ning of  that  day  we  camped  near  a  grove  of  timber  on  the  banks  of 
the  Platte  where  we  formed  a  semi-circle.  The  river  on  one  side 
was  our  defense,  and  one  of  the  four  wheels  of  each  wagon  was 
driven  up  to  the  back  wheel  of  the  wagon  ahead  of  it,  and  all  the 
horses  and  cattle  were  taken  into  the  corral  thus  formed  so  that 
we  might  be  secure  against  the  Indians.  There  was  a  hard  wind 
during  the  night  and  the  morning  was  fair  with  a  strong  south- 
west wind  which  covered  our  wagons  with  sand  dust." 

At  this  season  of  the  year,  the  grass  was  not  sufficiently  high 
and  matured  for  suitable  feed  for  the  horses ;  and  during  the  early 
part  of  the  journey  cotton  wood  trees  were  cut  down  in  order  that 
the  horses  might  gnaw  off  the  bark  and  browse  from  the  limbs,  a 
kind  of  food  which  the  horses  at  this  season  of  the  year  seemed 
to  enjoy.  The  ration  of  corn  for  each  horse  was  two  quarts  per 
day. 

On  Tuesday,  the  20th,  three  islands  in  the  Platte  River  were 
reached,  the  largest  of  which,  including  an  area  of  about  ten  acres, 
was  covered  with  timber.  Thereafter  for  miles  along  the  river 
there  continued  a  chain  of  islands. 

It  was  about  this  time  that  they  approached  the  inhabited  ter- 
ritory of  the  Pawnee  Indians  who  were  somewhat  given  to  petty 
thefts,  but  not  so  dangerous  as  the  Sioux.  Here  and  there  indi- 
vidual Indians  of  the  Pawnee  tribe  would  approach  in  conceal- 
ment in  the  grass  the  horses  of  the  pioneers  and  a  few  were  stolen, 
presumably  by  the  Indians.  What  caused  the  Pawnees  to  gather 
in  villages  about  150  miles  from  the  Missouri  River  was  doubtless 
the  presence  of  large  herds  of  buffaloes,  and  the  further  fact  that 
they  were  far  removed  from  the  outposts  of  civilization  on  that 
great  river. 

The  question  of  food  was,  of  course,  an  important  considera- 


266  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

tion;  and  the  existence  of  game  at  this  stage  of  the  journey  gave 
rise  to  the  appointment  of  a  body  of  men  to  be  known  as  the  hunt- 
ers. Among  the  names  given,  that  of  Wilford  Woodruff  does  not 
appear, 'and  yet  he  was  a  skilled  hunter  and  fisher  all  his  subse- 
quent life,  and  the  part  he  took  in  the  buffalo  chases  indicates 
that  he  was  an  excellent  hunter  in  fact,  if  not  so  named. 

In  the  spring  of  the  year,  the  rain  and  the  wind  produced  a 
sort  of  raw  weather  which  created  a  chilly  sensation  and  conse- 
quent discomfort.  In  consequence  of  the  rains,  the  streams  were 
often  swollen  and  means  for  crossing  them  had  to  be  improvised. 
It  was  necessary,  therefore,  to  send  men  in  advance  of  the  pio- 
neers for  the  purpose  of  constructing  bridges  or  selecting  fords 
and  making  general  observations  respecting  the  lay  of  the  coun- 
try. On  the  20th  they  crossed  a  small  stream  called  Shell  Creek. 
From  this  point  Elders  Woodruff  and  Pratt  went  ahead  for  the 
purpose  of  taking  observations.  That  night  they  cut  down  cot- 
tonwood  trees  from  the  barks  of  which  their  horses  fed. 

The  following  day  the  ox-teams  started  at  7  o'clock,  an 
hour  in  advance  of  the  horses,  and  in  the  course  of  the  journey 
an  Indian  made  his  appearance  on  a  mound  about  five  miles  dis- 
tant. He  was  mounted  on  a  pony.  He  soon  disappeared  but  in  a 
short  time  again  came  in  sight  at  a  full  gallop.  As  he  approached 
the  camp  he  was  met  by  the  brethren  who  shook  hands  with  him 
in  a  friendly  manner  and  with  the  seven  others  who  had-  accom- 
panied him.  They  were  escorted  through  the  camp  that  they 
might  learn  that  there  were  no  hostile  intentions  among  the  pio- 
neers. 

"At  12  :30  we  came  in  sight  of  seventy  horses  and  mules,  and 
soon  in  sight  of  a  large  Pawnee  village  on  the  north  side  of  Loup 
Fork,  and  also  one  on  the  south  side  of  it.  We  drove  on  by  the 
village,  and  soon  they  began  to  sally  out  to  meet  us.  We  camped 
in  the  form  of  a  half-moon,  the  bank  of  the  river  forming  a 
parallel  line  in  front.  The  Indians,  numbering  about  two  hundred 
on  the  south  side  of  the  river,  came  down  to  the  shore.  Some 
waded  over  and  about  seventy-five  came  into  camp,  including  the 
grand  chief  of  the  nation,  with  many  war  chiefs.  We  met  them 
and  made  them  presents  of  four  pounds  of  tobacco,  fifteen  pounds 
of  lead,  powder,  fish-hooks,  beads,  flour,  salt,  etc.,  but  still  they 


DEPARTURE  OF  THE  PIONEERS,  1847.  267 

were  not  satisfied;  considering  our  numbers,  they  thought  they 
ought  to  have  more.  When  we  left  the  ground,  the  Indians  ap- 
peared very  dissatisfied,  but  we  harnessed  up  our  horses  and  drove 
on  to  Looking-glass  Creek  and  camped  at  its  mouth  for  the  night 
on  the  bank  of  the  Loup  Fork. 

"After  our  horses  were  turned  out,  we  were  called  together ; 
and  in  consequence  of  the  dissatisfaction  of  the  Indians,  a  guard  of 
one  hundred  men  was  called  for.  The  Quorum  of  the  Twelve  with 
nearly  the  whole  camp  volunteered  to  stand  guard,  one-half  of 
them  the  fore  part  of  the  night,  and  a  half  the  other  part.  We 
also  had  a  picket  guard  of  five  men  with  their  mules  at  each 
watch. 

"I  was  one  of  the  picket  guards.  We  had  a  hard  wind  with 
rain  in  the  afternoon  which  continued  a  portion  of  the  time  that 
I  was  on  guard.  I  rolled  myself  up  in  my  buffalo  robe  and  let  the 
wind  and  rain  beat  on  me.  We  were  released  at  about  one  o'clock 
and  went  to  rest.  No  Indians  appeared  during  the  night. 

"Looking-glass  Creek  was  crossed  fifteen  minutes  before  nine 
on  the  day  following,  April  22nd,  and  a  westerly  course  continued 
and  Beaver  Creek  reached  at  noon.  Prof.  O.  Pratt  took  the 
meridian  observation  of  the  sun  by  the  sextant  for  the  latitude 
which  was  found  to  be  41  degrees  25  minutes  and  13  seconds.  He 
also  made  other  observations. 

"We  crossed  Beaver  Creek  at  half  past  two  o'clock  and  trav- 
eled seven  miles  and  came  to  the  Pawnee  missionary  station  and 
camped  for  the  night.  The  bluff  was  skirted  with  oaks  on  the 
north  side  of  the  road  in  the  hills.  We  kept  out  a  guard  through 
the  night  as  we  were  in  danger  of  the  Sioux  on  the  one  side  and 
the  Pawnees  on  the  other. 

"While  watering  the  horses  at  the  creek  at  the  station  this 
evening,  Brother  George  A.  Smith's  horse  mired,  pitched  forward, 
and  jumped  on  him,  treading  upon  his  feet  and  breast,  and  hold- 
ing him  fast  in  the  mud  until  I  caught  the  horse  by  the  bit  and 
backed  him  off.  I  was  fearful  that  Brother  Smith  was  badly  in- 
jured, but  found  that  he  was  not." 

On  the  morning  of  the  23rd,  the  camp  enjoyed  some  diversion 
in  one  of  those  practical  jokes  which  characterize  men  traveling 
under  similar  circumstances,  Some  of  the  guards  during  the 


268  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

night  had  fallen  asleep,  and  when  awakened,  found  their  guns 
taken.  Col.  Markham  had  lost  his  hat.  Fatigue  from  their  du- 
ties and  arduous  labors  made  it  difficult  for  men  to  remain  awake 
when  nature  so  persistently  demanded  sleep. 

As  the  company  made  its  way  along  Loup  Fork  River,  a 
fording  place  was  sought,  as  the  purpose  of  the  pioneers  was  to 
follow  up  the  Platte  into  which  Loup  Fork  emptied.  In  the  eve- 
ning a  Pawnee  missionary  station  was  reached — a  station  which 
had  been  abandoned.  There  were  several  good  log  houses  and 
considerable  land  under  cultivation.  Here  they  found  large  lots 
of  old  and  new  iron,  all  apparently  left  to  ruin.  A  quarter  of  a 
mile  below  the  missionary  village  was  a  government  station 
where  Father  Chase  had  been  employed  as  a  government  farmer 
at  a  salary  of  $300  a  year.  When,  however,  Major  Harvey 
learned  that  Father  Chase  had  joined  the  Mormons,  he  was  dis- 
missed from  service.  The  Sioux  had  burned  the  government  sta- 
tion houses  and  blacksmith  shop,  but  had  spared  the  missionary 
village.  Some  of  the  hay  and  fodder  was  used  by  the  pioneers, 
but  none  of  it  was  carried  away.  Some  of  the  plows  were  taken 
on  an  account  which  Father  Chase  held  against  the  government 
for  arrears  in  wages,  but  a  strict  report  to  the  government  was 
ordered  and  the  things  taken  were  regarded  as  the  property  of 
Father  Chase. 

The  crossing  of  Loup  Fork  was  a  mile-post  on  the  journey; 
and  the  23rd  was  a  day  of  great  anxiety  to  those  who  had  been 
looking  carefully  for  a  suitable  fording  place  from  which  they 
might  drop  down  again  on  to  the  banks  of  the  Platte. 

"In  the  morning  twelve  of  us  started  on  horseback  to  search 
out  a  ford  across  the  dangerous  and  troublesome  Loup  Fork  of 
the  Platte  River.  We  went  down  the  river  some  distance  when 
several  men  waded  across.  They  found  the  water  so  deep,  and  so 
much  quicksand  that  we  came  to  the  conclusion  to  drive  up  to  the 
old  Pawnee  village.  So  we  returned  to  the  camp  and  harnessed 
up  our  horses.  My  gray  horse  named  Titus  was  sick,  yet  I  started 
out  with  him,  and  the  camp  drove  up  with  some  difficulty  to  the  old 
Indian  village,  or  a  little  below  it. 

"The  men  commenced  searching  out  a  ford  and  found  the 


DEPARTURE  OF  THE  PIONEERS,  1847.  269 

whole  bed  of  the  river  one  body  of  quicksand  into  which  if  a 
horse  or  wagon  stopped  it  would  begin  to  sink.  We  had  two 
channels  to  cross  and  a  sand-bar  in  the  middle.  The  deepest  water 
was  from  three  to  four  feet  and  very  rapid  and  about  three  hun- 
dred yards  across.  At  some  places  the  quicksand  sank  both  man 
and  beast  instantly;  and  the  more  they  struggled  to  get  out,  the 
more  they  would  sink.  Of  course,  we  avoided  such  places  as  much 
as  possible. 

"As  I  led  the  van  with  my  ten,  being  captain  of  the  first  ten, 
it  fell  to  my  lot  to  make  the  first  trial.  Prof.  O.  Pratt,  having  a 
pair  of  strong  horses,  went  forward  and  I  followed  him.  I  had 
two  yoke  of  cattle  and  my  horses  on  my  carriage  with  about  ten 
hundred  on  it.  As  soon  as  I  started,  I  immediately  saw  that  the 
cattle  did  but  little  good,  being  slow  and  in  the  way,  we  would 
begin  to  sink.  I  jumped  out  of  my  carriage  into  the  water  up  to 
my  waist.  About  ten  men  came  to  my  assistance  with  a  rope  and 
hitched  it  to  the  oxen  and  helped  me  in  getting  across  the  first 
stream,  though  with  great  difficulty.  We  stopped  on  a  sand-bar 
out  in  the  water,  but  my  horses  and  wagon  began  to  sink.  By 
treading  the  ground  a  little,  it  would  become  a  perfect  quagmire, 
and  though  we  were  sinking  in  it,  the  men  had  to  leave  the  wagon 
where  it  was  and  go  to  the  assistance  of  Orson  Pratt,  who,  in 
trying  to  cross  the  second  stream,  had  sunk  into  a  bed  of  quick- 
sand, and  all  the  men  had  to  go  to  his  relief  to  get  his  horses  and 
wagon  out.  The  horses  were  unhitched  from  the  wagon,  and  the 
load  taken  out  and  carried  to  shore ;  the  wagon  was  drawn  out  by 
the  men. 

"I  took  off  most  of  my  load  in  a  boat  and  went  through  the 
second  stream.  I  got  two  other  wagons  in  the  same  way,  but  it 
was  so  difficult  an  undertaking  that  the  rest  of  the  camp  would 
not  follow  us,  so  here  we  found  ourselves  on  the  opposite  side 
of  the  river,  six  men  of  us,  to  spend  the  night,  together  with  our 
horses  and  wagons  to  guard  against  the  whole  Pawnee  band,  who 
were  then  camped  below  us  on  the  same  side  of  the  river,  and  it 
was  supposed  that  they  numbered  six  hundred  warriors.  We  di- 
vided our  company,  putting  three  on  guard  at  a  time.  Brother 
Pack,  Orson  Pratt,  and  myself  went  on  guard  the  fore  part  of  the 


270  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

night.  Although  I  had  been  in  the  water  the  whole  after-noon,  I 
stood  guard  in  my  wet  clothing  one-half  of  the  night  and  slept  in 
them  the  other  half. 

"When  we  had  guarded  our  part  of  the  night  we  were  joined 
by  five  men  from  the  camp  who  crossed  in  a  boat.  They  were 
sent  by  President  Young  to  assist  us,  making  eleven  of  us  in  all, 
and  we  divided  our  force  accordingly.  The  night,  however,  passed 
off  in  peace,  with  no  disturbance  from  the  hostile  Indians. 

"The  morning  was  pleasant  and  Prof.  Pratt  took  an  observa- 
tion on  the  south  bank  of  the  fording  place  of  the  Loup  Fork. 
The  latitude  was  found  to  be  41  degrees,  22  minutes,  and  37  sec- 
onds. The  camp  on  the  other  side  was  now  busy  devising  plans 
to  cross  the  river.  They  drew  together  timber  and  rails  to  build 
two  rafts  and  began  to  put  them  together.  Some  of  the  brethren 
made  another  trial  to  cross  with  wagons  by  putting  on  several 
horse  and  mule  teams.  They  went  a  little  higher  up  than  we  did 
and  got  over  with  much  less  difficulty.  The  more  the  ground 
was  trod  in  the  water,  the  smoother  and  harder  it  grew,  so  the 
whole  company  turned  their  wagons  back  to  the  ford  and  aban- 
doned the  raft.  By  unloading  one-half  of  the  baggage,  they  could 
cross  in  safety ;  and  they  all  crossed  by  doubling  teams  and  by  go- 
ing back  and  forth  until  all  were  over.  Each  captain  with  his 
ten  assisted  the  others  across.  In  this  way  all  Israel  who  were 
present  went  over  the  Loup  Fork  of  the  Platte  River  in  safety 
without  hurt  to  man  or  beast;  and  we  felt  thankful  to  God  for 
His  mercies  and  rejoiced  that  we  were  on  the  south  side  of  the 
river. 

"We  all  loaded  up  our  wagons  and  drove  four  miles  and 
camped  for  the  Sabbath  on  the  bank  of  the  river;  and  after  our 
wagons  were  arranged,  the  Twelve  took  a  walk  on  the  high  table 
lands  to  make  observations,  through  their  glasses,  of  the  surround- 
ing country." 


CHAPTER  26. 
PIONEER  JOURNEY  CONTINUED,  1847. 

Elijah  Newman  Healed. — Indians  Attempt  Theft. — Antelopes  Killed. 
Encounter  with  Indians. — A  Buffalo  Hunt. — Meet  Traders  from 
Laramie. — A  Decision  To  Keep  the  North  Bank  of  the  Platte. — 
Immense  Herds  of  Buffaloes. — William  Clayton's  Mile  Gage. — 
Letter  Left  for  Next  Company. — Description  of  the  Rodometer. 

The  task  of  crossing  Loup  River  had  been  accomplished 
safely  and  there  was  a  general  spirit  of  gratitude  throughout  the 
camp.  The  following  day  was  the  Sabbath,  April  25th.  Meeting 
was  held  and  general  instructions  given  respecting  the  observance 
of  the  Sabbath.  It  was  on  that  day  that  Elijah  Newman  was  bap- 
tized for  the  restoration  of  his  health.  He  was  afflicted  by  a  black 
scurvy  in  his  legs  to  such  an  extent  that  he  could  not  walk  except 
by  aid  of  sticks  and  crutches.  After  the  ordinance  and  confirma- 
tion, he  returned  to  the  camp  without  any  help. 

A  number  of  hunters  were  appointed  to  go  ahead  of  the 
camp  in  quest  of  game,  seven  to  be  horsemen ;  and  ten,  footmen. 
Here  Elder  Woodruff  saw  for  the  first  time  in  his  life  either  elk 
or  antelope.  Four  of  each  appeared  at  different  times  on  the  op- 
posite side  of  the  river.  Although  he  was  not  one  of  the  hunters, 
the  members  of  the  Twelve  were  allowed  to  join  those  appointed. 
From  later  accounts,  it  will  be  seen  that  Elder  Woodruff  took  an 
active  part  in  the  chase.  From  now  on  till  the  foothills  of  the 
Rocky  Mountains  were  reached,  a  strict  guard  against  the  In- 
dians was  kept.  Of  the  first  early  troubles  with  Indians,  Elder 
Woodruff  writes : 

"Early  in  the  morning,  before  the  break  of  day,  two  Indians 
crept  upon  their  hands  and  knees,  approaching  the  camp  to  steal 
horses.  They  got  within  three  yards  of  the  guard  before  they 
were  discovered.  The  guard  at  first  thought  them  to  be  wolves 
and  snapped  at  them.  They  rose  and  ran.  Two  of  the  guards 
fired  and  four  others  rose  out  of  the  grass.  The  bugle  was  sound- 
ed and  all  arose  to  arms,  but  no  more  were  seen  then. 

"I  started  out  in  the  morning  with  the  hunters.  We  saw  eight 
deer  and  four  antelopes,  but  caught  nothing.  After  traveling 


272  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

eight  miles,  we  camped  for  noon.  On  the  opposite  side  of  the 
river  were  relics  of  an  old  Indian  town.  In  the  afternoon,  we 
traveled  seven  miles  and  camped  on  Clear  Creek  which  had  a 
hard  gravel  bottom,  the  first  of  the  kind  we  had  found  on  the 
road.  We  killed  one  wild  goose,  and  saw  fresh  signs  of  buffalo 
where  we  camped,  the  first  we  had  seen.  Brothers  Young,  Kim- 
ball,  Richards,  and  I  went  on  to  a  high  bluff  to  view  the  country. 

"Just  at  dusk,  a  tremendous  alarm  was  given  through  the 
camp.  The  Indians  had  crawled  up  and  taken  Porter  Rockwell 
and  his  horse  and  made  off  with  them.  Many  men  mounted  their 
horses  and  rode  after  them  with  all  speed,  but  it  was  soon  dis- 
covered that  Rockwell  was  in  camp.  Only  two  horses  were  gone. 
They  belonged  to  Dr.  Richards  and  Brother  Little.  About  twenty 
men,  mounted  and  armed,  went  in  search  of  the  horses. 

"On  the  morrow  we  continued  our  journey  in  a  southerly  di- 
rection to  try  to  get  on  the  Platte  River.  We  came  to  some  beau- 
tiful green  grass,  saw  a  great  many  buffalo  signs,  but  found  no 
wood  or  water.  We  baited  our  horses  in  a  green  valley  after 
twelve  miles'  travel. 

"Just  as  we  were  starting  in  the  afternoon,  we  rose  to  a  small 
bluff  and  saw  two  antelopes  in  the  valley  before  us.  Brothers 
Young,  Kimball,  and  myself  were  together.  Brother  Brown  and 
another  brother  were  on  the  other  side  of  the  hill  and  saw  them 
also.  Brother  Brown  first  fired  at  one,  and  then  the  other  man  and 
I  fired.  We  all  hit  him,  but  he  did  not  fall,  so  we  rode  up  and 
cut  his  throat.  This  was  the  first  antelope  killed.  He  was  dressed 
and  put  on  board  the  wagon,  and  we  continued  on  and  in  a  short 
time  saw  three  more  looking  at  us  from  the  top  of  a  mound. 
Brother  Brown  and  I  went  after  them,  but  could  not  get  them,  so 
we  turned  about  ten  degrees  east  of  south  and  went  to  the  creek 
and  camped.  Our  cattle  and  horses  were  very  dry,  not  finding 
any  water  during  the  day.  We  had  a  heavy  storm  of  thunder, 
lightning,  wind,  and  some  rain  which  lasted  about  an  hour. 

"A  rifle  went  off  in  Brother  Brown's  wagon  by  accident  and 
the  ball  went  through  a  bag  of  clothes,  set  it  on  fire,  then  through 
the  wagon,  and  broke  the  leg  of  a  fine  horse.  The  result  was  the 
breaking  up  of  one  of  the  teams  of  the  pioneer  company. 

"Brother  Rockwell  and  three  others  had  gone  in  the  morning 


PIONEER  JOURNEY  CONTINUED,  1847.          273 

again  in  search  of  the  horses  which  the  Indians  were  supposed  to 
have  stolen.  Toward  evening  they  returned  and  reported  that 
they  had  been  attacked  by  fifteen  Indians,  who  were  in  ambush 
in  the  grass.  They  came  upon  them,  determined  to  take  their 
horses  from  them,  but  the  brethren  kept  them  off  by  their  rifles 
and  pistols.  The  Indians  were  armed  with  guns  and  bows.  When 
they  found  that  they  could  not  scare  the  brethren,  they  professed 
friendship  to  get  to  them;  but  the  brethren  were  resolute  and  de- 
termined not  to  move  but  to  fight,  though  only  four  to  fifteen.  The 
Indians  finally  rushed  upon  them  to  catch  the  horses  by  the  bits. 
The  brethren  drew  their  pistols  upon  them,  determined  to  fight 
and  do  their  best.  The  Indians,  seeing  their  determination,  broke 
and  ran,  but  fired  their  guns  upon  the  brethren.  The  balls  whis- 
tled around  them,  but  no  one  was  injured.  The  brethren  did  not 
return  the  fire,  not  wishing  to  kill  any  of  them  if  they  could 
help  it." 

The  morning  of  April  28th  the  company  reached  the  eastern 
end  of  Grand  Island.  There  Elder  Woodruff  accompanied  the 
hunters,  but  a  wolf  and  a  goose  were  all  they  secured.  In  the  eve- 
ning, they  camped  on  Wood  Creek.  Great  numbers  of  deer  could 
be  seen  on  the  island,  but  President  Young  thought  it  dangerous 
to  cross  over,  as  the  Indians  might  be  in  ambush. 

The  morning  following  was  very  cold.  The  camp  was  moved 
at  five  o'clock;  and  after  a  drive  of  three  miles,  a  stop  was  made 
for  breakfast.  Here  the  hunters  explored  Grand  Island  which 
they  found  covered  by  rushes  and  cottonwood.  The  grass  was 
now  in  greater  abundance.  The  cattle  and  horses  were  greatly  in 
need  of  improved  feed;  and  better  grazing  meant  the  entrance 
into  the  lands  of  the  deer  and  buffalo.  They  saw  great  numbers 
of  antelope,  but  could  not  reach  them.  The  hunters  killed  four 
geese.  Elder  Woodruff  killed  two  of  them  and  shot  one  deer 
which  he  could  not  overtake. 

On  May  1st  the  pioneers  were  well  into  the  home  of  the  buf- 
falo. It  was  a  great  day  for  the  hunters  and  welcomed  by  the  pio- 
neers who  were  greatly  in  need  of  fresh  meat.  Those  who  knew 
President  Woodruff's  ardent  love  of  the  chase  will  read  the  ex- 
prience  of  his  first  buffalo  hunt  with  some  appreciation  of  what 
that  day  meant  to  him. 

19 


274  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

"This  was  an  interesting  day  to  the  hunters  of  the  camp  of 
Israel.  The  pioneers  made  an  early  start,  and  after  traveling  six 
miles,  camped  for  breakfast  on  the  prairie  in  sight  of  a  herd  of 
buffaloes  feeding  on  a  bluff  to  the  right  of  us.  There  were  about 
two  hundred.  Three  only  of  the  hunters  started  out.  They  rode 
as  near  to  them  as  possible  and  crawled  along  the  grass,  but  the 
buffaloes  became  frightened  and  ran  away.  We  had  not  traveled 
more  than  two  miles  farther  before  we  discovered  another  large 
herd  five  miles  before  us.  The  hunters  assembled  and  held  a 
council.  We  determined  to  get  some  of  the  buffalo  meat  if  pos- 
sible. We  traveled,  however,  with  the  camp  until  within  a  mile 
of  the  herd  when  a  halt  was  made  and  fifteen  hunters  started  to- 
gether. Amasa  Lyman  and  myself  of  the  Twelve  were  with  them. 
We  went  along  together  until  we  reached  a  bluff  within  a  few 
rods  of  the  herd  and  then  divided,  Brother  Grover  and  Luke 
Johnson  went  on  to  the  bluff,  O.  P.  Rockwell  and  Brother  Brown 
took  the  entire  left,  and  so  we  divided  into  companies  on  the  right, 
left,  and  center.  I  was  with  the  company  in  the  center  of  the  herd. 

"We  all  made  a  charge  upon  them  from  the  bluffs  and  rushed 
on  to  the  plain.  The  herd  ran  down  the  rough  bluff  into  the  plain, 
but  when  we  reached  the  plain  we  soon  overtook  them,  and  each 
company  singled  out  its  game.  We  made  choice  generally  of 
cows,  then  rushed  up  to  the  side  of  them  and  fired  upon  them 
with  our  pistols,  which  we  found  much  better  to  carry  than  the 
rifles  which  were  very  cumbersome  in  running.  The  first  we  gave 
chase  to  was  a  cow  with  her  calf.  I  rode  up  to  her  side  and  fired 
two  balls,  both  of  which  took  effect.  The  other  brethren  with  me 
also  fired  at  her  until  she  was  killed.  I  then  ran  my  horse  to  the 
assistance  of  another  party  who  had  wounded  one  which  was  soon 
dispatched. 

"I  then  saw  that  O.  P.  Rockwell  had  three  bulls  at  bay  on  the 
prairie.  Brother  Pack  and  myself  ran  with  our  horses  to  his  as- 
sistance. At  the  same  time  Brother  Kimball  came  up.  We  sur- 
rounded them  and  commenced  firing.  They  bolted  ahead.  I  put 
spurs  to  my  horse  and  ran  in  front  and  was  within  about  a  rod  of 
them  when  they  all  pitched  at  me  and  gave  me  a  chase  for  a  fight. 
It  hurried  me  to  get  out  of  their  way.  Two  broke  for  the  bluff 
and  Brother  Brown  followed  them ;  but  Rockwell,  Kimball,  Pack, 


PIONEER  JOURNEY  CONTINUED,  1847.          275 

and  myself  stayed  with  an  old  bull.  I  fired  two  balls  into  him, 
Kimball  one,  and  Pack  one.  The  bull  fell  dead.  We  also  shot  a 
calf  that  was  with  him.  I  returned  to  Brother  Brown  on  the 
bluff  and  found  that  one  of  the  bulls  to  which  he  had  given  chase 
was  wounded  and  had  lain  down ;  but  Brother  Brown  having  no 
more  powder  or  ball,  the  bull  got  up  again  and  ran  into  the  herd 
on  the  bluff  before  I  could  reach  him.  We  now  all  returned  to 
our  hunting  ground  to  gather  up  the  buffaloes  we  had  killed,  there 
being  three  cows,  three  bulls,  and  five  calves,  making  eleven  in 
all. 

"In  the  morning,  Brother  Solomon  Hancock  had  gone  out  to 
hunt  buffaloes  on  foot.  As  he  did  not  return  in  the  evening,  we  felt 
greatly  concerned  about  him;  but  in  the  morning  he  returned, 
having  killed  a  three  year  old  cow  which  he  watched  during  the 
night  to  keep  the  wolves  from  eating  her.  Three  wolves  *  came 
upon  him.  He  shot  one  and  the  rest  ran  away.  This  was  our  first 
day's  buffalo  hunt  and  we  considered  the  results  quite  good  in  as 
much  as  we  were  all  strangers  to  a  buffalo  hunt,  very  few  of  us 
having  ever  seen  one  before. 

"We  dressed  our  meat  and  the  wagons  came  from  the  camp 
to  take  it  in.  A  part  of  our  chase  was  through  an  immense  prairie 
dog  town  nearly  ten  miles  long  by  two  miles  wide,  with  burrows 
at  nearly  every  rod.  This  was  very  dangerous  for  our  horses. 
My  horse,  in  fact,  ran  into  one  and  nearly  fell,  but  no  harm  was 
done  to  any  of  the  hunters  by  the  prairie  dog  holes." 

The  next  day  was  the  Sabbath,  "and  all  were  busy  cooking 
and  saving  their  meat."  In  the  afternoon,  the  camp  was  moved 
on  three  miles  in  order  that  better  feed  might  be  found.  While 
the  pioneers  were  in  camp,  a  herd  of  buffaloes  came  to  the  river  to 
drink  at  a  place  within  two  miles  of  the  camp.  The  hunters  were 
anxious  to  give  them  a  chase,  but  President  Young  prevailed  on 
them  not  to  do  so.  It  was  not  a  work  of  necessity.  Here  the  In- 
dians impeded  the  progress  of  the  company  by  setting  fire  to 
the  prairie,  which  rapidly  burned  a  large  area  of  country.  That 
evening  Presidents  Young  and  Kimball  went  ahead  several  miles 
to  examine  the  fire  and  make  general  observations. 

On  Monday,  the  3rd  of  May,  the  pioneers  did  not  move  camp 
on  account  of  the  weakened  condition  of  the  teams.  A  company 


276  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

of  twenty  hunters  were  called  to  go  in  quest  of  game.  "We 
started  out  with  two  wagons.  I  had  taken  a  severe  cold  which 
had  settled  in  my  side  where  my  bones  had  been  broken  last  fall, 
and  it  made  me  sick  and  I  was  not  fit  for  the  hunt,  yet  I  started 
with  the  hunters.  I  had  shaken  myself  up  badly  the  Saturday  be- 
fore and  was  now  feeling  the  effects  of  it." 

At  the  same  time  another  party  were  out  to  explore  the  coun- 
try ahead  of  them,  as  the  Indians  had  been  burning  the  grass  for 
several  days.  After  traveling  about  ten  miles  to  and  fro,  and  see- 
ing no  game,  Elders  Woodruff  and  Lyman  began  a  retreat  for 
camp.  "We  sat  down  upon  the  edge  of  a  bluff  in  sight  of  the 
camp  when  a  company  of  horsemen  approached,  bearing  a  red 
flag.  When  they  came  within  a  mile  of  us,  we  trailed  our  guns 
and  went  down  to  meet  them.  We  were  informed  that  the  party 
who  had  gone  up  the  river  had  come  upon  a  camp  of  about  four 
hundred  Indian  warriors,  and  that  about  one  hundred  of  them  had 
followed  the  party  down  a  ravine  to  cut  off  retreat.  These  horse- 
men had  gone  out  to  call  in  the  hunters.  On  their  return  the  horse- 
men came  on  to  a  herd  of  buffaloes.  They  brought  in  with  them 
three  calves  and  four  antelopes. 

"During  the  night  a  strong  guard  was  kept  and  early  in  the 
morning  the  cannon  was  fired  twice  to  let  the  Indians  know  the 
company  was  awake.  To  provide  against  surprises,  the  wagons 
were  driven  five  abreast.  After  traveling  about  five  miles,  some 
wagons  were  seen  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  going  down 
the  Platte.  One  of  their  men  waded  the  river  to  find  out  who 
the  pioneers  were  and  to  learn  what  he  could  of  their  movements. 
They  were  traders  from  Fort  Laramie,  and  had  been  on  the  way 
sixteen  days  from  that  place. 

"The  grass,  he  informed  us,  was  good  on  the  south  side  of 
the  river,  but  burned  on  the  north  side  by  the  Indians.  He  con- 
sented to  carry  letters  for  us  to  Sarpee  who  lived  near  Winter 
Quarters.  Here  the  pioneers  stopped  long  enough  to  write  fifty- 
two  letters.  An  epistle  was  written  to  the  Church  at  Winter 
Quarters ;  and  three  of  the  brethren  accompanied  the  Frenchman 
across  the  Platte,  where  they  met  the  other  men  of  his  company, 
nine  in  all.  They  informed  the  brethren  that  they  had  not  seen 
an  Indian  since  they  left  Laramie  where  there  was  a  ferry. 


PIONEER  JOURNEY  CONTINUED,  1847.          277 

"We"  drove  on  three  miles  and  let  our  teams  graze  until  the 
brethren  returned  from  the  French  traders.  They  made  a  report 
to  the  camp  of  what  was  said  to  them.  A  council  of  the  whole 
company  of  the  pioneers  was  then  called  to  determine  whether  we 
should  cross  the  Platte,  or  continue  along  the  north  side  of  the 
river.  We  were  convinced  that  it  would  be  better  for  us  to  cross 
the  river  on  to  the  old  traveled  road  to  Laramie  as  there  was  good 
grass  on  that  side,  while  the  Indians  were  burning  it  off  on  the 
north  side  where  we  were  traveling. 

"When,  however,  we  took  into  consideration  the  fact  that  other 
companies  would  soon  follow  and  that  we  were  the  pioneers,  and 
had  not  our  wives  and  children  with  us,  we  thought  it  best  to 
keep  on  the  north  banks  and  face  the  difficulties  of  burning  prair- 
ies. A  road  would  thus  be  made  which  would  serve  as  a  perma- 
nent route,  independent  of  the  old  immigrant  trail.  There  was  the 
further  consideration  that  the  river  would  separate  us  from  other 
immigrant  companies  that  might  be  disposed  to  quarrel  with  us 
over  grass  or  water.  Besides,  by  the  time  the  next  company  came 
along,  the  grass  would  be  much  better  than  on  the  south  side  of  the 
river.  A  vote  was  called  for,  and  the  decision  was  unanimous 
that  we  continue  along  the  north  banks  of  the  Platte.  Col.  Mark- 
ham  called  the  men  together  and  drilled  them  in  a  military  ca- 
pacity. The  cannon  was  unloaded  and  carried  on  wheels. 

"The  Frenchman  informed  us  that  he  had  never  seen  so  many 
buffaloes  on  the  route  before  as  there  were  this  season  and  that 
several  times  the  traders  were  compelled  to  stop  while  the  herds 
passed.  We  saw  many  deer  and  antelope  today  and  a  few  buffaloes. 
At  night  we  camped  near  a  herd  a  short  distance  from  us.  We 
also  afterwards  learned  that  the  alarm  of  the  3rd  about  the  four 
hundred  Indian  warriors  was  a  false  one,  and  that  a  man  had 
been  frightened  by  a  herd  of  antelope.  He  supposed  them  in  the 
distance  to  be  Indians." 

The  decision  to  keep  the  north  bank  of  the  Platte  was  justi- 
fied by  the  needs  of  the  people  in  the  movements  of  subsequent 
companies,  and  the  general  lay  of  the  country.  Later,  when  the 
engineer  applied  the  accuracy  of  his  instrument  to  the  scientific 
methods  of  road  building,  the  old  "Mormon  Trail,"  as  it  was  pop- 
ularly called,  was  chosen  for  the  Union  Pacific  Railroad  which 


278  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

covered  that  "trail"  for  hundreds  of  miles.  In  the  years  to  follow 
there  was  a  rush  to  the  gold  fields  of  California.  The  frontiers- 
men of  Illinois  and  Missouri  who  had  given  the  Saints  so  much 
trouble  were  among  the  gold  seekers.  It  was  the  part  of  wisdom  to 
have  between  them  and  the  migrating  Saints  the  Platte  River. 

On  May  5th  a  guard  was  kept  in  advance  to  keep  the  buf- 
faloes from  mixing  with  the  cattle.  In  the  afternoon,  one  cow 
and  five  calves  were  killed.  A  wounded  bull  calf  was  brought  into 
camp  with  the  intention  of  keeping  it.  It  was  true  to  its  instincts 
and  bunted  men  and  dogs  about  whenever  it  could  reach  them. 
The  day  following,  it  died. 

"We  stopped  for  the  night,  but  found  the  grass  on  fire  and 
had  to  return  a  mile,  and  then  camped  on  the  bank  of  the  river 
on  a  spot  which  had  escaped  the  flames.  Some,  however,  took  their 
horses  on  to  an  island  near  by  in  the  river  and  cut  down  cotton- 
woods,  from  the  barks  of  which  they  fed." 

On  the  morning  of  the  6th,  an  early  start  was  made ;  and  the 
camp,  after  traveling  three  miles,  stopped  where  the  grass  was 
better  for  breakfast.  "This  morning  the  herds  of  buffaloes  were 
numerous  on  both  sides  of  the  river  and  the  antelope  were  in  great 
abundance,  some  of  which  ran  into  camp.  A  young  buffalo  calf 
also  came  in  and  followed  us.  We  gave  it  some  milk  and  left  it. 
"As  we  continued  our  journey,  we  saw  many  herds  of  buf- 
faloes and  antelopes  and  one  large  herd  of  elk.  Two  antelopes 
were  killed  in  the  morning.  As  there  was  much  meat  in  the 
camp  already,  it  was  thought  best  not  to  kill  any  more  game  than 
we  needed.  Dr.  Richards,  George  A.  Smith,  and  myself  walked 
up  quite  near  several  herds  of  buffaloes  and  examined  them 
through  our  glasses.  They  were  shedding  their  coats.  One  bull  had 
a  mass  of  hair  swinging  by  his  side  like  a  loose  robe.  Our  herd 
of  cows  started  to  run  among  the  buffaloes,  but  President  Young 
galloped  his  horse  to  separate  them  and  had  great  difficulty  in  do- 
ing so.  He  lost  a  glass  worth  forty  dollars  in  the  chase.  We 
continued  our  journey  among  herds  of  buffaloes  and  were  not  at 
any  time  out  of  sight  of  them.  They  had  eaten  the  grass  to  such 
an  extent  that  there  was  little  remaining  for  the  cattle,  and  tim- 
ber was  also  scarce.  At  night  we  camped  near  a  herd  of  buffaloes 


PIONEER  JOURNEY  CONTINUED,  1847.          279 

that  reached  as  far  as  the  eye  could  see.  This  day  the  camp  made 
twenty  miles." 

The  day  following  was  given  in  part  for  rest  for  the  cattle 
and  horses.  The  meagre  supply  of  grass  made  it  necessary  to  lay 
over  where  there  was  any  supply  of  feed.  A  part  of  the  day  was 
devoted  to  military  tactics.  Such  drills  had  a  double  purpose. 
They  prepared  the  men  for  discipline  in  case  it  became  necessary 
to  defend  themselves  against  the  Indians,  and  it  further  occupied 
their  minds  and  consumed  energy  that  might  otherwise  have  made 
them  restless,  and  dissatisfied.  Porter  Rockwell  and  those 
who  went  back  with  him  in  search  of  the  field-glass,  lost  the  day 
before  by  President  Young,  were  successful.  Others  went  ahead 
to  mark  out  a  road.  Ever  since  the  pioneers  had  left  the  crossing 
at  Loup  Fork,  they  were  obliged  to  pioneer  their  way.  Had  they 
chosen  to  take  the  other  side  of  the  river,  they  would  have  found 
a  road  already  made  for  them. 

"We  saw  today  ten  thousand  buffaloes,  and  came  near  one 
herd  with  an  unusual  number  of  calves,  yearlings,  and  two-year 
olds.  We  also  saw  several  large  dead  ones  being  devoured  by 
wolves  which  could  be  seen  on  every  hand  following  the  herds  to 
eat  those  that  died  by  wounds  and  from  other  causes. 

"The  next  morning,  May  8th,  was  very  pleasant  and  not  so 
cold  and  windy  as  the  day  before.  A  start  was  not  made  until 
10  o'clock  as  the  teams  needed  rest  and  feed  badly.  I  rode  for- 
ward to-day  with  the  Twelve  and  others,  and  the  buffaloes  that 
our  eyes  beheld  were  most  astonishing.  Thousands  upon  thou- 
sands would  crowd  together  as  they  came  from  the  bluffs  to  the 
bottom-land  to  go  to  the  river  and  sloughs  to  drink,  until  the 
river  and  land  on  both  sides  of  it  looked  as  though  the  face  of 
the  earth  was  alive  and  moving  like  the  waves  of  the  sea.  Brother 
Kimball  remarked  that  he  had  heard  many  buffalo  tales  told,  but 
never  expected  to  behold  what  his  eyes  now  saw.  The  half  had  not 
been  told  him. 

"When  we  stopped  at  noon,  many  of  the  buffaloes  walked  along 
side  of  our  wagons  so  that  it  would  have  been  easy  to  shoot  them 
down.  O.  P.  Rockwell  did  shoot  one  through  the  neck  and  she 
dropped  dead.  It  was  a  two  year  old  heifer  and  good  meat.  We 


280  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

had  great  difficulty  in  keeping  our  cattle  and  horses  from  getting 
among  the  herds ;  and  if  they  had  got  mixed,  it  would  have  been 
almost  impossible  ever  to  get  them  again. 

"We  traveled  eleven  and  one-fourth  miles  this  day  until  we 
came  to  the  bluffs  that  made  down  to  the  river  and  then  we 
camped  for  the  night.  Brother  William  Clayton  had  prepared 
a  mile-gage  on  the  hind  wheel  of  his  wagon  so  that  the  distance 
could  be  measured  easily. 

"Brigham  Young,  Heber  C.  Kimball,  George  A.  Smith,  and 
myself  went  on  the  highest  bluff  near  by  and  took  a  survey  of  the 
surrounding  country  without  glasses,  and  the  scene  before  us, 
north,  east,  and  west  as  far  as  our  vision  extended,  looked  as 
rough  as  the  sea  in  a  storm  with  the  ridges  and  valley  mostly  sand 
and  scarcely  any  green  thing  upon  it  except  a  little  scattering  grass, 
and  the  Spanish  soap  root,  which  the  Mexicans  used  for  washing. 
The  top  resembles  a  pineapple.  I  brought  in  one  root  twenty- 
four  inches  long  and  two  inches  in  diameter.  I  pounded  a  little 
of  it  and  found  that  it  would  fill  a  dish  with  suds  like  soap." 

The  bones  of  buffaloes  had  been  more  or  less  abundant  since 
the  company  left  Loup  Fork.  This  probaby  indicated  the  east- 
ern limit  of  the  buffalo  range.  Among  their  bones  there  were  fre- 
quently found  skulls  of  human  beings,  probably  Indians. 

On  Sunday  the  9th  the  camp  moved  four  miles  and  laid  over 
for  the  day.  Timber  grew  scarcer  and  the  pioneers  learned  the 
value  of  the  buffalo  chip  for  making  fires.  At  this  season  of  the 
year,  the  cottonwood  trees  became  green  and  were  not  fit  for  fires. 
"I  wrote  two  letters  for  Brother  Wolsen  to  take  with  him 
to  Pueblo.  One  was  to  Brother  Ferguson  and  the  other  to 
Brother  Bevin.  We  had  a  meeting  and  a  good  one.  The  spirit  of 
God  ruled  over  the  camp.  Peace,  quiet,  and  contentment  per- 
vaded almost  every  heart.  The  Twelve  met  and  it  was  thought 
best  for  the  brethren  not  to  start  for  Pueblo  until  they  arrived  at 
Laramie.  I  rode  with  the  Twelve  and  others  four  miles  up  the 
river  and  saw  large  herds  of  buffaloes  come  to  water." 

The  tenth  was  cold,  the  themometer  standing  at  33  degrees, 
with  a  moderate  wind.  Before  leaving  camp,  a  letter  was  put  in  a 
board  by  sawing  an  opening  the  width  of  the  saw.  It  was  nailed 


PIONEER  JOURNEY  CONTINUED,  1847.          281 

to  a  post  which  was  planted  firmly  in  the  earth.  The  letter  was 
for  the  next  company  which  was  expected  along  in  six  or  eight 
weeks.  On  the  board  were  the  words:  "Open  this  box  and  you 
will  find  a  letter;  316  miles  from  Winter  Quarters;  Pioneers; 
Latitude  40  degrees."  The  letter  contained  an  account  of  the 
journey. 

The  grass  was  so  completely  eaten  off  that  the  cattle  were 
very  poor  and  unfit  for  long  journeys.  The  movement  of  the 
buffaloes  was  eastward  and  they  ate  everything  before  them. 
It  did  not  require  many  days,  however,  at  this  season  of  the  year 
for  the  grass  to  make  a  considerable  growth.  "We  passed  through 
some  miles  of  dead  grass  which  we  burned  to  give  new  feed  for 
the  next  company.  It  made  a  great  fire  indeed." 

Here  in  the  midst  of  the  journey,  more  than  300  miles  from 
the  Missouri  River,  with  scant  material,  and  few  mechanical  ap- 
pliances, the  ingenious  nature  of  man  asserted  itself  to  meet  a 
daily  desire  to  know  just  how  far  the  pioneers  were  traveling 
each  day.  William  Clayton  writes  under  date  of  May  8,  1847 : 

"I  have  counted  the  revolutions  of  a  wagon  wheel  in  order  to 
get  the  exact  distance  we  have  traveled.  The  reason  why  I  have 
taken  this  method  which  is  somewhat  tedious,  is  because  there  is 
generally  a  difference  of  two,  and  sometimes  four,  miles  in  a 
day's  travel  between  my  estimation  and  that  of  some  others,  and 
they  have  all  thought  I  underrated  it.  This  morning  I  deter- 
mined to  take  pains  in  order  to  know  for  a  certainty  how  far 
we  would  travel  today.  Accordingly  I  measured  the  circumfer- 
ence of  one  of  the  hind  wheels  of  Brother  KimbaH's  wagon,  being 
the  one  I  sleep  in,  in  charge  of  Philo  Johnson.  I  found  the 
wheel  exactly  fourteen  feet  eight  inches  in  circumference,  not 
varying  one  eighth  of  an  inch.  I  then  calculated  how  many  revo- 
lutions it  would  require  for  one  mile  and  found  it  precisely  360, 
not  varying  one  fraction,  which  somewhat  astonished  me.  I  have 
counted  all  the  revolutions  during  the  day's  travel  and  find  it  to 
be  a  little  over  11 J  miles.  According  to  my  previous  calcula- 
tions we  were  285  miles  from  Winter  Quarters  this  morning  be- 
fore we  started,  and  after  traveling  ten  miles  I  placed  a  small 
cedar  post  in  the  ground  with  these  words  inscribed  on  it  with  a 
pencil.  'From  Winter  Quarters  295  miles,  May  8,  1847.  Camp 


282  WLIFORD  WOODRUFF. 

all  well.  Wm.  Clayton.'  Some  have  estimated  the  day's  journey 
at  13  and  some  14  miles,  which  serves  to  convince  more  strongly 
that  the  distances  are  overrated.  I  have  repeatedly  suggested  a 
plan  of  fixing  machinery  to  a  wagon  wheel  to  tell  the  exact  dis- 
tance we  travel,  and  many  begin  to  be  sanguine  for  carrying  it 
into  effect." 

This  tedious  effort  led  to  a  mechanical  contrivance  which  was 
later  put  into  effect.  Considering  the  circumstances  of  the  pioneers, 
it  was  not  a  little  extraordinary  that  such  a  rodometer  should 
be  constructed  at  such  a  time  and  under  such  circumstances. 
Here  is  a  description  of  it:  "Let  a  wagon  wheel  be  of  such 
a  circmuference,  that  360  revolutions  make  one  mile.  (It  hap- 
pens that  one  of  the  requisite  dimensions  is  now  in  camp.)  Let 
this  wheel  act  upon  a  screw  in  such  a  manner  that  six  revolu- 
tions of  the  wagon  wheel  shall  give  the  screw  one  revolution. 
Let  the  threads  of  this  screw  act  upon  a  wheel  of  sixty  cogs, 
which  will  evidently  perform  one  revolution  per  mile.  Let  this 
wheel  of  sixty  cogs,  be  the  head  of  another  screw,  acting  upon 
another  wheel  of  thirty  cogs ;  it  is  evident  that  in  the  movements 
of  this  second  wheel,  each  cog  will  represent  one  mile.  Now,  if 
the  cogs  were  numbered  from  0  to  30,  the  number  of  miles  trav- 
eled will  be  indicated  during  every  part  of  the  day.  Let  every 
sixth  cog  of  the  first  wheel  be  numbered  from  0  to  10,  and  this 
division  will  indicate  the  fractional  parts  of  a  mile,  or  tenths; 
while  if  any  one  should  be  desirous  to  ascertain  still  smaller 
divisional  fractions,  each  cog  between  this  division,  will  give  five 
and  one-third  rods.  This  machinery  (which  may  be  called  the  dou- 
ble endless  screw)  will  be  simple  in  construction,  and  of  very  small 
bulk,  requiring  scarcely  any  sensible  additional  power,  and  the 
knowledge  obtained  respecting  distances  in  traveling  will  cer- 
tainly be  very  satisfactory  to  every  traveler,  especially  in  a  country 
but  little  known.  The  weight  of  this  machinery  need  not  exceed 
three  pounds." 


CHAPTER  27. 

PIONEERS  REACH  FORT  LA  RAMIE,— JUNE  2,  1847. 

In  the  Redman's  Country. — Indian  Customs. — Hunting  Became  Ex- 
cessive.— Description  of  the  Bluffs. — Guide  Board  409  Miles  From 
Winter  Quarters. — Chimney  Rock. — Brigham  Young  Rebukes  Card 
Playing  and  Frivolity. — Fasting  and  Prayer. — Arrive  at  Fort  Lar- 
amie. — Ascending  the  Plateaux. — Word  From  the  Mormon  Bat- 
talion. 

About  the  llth  of  May,  the  pioneers  found  themselves  in 
the  heart  of  the  Indians'  country.  The  red  man  would  naturally 
take  some  alarm  at  the  approach  of  so  numerous  a  body  of  men, 
and  his  presence  along  the  route  was  indicated,  as  a  rule,  by  the 
camping  ground  which  had  been  deserted  at  the  approach  of  the 
white  man.  Here  and  there  solitary  Indians  were  observed,  and 
occasionally  a  small  number  approached  the  camp.  The  Sioux 
were  a  somewhat  treacherous,  warlike  tribe ;  and  following  the 
habits  of  the  Indian,  some  of  their  tribe  would  follow  the  pioneers 
for  days,  remaining  concealed  in  daylight,  hoping  for  opportun- 
ities to  steal  horses  and  cattle  by  night.  Fortunately  the  pioneers 
adopted  the  most  precautionary  methods  of  guarding  against  the 
loss  of  their  horses  and  cattle.. 

The  Indians  were  not  without  some  knowledge  of  the  retreat 
of  their  ancestors  before  the  western  movement  which  was  going 
on  rapidly  in  those  days.  Their  viewpoint  therefore  justifies  both 
the  fear  and  the  dislike  of  the  white  man.  The  pioneers,  realiz- 
ing the  attitude  of  the  Indian,  did  all  in  their  power  to  assure  him 
of  their  friendship,  but  it  was  not  easy  on  a  journey  such  as  that 
to  cultivate  any  particular  acquaintance.  Elder  Woodruff's  journ- 
al shows  the  remarkable  interest  that  he  took  in  whatever  related 
to  the  customs  and  manners  of  the  Indians. 

Speaking  of  the  Sioux,  he  says :  "We  found  ourselves  trav- 
eling over  their  hunting  grounds.  Some  eight  or  ten  days  prior 
to  our  encampment  on  the  llth  of  May,  there  had  been  a  large 
band  of  some  500  to  1,000  located  at  one  place.  They  had  taken 
the  brains  out  of  a  large  buffalo.  Generally  they  took  the  hide 
and  some  of  the  meat,  and  sometimes  they  broke  the  bones  for  the 


284  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

marrow.  In  one  place  we  found  a  hundred  calves  with  nothing 
taken  except  the  tongues,  the  legs  to  the  knees,  and  the  entrails. 
In  another  place  thirty-five  buffalo  calves  were  found  dead  where 
they  had  been  washed  up  in  heaps  in  their  unsuccessful  effort  to 
cross  the  river.  On  one  of  the  bluffs,  I  found  a  medicine  bag 
tied  to  a  stick  six  feet  long,  the  stick  having  been  stuck  into  the 
bank.  I  also  found  a  saddle  tied  to  a  large  buffalo  for  the  purpose, 
I  supposed,  of  showing  the  next  party  of  Indians  which  direction 
the  buffaloes  had  gone. 

"Wishing  to  explore  the  country  somewhat,  I  left  my  horse 
to  feed  in  the  valley  while  I  went  on  to  an  elevated  bluff.  While 
gone,  the  horse  started  off,  and  not  seeing  the  camp,  took  an  op- 
posite direction  and  I  was  compelled  to  run  after  him.  In  doing 
this,  I  ran  through  a  great  camping  ground  of  the  Sioux  where 
lodges  had  been  on  their  hunting  expeditions.  Here  I  left  my 
gun  and  followed  my  horse  until  I  overtook  him.  On  my  return 
I  examined  the  ground  more  minutely  and  estimated  that  there 
had  been  something  like  500  lodges.  There  were  acres  of  ground 
covered  with  buffalo  wool  where  they  had  dressed  the  skins  of  buf- 
faloes and  wolves,  etc.  I  brought  in  a  good  dressed  white  wolf 
skin  with  me.  The  day  following,  many  of  the  brethren  went  out 
and  brought  in  parts  of  robes,  leather,  etc.,  which  had  been  left. 
The  next  day,  the  pioneers  made  a  journey  of  eleven  miles.  The 
bluffs,  for  the  first  time  on  the  journey  along  the  north  fork, 
came  boldly  up  to  the  river  front  so  that  we  were  obliged  to  go 
over  these  bluffs  with  our  wagons. 

"There  is  one  thing  concerning  the  Platte  River  worthy  of 
note.  It  is  much  of  the  way  a  mile  in  width,  generally  covered 
with  water,  but  very  shallow.  When  the  south  wind  blows  hard, 
the  water  all  rushes  to  the  north  shore  so  that  one  would  suppose 
that  there  was  a  great  rise  in  the  tide.  When  the  wind  shifts  to 
the  north,  the  water  immediately  recedes  from  the  north  shore 
until  one  can  walk  across  two-thirds  of  the  river  on  bare  ground. 
Thus  the  river  constantly  ebbs  and  flows  like  a  tide. 

"Early  on  the  morning  of  the  14th,  I  went  out  to  hunt 
buffaloes  and  returned  to  breakfast  and  started  out  again  with 
Phineas  Young.  I  was  lost  among  the  bluffs,  but  after  a  time, 
found  my  way  out  again.  Brother  Phineas  shot  a  buck  antelope 
which  I  carried  into  camp.  All  told,  three  antelopes  anc  one 


PIONEERS  REACH  FORT  LARAMIE,  1847.         285 

buffalo  were  killed.  Some  of  the  hunters  thought  they  heard 
Indian  guns  during  the  night  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river. 
An  Indian  had  gone  up  to  a  pair  of  mules  that  were  tied  together 
and  grabbed  at  them,  but  the  mules  sprang  back  and  got  out  of  the 
way.  One  of  the  guards  shot  at  him  and  he  ran.  All  the  horses 
were  then  brought  into  the  circle  of  our  camp  and  the  cannon 
prepared,  but  no  Indian  being  seen,  it  was  not  fired." 

Such  a  large  company  would  naturally  be  conspicuous  to  the 
Indians,  and  no  doubt  the  sound  of  music  in  those  solitary  regions 
attracted  them,  as  the  camp  was  often  animated  in  the  evening 
by  the  sounds  of  music  from  all  parts.  On  the  morning  of  the 
15th,  bear  foot  tracks  were  seen  in  large  numbers.  That  day 
the  distance  covered  was  only  eight  miles.  This  short  distance 
was  due  in  part  to  the  difficulty  encountered  in  crossing  over  the 
numerous  bluffs  along  the  river.  In  those  regions  there  was 
nothing  to  break  the  cold,  raw  winds  that  came  from  the  north. 
Civilization  had  not  then  set  up  its  wind  breaks,  and  the  winds 
made  the  climate  often  quite  disagreeable  away  into  the  month  of 
May. 

"Sunday,  the  16th  of  May,"  he  says,  "was  cold.  With 
Brothers  Young,  Kimball,  Benson,  Rockwell,  and  Stephens,  I 
rode  four  miles  over  the  bluffs  to  pick  out  a  road  for  the  pioneers 
that  they  might  again  get  on  to  the  bottom  land.  We  had  a  good 
meeting  in  the  aftenoon  and  the  laws  of  the  camp  were  read.  One 
of  the  brethren  had  shot  an  antelope  and  a  buffalo.  It  was  a  vio- 
lation of  the  camp  to  go  hunting  on  the  Sabbath.  The  17th  was 
warm  and  pleasant,  but  the  road  was  difficult.  For  two  and  a 
half  miles  we  drove  through  sand  bluffs  and  again  struck  the 
bottom  land  four  and  a  half  miles  from  the  camping  place.  The 
hunters  brought  in  three  buffaloes  which  detained  the  camp  for 
some  time.  President  Young  was  not  pleased  with  the  excessive 
hunting,  as  they  already  had  much  meat  in  the  camp.  Large 
herds  of  deer  were  seen  in  the  valley,  more  than  had  been  seen 
before.  A  young  fawn  was  picked  up  and  brought  into  camp. 
I  led  the  company  of  pioneers  mostly  through  the  bluffs  in  the 
morning  before  Brothers  Young  and  Kimball  came  up.  Upon 
their  arrival,  we  rode  together  all  day  picking  out  the  road. 

"The  next  day  the  camp  was  called  together  and  President 
Young  reproved  sharply  the  hunters  for  killing  more  game  than 


286  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

was  necessary,  for  detaining  the  camp,  and  because  of  their  in- 
difference in  helping  to  pick  out  the  road.  He  said  there  were  but 
two  men  who  had  manifested  any  interest  in  helping  to  get  the  pio- 
neers along.  Afterward  the  horsemen  went  forward  to  pick  out  the 
road  instead  of  hunting,  and  I  did  not  hear  a  gun  fired  during 
the  day.". 

The  spring  was  well  advanced  and  rain  began  to  take  the 
place  of  wind.  Elder  Woodruff  in  his  journal  entry  of  May  19th 
says:  "We  encountered  today  the  worst  sandhill  on  the  journey; 
and  what  made  it  worse,  the  rain  was  pouring  down  continuously. 
We  had  more  rain  today  than  during  the  whole  journey.  I  rode 
forward  during  the  day,  picking  out  the  road.  We  made  eight 
miles. 

"Next  morning  we  made  seven  miles  and  nooned  near  Ash 
Creek,  on  the  south  side  of  the  river  where  the  Oregon  road  first 
strikes  the  north  fork  of  the  Platte.  Several  of  the  brethren 
went  over  in  the  boat,  which  we  were  taking  along,  to  examine 
the  rocky  bluffs,  roads,  creek,  etc. 

"In  the  afternoon,  we  traveled  eight  and  three-quarters  miles 
and  camped  for  the  night.  We  had  a  very  good  road  most  of 
the  day  on  the  bank  of  the  river.  There  was  a  good  deal  of 
rocky  bluff  on  both  sides  of  the  river,  and  some  on  the  south  side 
was  formed  into  natural  terraces,  rotundas,  squares,  etc.,  from 
fifty  to  a  hundred  feet  high  and  looked  like  good  foundations  for 
fortifications  and  strong-holds.  They  resemble  the  works  of  art 
and  look  something  like  the  old  castles  of  England  and  Scotland. 
They  were  level  on  the  top.  There  is  a  beautiful  Cedar  Island 
in  the  river  a  short  distance  above  Ash  Creek  which  is  a  good 
landmark  to  show  travelers  where  the  Oregon  road  strikes  th^ 
river." 

Near  by  the  nooning  place  was  a  cedar  tree  in  the  branches 
of  which  an  Indian  child  was  deposited  for  burial.  Along  with  it 
were  utensils  necessary  for  its  future  enjoyment. 

On  the  21st  a  large  petrified  bone  was  found.  It  was  the 
leg  bone  from  the  knee  down.  Its  length  was  seventeen  and  a 
half  inches,  greatest  width  eleven  inches,  greatest  thickness  six 
inches,  its  weight  was  twenty-seven  pounds. 

"Before  we  left  the  encampment  in  the  morning,  Brother 
Clayton  put  up  a  guide  board  for  the  benefit  of  the  next  company. 


PIONEERS  REACH  FORT  LARAM1E,  1847.         287 

'From  Winter  Quarters,  409  miles ;  from  the  Junction  93^  miles ; 
Cedar  Bluff  36>^  ;  Ash  Creek  8  miles  and  133  from  Fort  Laramie.' 
When  we  reached  our  camping  place  for  the  night,  two  Indians 
came  up  from  the  bluffs,  making  signs  for  us  to  come  to  them. 
It  was  a  Sioux  Indian  and  his  squaw.  They  talked  by  signs  and 
went  away. 

"Our  road  on  the  journey  the  day  following  was  very  straight, 
but  we  came  over  two  and  a  half  miles  of  the  worst  sand  hill  that 
we  had  passed.  The  bluffs  presented  the  most  singular  natural 
scenery  I  had  ever  beheld  in  all  my  travels.  They  had  the  appear- 
ance of  the  old  walls  and  ruins  of  the  castles  of  Europe. 

"The  next  day  was  Sunday  the  23rd.  In  company  with 
Brigham  Young  and  the  Twelve,  I  visited  the  top  of  the  highest 
bluff  ruins  that  were  opposite  our  encampment,  which  were  truly 
a  curiosity.  We  had  a  fair  view  of  Chimney  Rock  from  where 
we  were.  I  carried  a  bleached  buffalo's  head  on  the  top  and  we 
wrote  upon  it  our  names  and  the  distance  from  several  places. 
Orson  Pratt  took  a  barometrical  observation  on  the  solitary  cedar 
tree  on  the  top  of  the  bluff  ruins. 

"The  camp  met  at  half  past  eleven  in  the  morning  for  Sab- 
bath services.  Erastus  Snow  addressed  the  meeting,  followed 
by  President  Young  who  said  he  was  satisfied  that  the  Lord  was 
with  us  and  leading  us.  He  had  never  seen  a  company  of  people 
more  united  than  the  camp  had  been  thus  far  on  the  journey, 
that  we  should  pluck  the  fruit  of  the  mission  through  all  eternity, 
that  he  had  many  things  to  teach  us  but  could  not  do  it  except  in  a 
stake  of  Zion,  but  he  was  well  satisfied  with  his  brethren  and  the 
Twelve,  and  the  camp  at  large.  One  thing  he  would  say  to  the 
praise  of  the  company  and  that  was  that  not  one  had  refused  to 
obey  his  counsel  on  the  journey.  His  peace  with  God  was  con- 
tinually like  a  river,  and  he  felt  that  the  spirit  of  peace  rested 
upon  the  whole  company.  Several  others  spoke  and  the  meeting 
was  then  dismissed. 

"We  intended  to  ride  out  in  the  evening,  but  saw  that  a  storm 
was  gathering.  It  began  to  blow  very  hard  and  it  was  all  we  could 
do  to  save  our  wagon  bows  and  covers  from  being  destroyed. 
It  continued  for  about  an  hour  and  then  rained  for  another  hour 
accompanied  by  hail.  I  covered  all  my  horses  with  all  the  blankets 
I  could  get,  and  got  up  several  times  in  the  night  to  see  them.  It 


288  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

rained  occasionally  and  the  horses  shook  with  cold,  but  when  morn- 
ing came  all  were  alive  and  we  continued  our  journey. 

"As  soon  as  we  camped  at  noon,  two  Indians  came  to  the 
camp.  They  were  Sioux  and  well  dressed  and  clean.  We  gave 
them  dinner  and  they  left.  We  camped  at  night  near  the  Quick- 
sand Mountain,  making  sixteen  and  one  half  miles  that  day. 
I  rode  about  two  miles  forward  to  find  grass  and  a  camping 
ground,  and  on  my  return  saw  about  thirty  Sioux  plunge  their 
horses  into  the  river  on  the  opposite  side  and  made  towards  us. 
I  rode  with  several  others  to  the  river  and  met  them  as  they 
came  out.  They  shook  hands  with  us  very  friendly  The  chief 
unfurled  a  large  American  flag  with  the  eagle,  stars,  and  stripes 
and  presented  me  a  letter  written  in  French  which  we,  however, 
made  out.  They  were  all  well  dressed  and  the  chief  was  in  a  mili- 
tary coat.  The  brethren  brought  a  white  flag  and  planted  it  by 
the  side  of  theirs.  They  wanted  to  go  into  camp.  We  proposed 
for  five  of  them  to  go  and  the  rest  to  remain,  but  they  all  wished  to 
go,  so  we  let  them  and  gave  them  supper.  They  were  in  camp  all 
night,  but  were  good  and  stole  nothing. 

"Some  trading  was  done  with  the  Sioux  next  morning  and  we 
gave  them  breakfast.  They  behaved  well  also  when  we  start- 
ed across  the  river.  I  had  to  keep  my  carriage  today  having 
the  rheumatism  in  my  shoulders  and  back,  and  my  teeth  ached. 

"We  nooned  next  day,  Tuesday,  May  25th,  in  good  grass 
two  miles  above  Chimney  Rock;  and  I  rode  with  Brothers  Kim- 
ball  and  Benson  to  look  out  a  road.  By  our  imperfect  measure- 
ment by  a  trigonometrical  observation  by  the  sextant,  Professor 
Pratt  made  Chimney  Rock  to  be  two  hundred  and  sixty  feet  above 
the  level  of  the  river. 

"Just  before  camping  at  noon  while  traveling  on  a  smooth 
prairie,  an  Indian  horse  that  was  bought  of  the  Sioux  ran  away 
with  a  singletree  at  his  heels  and  gave  tremendous  fright  to  the 
cows,  oxen  and  horses.  In  an  instant  a  dozen  or  more  wagons 
were  darting  by  each  other  like  lightning  and  the  horses  and  mules 
dashing  over  the  ground,  some  turning  to  the  right  and  some  to 
the  left  and  some  ran  into  other  wagons.  The  horses  and  mules 
that  Brother  Fowler  was  driving  leaped  by  my  carriage  like 
electricity  and  came  within  one  inch  of  a  collision  with  my  wheels 
which  would  have  made  a  wreck.  Another  wagon  with  a  pair 


PIONEERS  REACH  FORT  LARAMIE,  1847.         289 

c  muies  and  a  yoke  of  cattle  clashed  by  which  would  also  have 
smashed  my  carriage  had  they  locked.  By  this  time,  my  own 
horses  started  to  run,  but  were  held  back  by  the  driver.  Fowler's 
wagon  continued  regardless  of  rough  or  smooth  ground  about 
fifty  rods,  he  being  dragged  the  whole  distance  by  the  bit  which 
was  the  case  with  many  others ;  but  all  were  soon  stopped  and  re- 
turned to  their  lines  without  accident  which  appeared  truly  a 
miracle.  A  person  can  hardly  conceive  the  power  manifested 
by  animals,  especially  mules,  in  such  a  fright.  It  gave  us  some 
idea  of  what  an  Indian  yell  would  do  in  a  camp  with  teams 
hitched  to  wagons. 

"Brother  Kimball  and  myself  picked  the  road  during  our 
journey  of  the  following  morning,  and  in  the  afternoon  I  piloted 
as  straight  as  any  road  yet  made  on  the  whole  route,  and  picked 
out  a  camping  ground  on  the  bank  of  tht  river  in  good  feed.  It 
should  be  understood  that  we  were  pioneering  a  road  for  the 
whole  House  of  Israel  to  travel  over  for  many  years  to  come 
and  it  required,  therefore,  the  greatest  care  in  marking  the  route. 
"A  cold  rainy  morning  followed  and  we  concluded  not  to 
start  until  the  rain  stopped.  We  remained  till  10  o'clock  and 
traveled  eleven  and  one-half  miles  and  camped  for  the  night.  Dur- 
ing the  evening,  President  Young  called  at  my  fire,  and  seeing 
several  brethren  playing  dominoes  in  a  wagon  near  by,  he  began 
to  teach,  saying  that  the  devil  was  getting  power  over  the  camp 
which  had  for  several  days  given  way  to  cards  and  dominoes,  etc., 
and  that  if  they  did  not  speedily  repent,  their  works,  labors,  and 
journey  would  be  in  vain.  He  said  that  to  be  sure  the  camp  did 
not  quarrel,  for  the  devil  would  not  set  them  at  that  as  long  as 
he  could  draw  them  gradually  away  from  their  duty  and  fill  them 
with  nonsense  and  folly,  for  the  devil  was  very  cunning  in  winning 
away  the  people  of  God.  I  felt  the  force  of  his  remarks. 

"During  the  evening  I  went  into  Dr.  Richards'  wagon  and 
read  a  chapter  in  the  Book  of  Mormon  and  prayed  with  him, 
after  which  President  Young,  H.  C.  Kimball,  Willard  Richards, 
E.  T.  Benson,  and  myself  met  in  council  in  Brother  Brigham's 
wagon.  President  Young  wrote  some  of  the  words  of  the  Lord 
concerning  the  camp  and  expressed  his  views  and  feelings — that 
they  must  speedily  repent  or  they  would  be  cursed,  that  they 
were  forgetting  their  mission,  and  that  he  would  rather  travel 
20 


290  WILFROD  WOODRUFF. 

with  ten  righteous  men  who  would  keep  the  commandments  of 
the  Lord  than  the  whole  camp  while  in  a  careless  manner  and  for- 
getting God.  We  stayed  together  until  ten  o'clock. 

"Next  morning  President  Young  called  the  camp  together  and 
required  each  captain  separately  to  call  out  his  men  and  when  all 
were  present,  except  two  who  had  gone  out  hunting,  he  addressed 
them  in  something  like  the  following  words: 

'I  think  I  will  take  as  my  text  to  preach  my  sermon  from, 
I  am  about  to  revolt  from  traveling  with  this  camp  any  further 
with  the  spirit  they  now  possess.  I  had  rather  risk  myself  among 
the  savages  with  ten  men  who  are  men  of  faith,  men  of  mighty 
prayer,  men  of  God,  than  to  be  with  the  whole  camp  when  they 
forget  the  Lord  and  turn  their  hearts  to  folly  and  wickedness. 
Yes,  I  would  rather  be  alone  and  I  am  now  resolved  not  to  go 
any  farther  with  the  camp  unless  you  will  consent  to  humble  your- 
selves before  the  Lord  and  serve  Him  and  cease  your  folly  and 
wickedness.  For  a  week  past,  nearly  the  whole  camp  has  been 
card  playing,  and  checkers  and  dominoes  have  occupied  the  at- 
tention of  the  brethren,  and  dancing  has  been  going  on  con- 
tinually. 

'Now  it  is  time  to  quit  it.  There  have  been  trials  and  law- 
suits upon  every  nonsensical  thing;  and  if  this  is  suffered  to  go 
on,  it  will  be  but  a  short  time  before  you  are  fighting,  knocking 
each  other  down  and  taking  life.  It  is  time  it  was  stopped. 

'I  do  not  want  to  hear  any  more  such  reports  as  I  heard 
last  Sunday  of  men  going  to  meeting  and  preaching  to  the  rest 
after  playing  cards  until  meeting  time.  You  are  a  pretty  set  of 
men  going  to  look  out  a  location  among  the  mountains  for  a 
resting  place  for  the  Saints — even  the  whole  Church  of  God— 
who  have  been  driven  out  from  the  Gentiles  and  rejected  of  them. 
And  after  you  have  established  a  location,  you  are  then  going  out 
to  preach  the  Gospel,  seal  salvation  upon  the  house  of  Israel, 
and  gather  the  nations. 

'How  would  you  look  if  they  should  know  your  conduct 
and  ask  you  what  you  did  when  you  went  to  seek  out  Zion  and 
find  a  resting  place  for  the  Saints  where  the  standard  of  the 
Kingdom  of  God  could  be  reared  and  her  banners  unfurled  for 
the  nations  to  gather  unto? 

'Did  you  spend  a  good  deal  of  your  time  in  dancing,  pitch- 


PIONEERS  REACH  FORT  LARAMIE,  1847.         291 

ing  quoits,  jumping,  wrestling,  and  the  like?  Yes,  yes.  Did 
you  play  cards,  dice,  checkers,  and  dominoes  ?  O,  yes.  What 
could  you  do  with  yourselves?  Why  you  would  shrink  from  the 
glance  of  the  eyes  of  God,  angels  and  men — even  wicked  men. 
Then  are  you  not  ashamed  of  yourselves  for  practicing  these 
things?  Yes,  you  are,  and  you  must  quit  it.' 

"After  speaking  somewhat  lengthily  upon  these  matters, 
President  Young  called  the  Twelve  together,  and  the  high  priests, 
seventies,  and  elders.  There  were  present  eight  of  the  quorum  of 
the  Twelve,  eighteen  high  priests,  eighty  seventies,  and  eight 
elders.  After  this  was  done,  President  Young  said  unto  the 
Twelve : 

'If  you  are  willing  to  humble  yourselves  before  the  Lord 
and  consent  to  the  right,  and  walk  humbly  before  Him,  make  it 
manifest  by  raising  the  right  hand.' 

"Then  each  one  raised  his  hand.  The  same  question  was  put 
to  the  high  priests,  seventies,  elders,  and  members  and  all  con- 
sented with  uplifted  hands  to  humble  themselves  before  the  Lord, 
repent  of  their  sins  and  keep  His  commandments. 

"President  Young  then  sopke  of  those  who  were  not  in  the 
Church,  as  there  were  some  present.  They  would  be  protected 
in  their  rights,  but  they  must  not  introduce  wickedness  into  the 
camp,  for  it  would  not  be  suffered.  He  also  spoke  of  the  standard 
and  ensign  that  would  be  reared  in  Zion. 

"Elder  Kimball  followed  and  said  that  the  words  of  Presi 
dent  Young  were  as  the  words  of  the  Lord  unto  him  and  just  as 
binding  as  though  they  were  a  written  revelation,  and  that  they 
were  just  as  binding  upon  the  whole  camp  as  they  were  upon 
him,  and  he  urged  the  pioneers  to  give  heed  to  the  teachings  that 
had  been  given. 

"Orson  Pratt  remarked  that  if  the  Saints  had  leisure  hours, 
they  could  spend  them  to  much  better  advantage  than  playing 
cards,  as  there  was  a  world  of  knowledge  and  science  to  be  ob- 
tained and  every  moment  should  be  improved  in  storing  the  mind 
with  some  good  principle.  He  acknowledged  the  teachings  we 
had  received  to  be  of  the  Lord." 

Elder  Woodruff  said:  "A  burned  child  dreads  the  fire.  He 
had  not  forgotten  his  journey  in  the  Camp  of  Zion  in  1834;  and 
should  he  live  to  the  age  of  Methuselah,  he  should  not  forget  the 


292  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

hour  when  the  Prophet  and  Seer,  Joseph  Smith,  stood  upon  the 
wagon  wheel  and  addressed  that  Camp  and  said  that  because  they 
had  not  hearkened  unto  his  counsel,  but  disobeyed  and  transgressed 
from  time  to  time,  judgment  would  come  and  that  we  should  be 
visited  by  the  destroying  angel.  And  so  we  were,  and  more  than 
twenty  of  our  members  fell  by  the  stroke  and  we  all  suffered  much 
in  our  feelings.  I  pray  the  Lord  I  may  not  see  another  such 
time ;  and  I  would  now  advise  my  brethren  to  be  careful  in  keep- 
ing the  covenant  we  have  made  lest  the  word  of  the  Lord  come 
unto  us  as  in  the  days  of  Joseph  and  we  cannot  escape  a  judg- 
ment. I  would  advise  all  the  brethren  who  have  cards  and -the 
like  to  burn  them,  for  if  you  keep  the  covenants  you  have  ir.ade, 
you  will  have  no  time  to  use  them;  and  if  you  keep  them  for  yonr 
children,  they  will  only  prove  a  curse  to  them.  My  prayer  to  God 
is  that  we  may  all  be  enabled  to  keep  our  covenants  with  the  Lord 
and  each  other.  I  rejoice  that  the  watchmen  in  our  midst  are 
quick  to  comprehend  and  warn  of  evil  and  reprove  us  when  wrong 
that  we  may  be  saved  and  do  the  will  of  God." 

The  change  in  the  camp  it  would  appear  was  quite  as  sud- 
den as  a  gust  of  wind.  It  was  only  a  short  time  before  this  that 
the  pioneers  were  commended  for  their  zeal  and  unity.  The 
dangers  of  self-satisfaction  were  here  demonstrated.  Dancing, 
card  playing,  and  a  hilarious  life  were  not  in  consonance  with  the 
solemn  mission  of  that  band  of  pioneers  whose  journey  was  to 
be  likened  in  years  to  come  to  the  exodus  of  the  children  of  Israel. 
That  journey  was  to  be  an  inspiration  to  generations  that  would 
follow.  The  Sabbath  following,  May  30th,  was  set  apart  for 
prayer  and  fasting. 

"In  the  morning  I  shaved,  cleansed  my  body,  put  on  clean 
clothing,  etc.,  read  a  chapter  in  the  Book  of  Mormon,  humbled 
myself  before  the  Lord,  and  poured  out  my  soul  in  prayer  before 
Him,  and  His  spirit  descended  upon  me  and  I  was  blessed  and 
prepared  for  the  service  of  the  day.  Then  I  spent  some  time 
in  writing  in  my  journal. 

"The  camp  had  a  prayer  meeting  in  the  morning  and  met 
again  for  public  meeting.  President  Young,  with  the  Quorum  of 
the  Twelve  and  a  few  others  went  into  a  valley  of  the  hills  an-i 
prayed  according  to  the  order  of  the  priesthood.  Porter  Rockwell 
and  Brother  Carrington  watched  to  see  that  no  Indians  came 


PIONEERS  REACH  FORT  LARAM1E,  1847.         293 

upon  us.  We  had  a  good  time.  A  heavy  shower  appeared,  but 
most  of  it  went  around  us  and  there  was  but  little  rain  where  we 
were. 

''We  returned  to  our  wagons,  took  some  refreshments,  hav- 
ing eaten  nothing  all  day ;  and  soon  the  sun  came  out  pleasantly. 
In  the  evening  I  went  out  two  miles  with  the  Quorum  of  the 
Twelve  on  to  a  high  bluff.  We  had  a  good  view  of  the  Black 
Hills.  There  we  also  engaged  in  prayer. 

"Two  days  afterward  we  camped  opposite  Fort  Laramie. 
This  was  June  1st.  W^hen  we  arrived,  we  saw  some  men  ap- 
proaching us  from  the  Fort.  We  found  them  to  be  a  part  of 
the  company  of  Mississippi  brethren  who  had  been  in  Pueblo 
through  the  winter.  Brother  Crow  and  his  family,  seven  wagons 
and  fourteen  mules  were  at  Fort  Laramie.  He  informed  us  that 
the  remainder  of  the  Missippi  company  with  a  portion  of  the 
Mormon  Battalion  at  Pueblo  would  start  for  Laramie  about  the 
1st  of  June  and  follow  our  trail.  He  told  us  of  four  of  the 
brethren  who  had  died,  but  he  had  heard  nothing  of  the  main 
body  of  the  Battalion. 

"President  Young  suggested  the  propriety  of  our  leaving  all 
our  ploughs  at  the  Fort  except  such  as  we  needed  to  use  im- 
mediately when  we  got  to  our  destination,  and  also  to  do  our 
blacksmithing,  mending  of  wagons  as  soon  as  possible  so  that 
we  might  go  on  our  journey  speedily.  A  company  was  appointed 
to  attend  to  the  herding  and  other  branches  of  business. 

"June  the  2nd,  in  company  with  the  Twelve  and  others,  I 
crossed  the  river  to  visit  the  Fort.  We  examined  Fort  St.  John 
which  was  now  vacant,  but  was  still  standing.  The  dimensions 
of  this  Fort  were  144  by  152  outside,  and  inside  contained  six- 
teen rooms.  The  largest  on  the  north  side  was  93  feet  long  and 
47  feet  wide.  The  Oregon  trail  ran  one  rod  from  the  S.  W.  corner 
of  the  Fort. 

"We  next  visited  Fort  Laramie,  then  occupied  by  thirty-nine 
persons,  mostly  French  who  had  married  the  Sioux.  Mr.  Burdoe 
was  the  superintendent.  This  Fort  was  168  by  116  feet  outside 
with  six  rooms  inside.  It  was  quite  a  pleasant  location  for  a 
Fort. 

"Mr.  Burdoe  was  a  Frenchman.  He  received  us  kindly  and 
invited  us  into  a  large  sitting  room.  He  gave  us  all  the  informa- 


294  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

tion  he  could  in  relation  to  our  route  and  furnished  us  with  his 
flat  bottom  boat  on  reasonable  terms  to  assist  us  in  ferrying  the 
Platte.  He  informed  us  that  Governor  Boggs  and  his  men  had 
much  to  say  against  the  Mormons  and  cautioned  him  to  take  care 
of  his  horses  and  cattle,  etc.,  lest  they  should  steal  them.  He  tried 
to  prejudice  him  all  he  could  against  us.  Burdoe  said  that  Boggs' 
company  were  quarreling  all  the  time,  and  most  of  them  had 
deserted  him.  He  finally  told  Boggs  and  company  that  let  the 
Mormons  be  what  they  might,  they  could  not  be  worse  than  he 
and  his  men. 

"After  conversing  with  Mr.  Burdoe  some  time  we  got  into 
the  flat  bottom  boat,  about  twenty  of  us,  and  went  down  the 
Laramie  Fork  to  its  mouth  about  two  miles  and  then  up  the 
Platte  one-half  mile  to  our  camp.  After  dinner  we  met  in  coun- 
cil and  decided  that  Amasa  Lyman  should  go  to  Pueblo  with 
several  other  brethren  to  meet  the  detachment  of  the  Battalion 
that  was  there,  and  for  them  to  come  as  soon  as  convenient  to 
Laramie  and  follow  our  trail." 

The  pioneer  company  now  found  it  necessary  to  cross  the 
north  fork  of  the  Platte,  just  opposite  Fort  Laramie,  the  first 
permanent  post  erected  in  Wyoming.  The  low  even  country  of 
Nebraska  had  been  passed,  and  hereafter  the  company  began  its 
journey  in  Wyoming.  They  now  found  themselves  ascending  the 
great  eastern  plateau  of  the  Rocky  Mountain  system.  Thence 
forward  there  began  a  gradual  ascent  to  the  Rocky  Mountains 
in  which  they  hoped  to  find  a  safe  reatreat.  The  Fort  was  a  trad- 
ing post  in  the  center  of  Indian  commerce,  and  had  been  estab- 
lished as  early  as  1834.  The  Fort,  however,  was  located  on  the 
Laramie  Fork. 

Some  time  was  taken  in  exploring  the  region  as  it  was  to  be 
in  the  future  an  important  mile  post  in  the  journey  of  the  Saints. 
The  name  of  the  river  and  the  fort  was  taken  from  a  French 
trapper  whose  name  was  Laramie,  and  who  was  killed  by  the  In- 
dians on  the  stream  which  now  bears  his  name.  The  Saints  pre- 
sented a  busy  scene  repairing  wagons  and  making  preparations 
for  the  ascent  of  the  Rocky  Mountains.  They  had  kept  well  to 
the  north,  but  the  route  had  been  established  by  trappers  and  ex- 
plorers. The  river  afforded  a  water  supply  for  their  animals  as 
well  as  for  domestic  purposes.  At  this  time  there  were  practi- 


PIONEERS  REACH  FORT  LARAMIE,  1847.         295 

cally  only  two  routes  across  the  continent,  one  to  southern  Cali- 
fornia by  way  of  Pueblo,  the  other  along  the  present  route  of  the 
Union  Pacific  railroad.  As  Oregon  was  a  great  objective  point  in 
those  days,  emigrants  turned  to  the  northwest  before  reaching 
Utah. 

"We  continued  our  journey  on  the  4th  of  June.  The 
scenery  grew  more  interesting  as  we  began  to  ascend  the  Black 
Hills.  Brother  Robert  Crow  had  joined  us  which  added  to  our 
company  nine  men,  five  women,  and  three  children,  six  wagons, 
thirteen  yoke  of  oxen,  twenty  cows,  three  bulls,  ten  young  cattle 
and  horses  which  made  our  camp  now  one  hundred  and  forty- 
eight  men,  eight  women,  five  children,  seventy-nine  wagons,  nine- 
ty-six horses,  fifty-one  mules,  ninety  oxen,  forty-three  cows,  three 
bulls,  nine  calves,  sixteen  dogs,  and  sixteen  chickens. 

"As  we  traveled  farther  into  the  hills,  they  grew  lofty  and 
we  began  to  come  into  an  elk,  bear,  and  mountain-sheep  country. 
Soon  after  we  arrived  at  the  Springs,  fifteen  miles  from  Laramie, 
the  first  company  of  Missouri  emigrants  came  up,  twelve  wagons 
of  them.  We  journeyed  ten  and  one-half  miles  farther  in  the 
after-noon.  The  Missouri  company  camped  one-fourth  mile  below 
us. 

"Next  day  was  Sunday,  the  6th,  which  we  devoted  to  prayer 
and  fasting,  but  the  Missouri  company  of  emigrants  started  on 
in  the  morning.  The  camp  met  for  prayer-meeting  at  8  o'clock 
and  the  spirit  of  the  Lord  was  with  the  people  who  met  again  for 
preaching  at  11  o'clock.  We  had  a  shower  of  rain  and  the  meet- 
ing closed.  Another  company  of  Missouri  wagons,  twenty  in  num- 
ber, passed  us.  The  rain  soon  cleared  off,  and  our  company  moved 
f 01  ward  five  miles  and  camped  for  the  night  on  Bitter  Creek. 

"The  two  Missouri  companies  which  had  camped  near  us 
at  night  started  before  us  in  the  morning,  and  while  nooning, 
another  company  of  thirteen  wagons  passed  us.  We  were  in  a  fair 
view  of  Laramie  Peak  with  its  snow  covered  top.  We  camped 
for  the  night  on  the  Horse  Shoe  Creek  in  the  best  feed  we  had 
found  on  our  journey.  The  hunters  brought  in  two  black-tailed 
deer  and  one  antelope. 

"Next  day  we  formed  a  company  of  men  and  went  forward 
with  our  teams  and  cleared  the  road  of  stone.  We  used  pick-axes, 
bars,  spades,  etc.,  and  it  was  a  great  help  to  our  weak  wagons. 


296  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

In  the  afternoon  we  traveled  eight  and  three  quarters  miles  over 
the  most  mountainous  road  on  our  way  and  then  descended  into 
the  valley  and  camped  for  the  night  on  Labent  Creek  where  there 
was  an  abundance  of  timber,  water,  and  good  grass. 

"Brother  John  Higbee  went  forward  hunting,  and  saw  the 
Missouri  companies  of  emigrants,  and  when  they  started  out  they 
had  much  strife  one  with  another  in  trying  to  start  first.  They 
did  not  stop  to  milk  their  cows ;  and  in  clearing  up  their  break- 
fast, they  strewed  their  meal,  salt,  bacon,  short  cake,  beans,  and 
other  things  upon  the  ground  throughout  their  encampment ;  and 
when  we  came  up,  three  wolves  were  feeding  upon  the  frag- 
ments. 

"In  coming  over  the  hills  to-day,  we  found  it  so  cold  it 
pierced  us  like  winter.  On  reaching  the  valley,  we  found  fires 
the  companies  in  advance  had  built  and  we  piled  on  the  wood 
and  soon  got  warm.  An  antelope  lay  before  us  which  the  hunt- 
ers had  brought  in.  We  carved  it  up  with  our  knives,  forked  it 
on  sticks,  roasted  it,  and  satisfied  ourselves  without  the  season- 
ing of  salt. 

.  "We  started  in  the  morning  at  5  o'clock  into  better  feed  a 
mile  farther  on  and  we  turned  out  our  teams.  The  brethren 
did  some  trading  with  the  hunters  who  camped  near  us.  At  7 
o'clock,  fifteen  of  our  wagons  were  formed  into  a  company  to  go 
forward  to  make  a  boat  to  ferry  the  Platte.  They  went  forward 
and  we  followed  them.  The  traders  started  at  the  same  time. 

"Soon  another  party  of  traders  who  were  direct  from  Sante  Fe 
overtook  us.  They  informed  us  that  the  Mormon  Battalion  was 
in  California,  that  they  went  in  January,  and  that  Capt.  Brown 
was  in  Sante  Fe  for  money  for  the  detachment  and  would  come 
on  to  us  as  soon  as  possible. 

"In  the  afternoon  of  the  next  day,  President  Young  and 
Brother  Kimball  rode  with  us.  Our  detached  company  had  not 
been  heard  of  since  last  night  when  they  camped  with  the  fore- 
most company.  We  camped  to-night,  June  9th,  at  Deer  Creek. 
We  had  good  feed  and  our  horses  and  cattle  were  gaining  daily." 


CHAPTER  28. 

PIONEERS  ENTER  SALT  LAKE  VALLEY. 

Ferrying  the  Missourians  over  the  River. — Construction  of  Rafts  — Ob- 
taining Provisions. — Ten  Men  Left  at  the  Ferry. — Independence  Rock. 
Devil's  Gate. — 175  Miles  from  Fort  Laramie. — South  Pass. — Meet  Ma- 
jor Harris,  and  Mr.  Bridger. — Cross  Green  River. — Meet  Samuel  Bran- 
non. — Independence  Day. — Meet  a  Detachment  of  the  Battalion. — Fort 
Bridger. — Report  of  the  Missouri  Company  That  Perished. — Reach  Salt 
Lake  Valley,  July  24,  1847. 

"On  June  10th,  I  examined  a  splendid  grinding  stone  quarry 
on  the  east  side  of  the  road  as  it  leaves  the  hills  and  strikes  the 
Platte,  and  Brother  Carrington  found  a  very  excellent  coal  bed  on 
Deer  Creek.  The  specimens  produced  were  good. 

"At  the  blowing  of  the  horn  at  night,  I  did  not  feel  much  like 
retiring  to  bed,  so  walked  half  a  mile  from  the  camp  on  the  bank 
of  Deer  Creek  and  found  Brother  William  Clayton  fishing  with  a 
hook.  He  had  caught  two  dozen  good  fish.  They  resembled  the 
eastern  herring.  Another  brother  had  also  caught  some.  As 
they  were  leaving  they  left  their  lines  for  me. 

"I  sat  down  for  half  an  hour  musing  alone  as  unconcerned  as 
though  I  had  been  on  the  banks  of  Farmington  River  in  my  na- 
tive place,  when  suddenly  I  heard  a  rustling  in  the  bushes  near  me, 
and  for  the  first  time  the  thought  flashed  across  me  that  I  was  in 
a  country  abounding  with  the  grizzly  bear,  wolves,  and  Indians, 
and  was  liable  to  an  attack  at  any  moment  from  any  one  of  them. 
I  was  away  from  my  company  and  had  no  weapon  to  defend 
myself,  even  against  a  badger.  I  thought  it  wisdom  to  return  to 
camp,  and  picking  up  my  fishing  rods,  I  walked  leisurely  home  and 
retired  to  rest. 

"Next  day  we  rode  our  horses  into  the  river  several  times 
during  our  journey  to  find  a  fording  place,  but  could  not  find  one. 
Our  detached  company  was  reported  at  the  ferry  ten  miles  or  so 
above  us.  Our  hunters  brought  in  thirteen  antelopes  and  the 
Missouri  company  killed  three  buffaloes. 

"I  started  on  the  following  morning  to  go  forward  in  com- 
pany with  Brother  A.  P.  Rockwood,  who  was  riding  President 


298  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

Young's  steed,  which  unexpectedly  sprang  upon  my  horse,  but  in- 
stead of  striking  him,  he  took  my  knee  into  his  jaw  and  bruised  me 
considerably,  sinking  one  tooth  to  the  bone  through  three  thick- 
nesses of  clothing  and  one  of  them  buckskin. 

"George  A.  Smith  and  myself  then  rode  on  to  the  ferrying 
t)lace  and  found  our  detachment  ferrying  over  the  Missouri  com- 
pany who  paid  the  brethren  $1.50  for  each  wagon  and  load,  and 
paid  in  flour  at  $2.50  per  cwt,  while  flour  through  this  country 
was  worth  at  least  $10.00  per  cwt. 

"It  was  very  difficult  to  get  over  the  river.  They  carried  the 
goods  over  in  a  boat,  but  drew  the  wagons  over  with  ropes  by 
hand;  and  when  the  current  would  strike  them,  they  would  fre- 
quently roll  over  several  times  in  the  water,  and  they  were  likely 
to  drown  some  of  the  horses.  One  of  the  men  would  have  been 
lost  had  not  the  brethren  picked  him  up  with  the  boat.  On  the 
road  the  Missouri  company  had  a  stampede  of  their  teams,  turn- 
ing over  their  wagons,  bruising  women  and  children  and  smashing 
their  things.  One  ran  into  the  river  and  would  probably  have 
drowned  and  lost  all,  had  not  a  little  boy  jumped  out  beside  the 
off  ox,  which  gave  him  a  fright  and  he  'sided  off'  and  ran  upon 
a  sand  bank,  dragging  the  others  after  him.  The  boy  was  knocked 
into  the  water  and  hurt,  but  the  scene  ended  without  any  loss  of 
life. 

"Our  blacksmiths  have  been  working  for  the  Missouri  com- 
pany for  which  they  get  flour,  money,  etc.,  and  our  hunters  have 
been  busily  engaged.  They  had  killed  five  fat  buffaloes,  one  old 
she  bear  and  three  cubs  and  shot  at  two  grizzly  bears,  but  did  not 
get  them.  Those  killed  were  black  bears.  Our  hunters  also  brought 
into  camp  eight  antelopes. 

"Sunday,  the  13th  of  June,  was  a  very  warm  day,  and  the 
camp  met  for  prayer  meeting  at  9  o'clock,  and  at  10  we  had  a 
regular  meeting.  President  Kimball  first  addressed  the  meeting 
and  was  followed  by  President  Young,  who  remarked  upon  the 
great  difference  between  us  as  a  camp  and  the  Missouri  companies 
who  were  traveling  the  same  road.  He  said,  'They  curse,  swear, 
rip,  and  tear,  and  are  trying  to  swallow  up  the  earth ;  but  though 
they  do  not  wish  us  to  have  a  place  on  it,  the  earth  will  soon  open 
and  swallow  them  up  and  they  will  go  to  the  land  of  forgetfulness  ; 


PIONEERS  ENTER  SALT  LAKE  VALLEY.        299 

while  the  Saints,  if  faithful,  though  they  suffer  some  privations 
here,  will  ultimately  inherit  the  earth  and  increase  in  power,  do- 
minion, and  glory.' 

"He  spoke  much  to  our  edification,  and  was  followed  by  Elder 
O.  Pratt,  after  which  the  meeting  was  dismissed.  The  Twelve, 
colonels,  captains,  etc.,  of  the  camp  then  met  at  President 
Young's  wagon  and  consulted  about  the  measures  to  be  adopted 
to  get  across  the  river.  It  was  finally  agreed  to  go  immediately 
to  the  mountains  with  wagons  and  teams,  and  for  every  two  tens 
to  get  poles  and  lash  two  or  four  wagons  abreast  to  keep  them 
from  turning  over  and  float  them  across  the  river  with  boats  and 
ropes.  So  a  company  of  horsemen  started  for  the  mountains  with 
teams  to  draw  the  poles. 

"In  the  evening  the  flour,  meal,  and  bacon  which  had  been 
earned  from  the  Missouri  company  for  ferrying  them  over  were 
distributed  through  the  camp  equally.  It  amounted  to  five  and 
one-half  pounds  of  flour,  two  pounds  of  meal  and  a  small  piece  of 
bacon  for  each  individual  in  the  camp.  It  looked  as  much  of  a 
miracle  to  me  to  see  our  flour  and  meal  bags  replenished  in  the 
midst  of  the  Black  Hills  as  it  did  to  have  the  Children  of  Israel 
fed  with  manna  in  the  wilderness;  but  the  Lord  had  been  truly 
with  us  on  our  journey  and  wonderfully  preserved  and  blessed  us. 

"At  daylight  the  next  morning  the  first  two  tens  were  called 
together  to  make  arrangements  for  crossing.  Some  of  our  party 
did  not  like  the  mode  proposed  of  lashing  wagons  together,  as  the 
current  was  so  strong,  so  we  appointed  Brother  Grover  as  our  cap- 
tain to  direct  the  rafting  and  concluded  to  put  our  poles  into  a 
raft  and  carry  our  goods  over  in  a  boat  and  ford  our  wagons  on 
the  raft. 

"We  commenced  at  5  o'clock  in  the  morning  and  in  four 
hours  we  had  landed  eleven  wagons  of  goods  upon  the  north 
shore  with  our  little  leather  boat,  and  during  the  day  we  got  over 
all  the  wagons  belonging  to  our  tens,  there  being  eleven  wagons 
in  all. 

"The  rest  of  the  encampment — being  twelve  tens — got  over 
only  the  same  number  of  wagons  as  ourselves.  They  floated  their 
wagons  by  tying  from  two  to  four  together,  but  the  wagons  turned 
clear  over  each  other,  bottom  side  up  and  back  again,  breaking 


300  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

the  bows,  covers,  and  boxes  to  pieces,  and  losing  ploughs,  axes, 
and  iron  that  were  left  in  the  boxes. 

"Most  of  our  company  were  in  the  water  from  morning  till 
night,  and  all  were  very  weary  when  the  work  was  done. 

"Just  as  we  had  drawn  Dr.  Richards'  two  wagons  to  the 
shore  and  loaded  his  goods  into  them,  a  storm  struck  us.  I 
sprang  into  my  carriage,  tied  all  down  very  tight  and  applied  my 
whole  strength  in  holding  my  wagon  cover  on,  but  the  rain,  wind, 
and  hail  beat  so  heavily  that  it  was  a  task,  and  my  bed  and  things 
were  nearly  drenched.  It  lasted  only  seven  minutes,  but  was  se- 
vere on  our  wagons  and  goods,  and  our  horses  ran  two  or  three 
miles  in  the  storm.  I  crossed  the  river,  went  after  them,  tied 
them  up,  and  returned  weary,  but  had  some  pleasant  dreams  that 
night. 

"I  felt  unwell  next  day  from  the  exposures  of  the  day  before. 
My  teeth  ached.  I  had  suffered  much  from  them  on  my  pioneer 
journey.  It  was  quite  windy  and  our  companies  crossed  the  river 
very  slowly.  Another  Missouri  company  came  up  with  us. 

"President  Young  thought  it  wisdom  to  leave  a  number  of 
the  brethren  here  until  our  companies  which  were  expected  to 
follow  us  should  come  up.  Those  who  remained  were  to  keep  a 
ferry  for  the  emigrants  on  the  road  not  of  our  people.  Such  im- 
igrants  were  to  pay  $1.50  per  wagon  in  flour  at  $2.00  per  cwt,  and 
in  cows  at  $10.00  each. 

"The  brethren  made  two  new  rafts  on  the  third  day  of  our 
fording  the  river  and  got  quite  a  number  of  our  pioneer  wagons 
over.  I  was  still  unwell,  but  in  company  with  Orson  Pratt,  I  went 
on  to  some  of  the  bluffs  to  view  the  country,  and  shot  an  antelope. 
This  was  the  first  antelope  I  ever  killed. 

"We  had  some  strong  wind  and  heavy  rain,  and  in  the  evening 
many  of  us  went  over  the  river  and  tied  up  our  horses.  When 
one  company  was  returning  in  the  leather  boat,  it  half  filled  with 
water,  and  they  came  nearly  sinking. 

"Early  on  the  following  morning,  we  swam  our  horses  over, 
and  one  mule  was  nearly  drowned  by  being  tangled  in  a  rope,  but 
the  current  carried  him  ashore. 

"The  day  before,  twenty  men  went  down  the  river  to  dig  out 
two  large  canoes  to  cover  over  and  make  a  ferry  boat.  The  emi- 


PIONEERS  ENTER  SALT  LAKE  VALLEY.        301 

grants  were  arriving  daily  at  our  fording  place,  and  they  reported 
one  thousand  wagons  between  here  and  Laramie.  This  was  the 
5th  day  spent  in  ferrying  our  pioneer  company  across  the  river, 
but  now  we  had  succeeded  in  getting  all  over,  and  we  once  more 
formed  our  wagons  into  a  circle.  Our  brethren  helped  some  of 
the  Missourians  to  cross,  and  ran  their  boat  all  night  in  ferrying 
them  over. 

"Next  day  while  we  were  still  ferrying  them  over  another 
large  company  arrived.  We  gathered  our  cattle  at  10  o'clock  and 
harnessed  our  horses,  but  did  not  start,  as  all  were  not  ready,  so 
we  turned  our  teams  out  again. 

"In  the  afternoon  we  held  a  council  and  resolved  to  leave  nine 
men  to  conduct  the  ferry  and  to  ford  emigrant  companies  and 
also  our  own  brethren  who  should  come  after  us.  The  men  were 
chosen  and  we  met  with  them  again  in  the  evening. 

"President  Young  rebuked  one  who  had  asked  to  stay,  but  who 
later  wished  to  continue  on  with  us.  He  also  instructed  the  breth- 
ren who  were  to  tarry  to  keep  together  and  divide  their  means 
accumulated  equally  according  to  their  labor,  for  each  to  esteem 
his  brother  as  himself,  in  no  wise  to  retain  that  which  belonged  to 
the  traveler,  to  be  careful  of  the  lives  and  property  of  those  they 
ferried,  not  to  forget  their  prayers,  and  to  come  up  after  us  with 
the  next  company  of  Saints. 

"The  men  to  remain  at  the  ferry  were  Thomas  Grover,  cap- 
tain; John  S.  Higbee,  Luke  Johnson,  William  Empy,  Edmund 
Elsworth,  Benjamin  F.  Stewart,  Francis  Pomeroy,  James  Daven- 
port, and  Appleton  Harmon. 

"After  seven  days  we  continued  our  journey,  traveled  during 
the  day  twenty  and  one-half  miles,  and  had  the  most  wretched 
camping  ground  at  night  we  had  found  on  the  way.  President 
Young  thought  it  might  properly  be  called  'Hell  Gate.'  The 
country  abounded  with  alkali  and  the  water  was  extremely  naus- 
eating. Our  horses  and  cattle,  being  thristy,  drank  some  and  left 
it.  Some  of  the  cattle  got  badly  mired  in  the  marshes.  Our  hunt- 
ers brought  in  one  buffalo,  one  deer,  and  three  antelopes. 

"Early  on  Sunday  morning,  the  20th,  we  hitched  up  without 
feed  or  water  and  left  our  encampment  of  death,  poison  waters, 
and  alkaline  marshes  and  drove  three  miles  to  a  good  camping 


302      t  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

ground  and  sweet  water.  This  was  on  the  Willow  Spring  branch, 
about  three  miles  from  the  head. 

"We  halted  two  hours  and  took  breakfast.  President  Young 
wished  me  to  go  on  about  fifteen  miles  and  look  up  a  camping 
ground  for  the  night.  So  I  went  forward  with  George  A.  Smith 
to  the  head  of  the  Willow  Spring.  Here  he  stopped  with  a  doctor 
.of  a  Missouri  company,  who  had  been  attending  a  sick  family,  to 
wait  for  our  wagons  to  come  up,  and  I  rode  on  alone.  After 
traveling  alone  several  miles,  Brother  John  Brown  came  up,  and 
we  rode  on  together  over  a  sandy,  barren,  sage  country  to  a  creek 
of  good  water  about  ten  miles  west  of  the  Willow  Spring.  We 
arrived  here  at  half  past  1  o'clock,  and  turned  our  horses  out  to 
graze. 

"Here  we  tarried  till  four  o'clock  and  watched  for  our  wagons 
to  come  in  sight,  but  we  could  see  none.  At  length  two  horsemen 
were  seen  approaching  and  we  waved  a  small  flag  for  them  to 
come  to  us,  supposing  they  were  of  our  company,  but  they  turned 
out  to  be  two  hunters  of  the  Missouri  company,  carrying  in  buffalo 
meat  to  their  camp.  In  the  distance  they  thought  we  were  Indians 
and  made  off. 

"I  mounted  my  horse  and  put  after  them  and  soon  overtook 
them  and  made  inquiries  concerning  our  company.  They  said 
they  had  not  seen  it,  but  had  seen  about  a  dozen  wagons  coming 
by  themselves. 

"I  then  concluded  that  our  camp  had  stopped  at  the  Willow 
Spring.  Captain  Smith,  who  was  of  the  Missouri  company,  in- 
vited us  to  go  on  and  camp  with  them  for  the  night,  as  they  did 
not  expect  to  go  more  than  a  few  miles  farther  than  the  creek  we 
were  then  on.  We  could  see  five  miles  on  the  road  back,  and  no 
wagons  were  in  sight ;  and  as  it  was  now  five  o'clock,  I  concluded 
our  company  would  not  come  on,  and  if  they  did,  they  would 
come  no  farther  than  the  creek. 

"We  accepted  Captain  Smith's  proposal,  and  went  on  with  him 
to  spend  the  night  in  his  camp;  but  instead  of  journeying  only  a 
miles  or  so,  he  continued  on  mile  after  mile,  finding  neither  feed 
nor  water,  excepting  salt  and  alkaline  ponds  until  we  struck  the 
Sweet  Water  at  Independence  Rock,  so  noted  already  in  Fre- 


PIONEERS  ENTER  SALT  LAKE  VALLEY.        303 

mont's  journal,  and  by  other  travelers.  This  was  twelve  miles  from 
the  creek  before  spoken  of. 

"The  Sweet  Waters  were  sweet  indeed,  both  to  man  and  beast, 
after  traveling  through  so  much  alkali  country,  and  there  was 
good  feed  for  the  stock. 

"After  a  good  supper  of  bacon,  buffalo  meat,  corn  bread,  cof- 
fee, milk,  etc.,  I  lay  down  in  the  tent  with  the  Missourians,  but  did 
not  rest  well.  I  found  that  there  was  a  great  difference  between 
these  Missouri  emigrants  and  our  own,  where  there  was  no  such 
thing  as  cursing,  swearing,  quarreling,  contending  with  other  com- 
panies, etc.,  allowed  or  practiced. 

"But  to  return  to  our  pioneer  company.  At  a  late  hour  they 
came  up  to  the  creek  which  we  had  left'  twelve  miles  back,  and 
grass  being  poor  continued  on  four  miles  west  of  the  creek,  and 
camped  for  the  night.  Not  finding  me  at  the  creek,  nor  hearing 
from  me  at  all,  they  felt  somewhat  alarmed  lest  I  was  lost,  or 
had  got  into  trouble  with  the  Indians.  They  blew  the  bugle  and 
watched  for  me  till  midnight,  and  finally  fired  the  cannon,  while 
I  was  camped  ten  miles  from  them,  not  thinking  that  I  was  giving 
them  any  trouble.  I  traveled  this  day  a  distance  of  thirty  miles 
and  our  pioneer  company  twenty. 

"I  arose  early  this  morning,  June  21,  took  breakfast,  and  in 
company  with  Brother  Brown  rode  around  Independence  Rock. 
We  examined  the  many  names  and  lists  of  names  of  the  trappers, 
traders,  travelers,  and  emigrants,  nearly  all  in  black,  red,  and  yel- 
low paint.  Some  had  been  washed  out  or  otherwise  defaced.  The 
greatest  number  was  put  on  during  recent  years,  but  we  found 
some  of  thirty  years  standing.  Nearly  all  the  companies  who  pass 
put  their  names  on  it. 

"After  going  around  and  examining  it,  we  staked  our  horses 
and  mounted  it.  I  went  forward  and  gained  the  high  point  on 
the  south  end  of  the  Rock  which  contains  the  names.  I  then 
went  to  the  north  end,  which  is  the  highest  point  of  Independence 
Rock.  There  is  an  opening  or  cavern  that  would  contain  thirty 
or  forty  persons  and  a  rock  standing  upon  the  highest  peak  of 
about  three  tons  weight. 

"Upon  this  rock  we  climbed  to  the  highest  point  and  offered 
up  our  prayers  according  to  the  order  of  the  priesthood,  praying 


304  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

earnestly  for  the  blessing  of  God  to  rest  upon  President  Young 
and  his  brethren  the  Twelve  and  all  the  Pioneer  Camp,  the  whole 
Camp  and  House  of  Israel  in  the  wilderness,  our  wives,  children, 
and  relatives,  the  Mormon  Battalion,  and  the  churches  abroad. 
While  offering  up  our  prayers  the  spirit  of  the  Lord  descended 
upon  us.  I  was  the  first  Latter-day  Saint  on  Independence  Rock. 

"We  had  a  view  of  our  camp  from  the  rock,and  expected  they 
would  noon  there,  so  we  mounted  our  horses  and  concluded  to  ex- 
amine the  country  around.  We  rode  five  miles  to  the  northeast, 
went  on  the  top  of  the  high  bluff  and  saw  our  camp  in  motion. 
We  then  rode  to  the  foot  of  the  mountain  and  traced  the  way  to 
the  Devil's  Gate,  through  which  the  Sweet  Water  runs.  Here  we 
spent  but  a  few  moments,  and  then  hurried  back  to  Independence 
Rock.  As  our  camp  had  come  up,  before  we  could  get  to  them, 
and  camped  half  a  mile  east  of  it,  I  saw  President  Young  going  up 
to  Independence  Rock,  and  I  related  to  him  my  travels  since  I  left 
the  company.  He  asked  me  to  go  back  with  him,  so  I  turned  out 
my  horse,  having  ridden  him  twenty  miles  during  the  forenoon, 
and  returned  with  President  Young,  Willard  Richards,  George 
A.  Smith,  and  others.  We  spent  half  an  hour  on  the  Rock  and 
then  returned  to  our  camp,  mounted  our  horses  and  rode  to  the 
Devil's  Gate,  five  miles  from  Independence  Rock.  We  rode  as  far 
as  we  could  into  the  Gate,  hitched  our  horses,  and  walked  into 
about  the  centre  of  the  cavern. 

"The  Devil's  Gate  is  about  four  hundred  feet  high,  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty  feet  wide,  and  fifty  rods  long,  and  the  water 
rushes  through  it  with  a  roar.  The  rocks  are  coarse,  gray  granite 
with  a  vein  of  black  trap  rock  running  through  them.  We  spent 
about  half  an  hour  here,  and  then  had  to  back  our  horses  out, 
after  which  we  rode  around  it  on  the  south  side.  Some  of  the 
footmen  walked  over  the  top  of  it.  We  camped  for  the  night 
/•j.bout  one  mile  west  of  the  Devil's  Gate,  on  the  bank  of  the  Sweet 
Water. 

"A  guide  board  was  put  up  at  Devil's  Gate,  stating  that  it  was 
one  hundred  and  seventy-five  and  one-fourth  miles  from  Fort  Lar- 
amie,  and  fifty  and  one-fourth  from  our  ferry  on  the  Platte  River. 

"Two  more  Missouri  companies  overtook  us  at  noon  on  our 
next  day's  travel,  and  they  informed  us  that  a  man  was  drowned 


PIONEERS  ENTER  SALT  LAKE  VALLEY.        305 

at  the  ferry,  after  we  left,  in  trying  to  swim  his  horses,  and  that 
his  body  had  not  been  found. 

"The  camp  started  on  again  after  our  company  had  nooned ; 
but  Brothers  Young,  Little,  Benson,  and  myself  went  back  to 
meet  Lorenzo  Young,  who  had  broken  an  axletree  of  his  wagon, 
and  we  were  behind  all  the  afternoon. 

"After  a  journey  of  twenty  and  three-fourths  miles,  the  pio- 
neers camped  at  night  at  the  foot  of  a  mound  about  two-hundred 
feet  high,  on  the  bank  of  Sweet  Water.  Brother  Kimball  and  my- 
self went  to  the  top  of  it  and  looked  down  upon  the  camp,  and  it 
appeared  to  us  delightful.  We  offered  up  our  prayers  and  the 
spirit  of  the  Lord  rested  upon  us,  and  then  we  descended  to  the 
camp.  The  moon  was  shining  beautifully.  On  the  24th  the  best 
horse  in  camp,  President  Young's,  was  shot  by  accident. 

"On  the  evening  of  the  26th  of  June,  after  a  travel  of  eighteen 
and  three-fourths  miles,  we  camped  opposite  the  Table  Rock  and 
near  the  summit  of  the  South  Pass.  I  was  quite  astonished  at  the 
road  and  country  to-day,  considering  we  were  crossing  at  the  South 
Pass  of  the  Rocky  Mountains.  It  was  the  best  road  we  had  trav- 
eled over  for  many  days,  and  had  it  not  been  for  the  Wind  River 
range  of  mountains  in  full  view  on  our  right  covered  with  eternal 
snow,  and  some  snow  banks  ten  feet  deep  by  the  side  of  the  road 
as  we  passed  along,  with  the  Table  Rock  on  the  left,  I  should  almost 
have  thought  myself  traveling  over  the  beautiful  prairies  of  Illi- 
nois and  Missouri,  except  that  the  country  was  covered  with  more 
sage  than  prairie  grass.  The  road  for  many  miles,  and  also  the 
plain  of  beautiful  grass  lying  north  of  the  Table  Rock,  were 
strewn  with  very  handsome  cornelian  stones.  I  saw  more  in  one 
hour  this  evening  than  ever  before  during  my  whole  life,  either 
in  the  rude  state  or  polished,  in  all  the  jewelers'  shops  I  ever  saw 
'in  my  travels. 

"Elders  Kimball,  Pratt,  G.  A.  Smith,  and  Brown  had  gone 
on  to  take  observation  on  the  dividing  ridge.  They  continued  on 
to  the  Green  River,  seven  miles  from  us,  which  runs  into  the  Pa- 
cific, while  we  were  on  the  Sweet  Waters,  that  run  in  an  easterly 
direction.  They  supposed  that  we  would  come  on  to  them,  and  as 
they  did  not  return,  several  of  us  mounted  our  horses  to  go  in 
search  of  them,  but  we  soon  met  Brother  Kimball  returning,  and 
21 


306  WILFORD  WOOODRUFF. 

he  informed  us  that  the  rest  of  the  brethren  would  camp  on  the 
Green  River  with  some  men  from  Oregon  on  their  way  to  the 
States. 

"June  27th,  1847,  was  the  third  anniversary  of  the  martyrdom 
of  Joseph  and  Hyrum  Smith. 

"It  was  Sunday  morning,  but  we  harnessed  up  our  teams  and 
drove  to  where  Brothers  Pratt  and  Smith  had  camped  with  Major 
Harris,  who  had  been  traveling  through  Oregon  and  California 
for  twenty-five  years,  and  had  a  wide  acquaintance  with  the  coun- 
try. He  brought  a  file  of  Oregon  papers  and  one  published  by  S. 
Brannon  of  California.  We  had  a  great  deal  of  conversation  with 
him.  He  spoke  unfavorably  of  the  Salt  Lake  country  for  a  settle- 
ment, but  spoke  of  other  places  not  far  off  that  were  good. 

"We  parted  with  Major  Harris  next  day,  after  doing  some 
trading  with  him,  and  in  our  afternoon's  travel  met  Mr.  Bridger 
of  the  Fort  on  the  way  with  men  going  to  Fort  Laramie.  He 
was  expecting  us  and  wished  to  have  an  interview  with  President 
Young  and  the  Twelve.  We  also  wished  to  have  an  interview 
with  him.  We  immediately  returned  to  the  Creek  upon  which 
we  had  nooned  and  camped  for  the  night,  and  Mr.  Bridger  and 
his  men  camped  with  us. 

"We  met  in  council  with  Mr.  Bridger,  and  spent  some  hours 
in  conversation,  and  found  him  to  be  a  great  traveler,  possessing 
an  extensive  knowledge  of  nearly  all  Oregon  and  California,  the 
mountains,  lakes,  rivers,  springs,  valleys,  mines,  ore,  etc.  He  spoke 
more  highly  of  the  Great  Basin  for  a  settlement  than  Major  Har- 
ris had  done.  He  said  it  was  his  paradise  and  that  if  this  people 
settled  in  it  he  would  settle  with  them ;  and  that  there  was  but  one 
thing  that  could  operate  against  its  becoming  a  great  grain  coun- 
try, and  that  would  be  frost,  as  he  did  not  know  but  the  frost 
might  affect  the  corn.  He  conversed  with  us  about  a  great  vari-' 
ety  of  subjects  connected  with  the  country;  said  he  was  ashamed 
of  the  maps  of  Fremont,  who  knew  nothing  about  the  country, 
only  the  plain  traveled  road,  and  that  he  could  correct  all  the  maps 
published  of  the  western  world. 

"We  parted  next  day  from  Mr.  Bridger  who  remarked  that 
it  would  not  be  prudent  to  bring  a  great  population  to  the  Basin 
until  we  ascertained  whether  grain  would  grow  or  not.  O.  P. 


PIONEERS  ENTER  SALT  LAKE  VALLEY.        307 

Rockwell  and  myself  went  forward  to  pick  out  a  camping  ground. 
We  traveled  fifteen  miles  from  where  we  nooned  before  we  could 
get  grass,  and  this  made  the  longest  day's  journey  on  the  whole 
route,  making  twenty-three  and  three-fourths  miles. 

"We  traveled  three  miles  on  the  last  day  of  June,  and  camped 
on  the  bank  of  the  Green  River  at  the  ferry.  The  afternoon  was 
spent  in  building  a  raft,  as  the  river  was  high  and  could  only  be 
crossed  upon  rafts  or  boats. 

"During  the  afternoon,  the  arrival  of  Elder  Samuel  S.  Bran- 
non  from  the  bay  of  San  Francisco  was  announced  in  camp,  and 
we  were  glad  to  meet  with  him,  and  to  hear  from  the  Saints  who 
went  with  him.  He  gave  us  an  account  of  their  landing,  their 
travels,  and  present  settlement,  which  was  two  hundred  miles  up 
the  river  from  the  bay.  They  were  putting  in  wheat  and  building 
up  their  place. 

"During  the  following  three  days  we  were  fording  Green 
River.  On  the  afternoon  of  the  second,  the  Twelve  held  a  council 
and  four  men  were  appointed  to  return  and  meet  the  Camp  of 
Israel  and  pilot  them.  We  each  wrote  our  wives  concerning  the 
counsel  to  be  given  the  camp.  I  wrote  letters  next  day  to  my 
father,  A.  O.  Smoot,  and  John  Benbow,  to  be  taken  back  by  the 
pilots.  The  ferrying  was  finished  on  the  evening  of  the  third 
day  and  we  moved  on  three  miles  and  camped. 

"The  Fourth  of  July  came  on  Sunday.  I  accompanied  Pres- 
ident Young,  Brothers  Kimball,  Richards,  and  others  with  the 
pilots  to  the  ferry  to  put  them  across ;  and  when  we  arrived  at  the 
river  we  saw  thirteen  horsemen  on  the  opposite  bank  with  their 
baggage  on  one  of  our  rafts.  To  our  great  joy,  who  should  they 
be  but  our  brethren  of  the  Mormon  Battalion  belonging  to  Cap- 
tain Brown's  detachment,  who  had  been  at  Pueblo  during  the  win- 
ter. Amasa  Lyman,  whom  we  had  sent  to  them,  had  reached  them 
with  information  of  our  movements  and  the  whole  detachment  of 
one  hundred  and  forty  of  the  brethren  were  within  seven  days' 
drive  of  us. 

"When  we  met  these  brethren  there  was  truly  a  hearty  greet- 
ing and  shaking  of  hands.  We  put  them  all  over  the  river  except- 
ing one  who  returned  with  our  pilots  to  meet  the  following  com- 
panies of  the  Saints.  This  small  detachment  of  the  Battalion  had 


308  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

about  a  dozen  of  their  horses  stolen  by  some  horse  thieves,  but 
they  overtook  them  and  got  them  all  back  but  two  which  had 
gone  on  to  Bridger. 

"We  left  Green  River  (the  headwaters  of  the  Colorado)  on 
the  5th,  drove  twenty  miles,  and  camped  on  Black's  Fork.  There 
was  neither  feed  nor  water  between  this  place  and  Green  River, 
but  similar  to  the  last  two  hundred  miles,  a  sandy  desert  covered 
with  sage  brush. 

"Next  evening  we  camped  on  the  west  side  of  Ham's  Fork, 
which  we  crossed  on  the  following  day  and  drove  to  Fort  Bridger. 
In  the  region  of  the  Fort,  before  we  got  on  to  our  camping  ground, 
we  crossed  more  than  a  dozen  trout  brooks,  the  water  running 
swiftly  but  clear,  with  hard,  gravelly  bottoms,  and  the  whole 
region  of  country  up  and  down  these  streams  was  covered  with 
grass  knee  deep. 

"The  brethren  caught  several  brook  trout  which  was  the  first 
I  had  seen  since  I  left  England,  and  as  we  were  to  spend  the 
next  day  at  the  Fort,  I  calculated  on  a  day  of  fishing.  As  soon 
as  I  had  my  breakfast  next  morning,  I  rigged  up  my  fishing  rod 
that  I  had  brought  with  me  from  Liverpool,  fixed  my  reel  line  and 
artificial  fly,  and  went  to  one  of  the  brooks  close  by  to  try  my 
luck. 

"The  men  at  the  Fort  said  that  there  were  but  few  trout  in  the 
streams,  and  a  good  many  of  the  brethren  were  already  at  the 
creeks  with  their  rods  trying  their  skill,  baiting  with  fresh  meat 
and  grasshoppers,  but  no  one  was  catching  any. 

"I  threw  my  fly  into  the  water,  and  it  being  the  first  time 
that  I  ever  tried  the  artificial  fly  in  America  or  ever  saw  it  tried, 
I  watched  it  as  it  floated  upon  the  water  with  as  much  interest  as 
Franklin  did  his  kite  when  he  was  experimenting  in  drawing  light- 
ning from  the  sky ;  and  as  he  received  great  joy  when  he  saw  the 
electricity  descend  on  his  kite  string,  so  was  I  highly  gratified 
when  I  saw  the  nimble  trout  dart  at  my  fly  hook,  and  run  away 
with  the  line.  I  soon  worried  him  out  and  drew  him  to  shore. 

"I  fished  two  or  three  hours  during  the  morning  and  evening 
and  caught  twelve  in  all.  One  half  of  them  would  weigh  three- 
fourths  of  a  pound  each,  while  all  the  rest  of  the  camp  did  not 


PIONEERS  ENTER  SALT  LAKE  VALLEY.        300 

catch  three  pounds  in  all,  which  was  taken  as  proof  that  the  arti- 
ficial fly  is  far  the  best  to  fish  with. 

"In  the  afternoon  I  went  to  Bridger's  house  and  traded  off 
my  flint-lock  rifle  for  four  buffalo  robes  which  were  large,  nice, 
and  well  dressed.  I  found  things  generally  at  least  one-third 
higher  than  I  had  ever  known  them  at  any  other  trading  post  I 
ever  saw  in  America. 

"I  arose  in  the  morning  quite  unwell  and  felt  threatened  with 
the  mountain  fever,  yet  I  mounted  my  horse  and  rode  till  ten 
o'clock;  but  before  I  started  I  was  called  upon  to  administer  to 
Brother  Carter,  who  was  taken  with  the  fever.  There  were  new 
cases  of  the  mountain  fever  every  day  in  camp.  At  ten  o'clock 
I  had  to  give  up  and  take  to  my  bed  in  the  wagon  with  distressing 
pain  in  my  head,  back,  joint  bones,  marrow  and  all  through  my 
system,  attended  with  cold  chills  and  hot  flashes  through  the  body. 
We  traveled  over  thirteen  miles  of  as  bad  road  as  any  we  had  on 
our  journey,  which  made  it  exceedingly  painful  to  the  sick.  The 
day  seemed  very  long  to  me.  When  we  stopped  at  night,  I  took 
composition,  cayenne,  and  a  dose  of  vegetable  pills,  had  a  better 
night  than  I  expected ;  and  though  I  was  feeble  in  the  morning,  T 
felt  that  my  fever  was  broken  up  and  I  was  recovering. 

"The  night  of  the  10th  we  camped  one  and  a  half  miles  from 
Bear  River,  by  the  best  stream  of  water  we  had  found  on  the 
route,  and  a  small  stream  near  by  a  valley  six  miles  long,  grass 
knee  deep,  strong  mineral  springs,  copper,  lead,  coal,  and  lime. 

"Camp  fires  were  discovered  about  three  miles  from  our 
camping  ground  and  George  A.  Smith  and  others  went  over  to 
them  and  found  them  to  be  in  the  camp  of  a  Mr.  Miles  Goodyear. 
He  had  settled  at  Salt  Lake  and  had  a  garden  and  vegetables,  he 
said,  doing  well.  Several  Missourians  were  with  him  going  to  the 
States. 

"The  subject  was  brought  up  concerning  the  emigrant  com- 
pany who  had  perished  in  the  mountains  last  winter.  They  were 
mostly  from  Independence  and  Clay  Counties,  Missouri,  and  were 
a  mob  company  that  threatened  to  drive  out  the  Mormons  who 
were  in.  California,  and  started  with  that  spirit  in  their  hearts. 
But  it  seemed  as  though  they  were  ripe  for  judgment.  The  snows 


310  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

fell  upon  them  eighteen  feet  deep  on  a  level,  many  died  and  others 
turned  cannibal.  About  forty  persons  perished.  They  were  most- 
ly eaten  up  by  those  who  survived  them.  Mrs.  L.  Murphy  of 
Tennessee,  whom  I  baptized  while  on  a  mission  in  that  country, 
but  since  apostatized  and  joined  the  mob,  was  in  that  company 
and  died,  or  was  killed,  and  eaten.  Her  bones  were  sawed  to 
pieces  for  her  brains  and  marrow,  and  then  left  strewn  upon  the 
ground. 

"We  spent  the  Sunday  in  camp,  but  some  of  the  brethren  rode 
out  to  seek  out  the  road  and  found  a  tar  spring  about  fifteen  miles 
south  of  our  camp. 

"Early  Monday  morning,  I  rode  to  Bear  River,  and  for  the 
first  time  I  saw  the  long-looked-for  Bear  River  Valley. 

"The  spot  where  we  strtick  it  was  not  very  interesting.  There 
was  considerable  grass  in  the  valley  and  some  timber  and  thick 
brushes  on  the  bank  of  the  river.  My  object  in  riding  to  the  river 
before  the  camp  was  to  try  my  luck  in  fishing  for  trout.  After 
fishing  for  several  hours,  I  started  after  the  camp,  having  caught 
eight  trout  in  all. 

"The  pioneers  had  traveled  nine  miles  and  nooned  in  a  valley. 
I  found  President  Young  very  sick  with  the  fever.  The  company 
had  started  on,  but  President  Young  lay  so  sick  that  he  concluded 
not  to  move  from  where  he  was.  Brothers  Kimball,  Benson,  Rock- 
wood,  and  others  stayed  with  him  with  their  wagons. 

"We  drove  without  any  road  over  hills  and  dales,  having  to 
make  our  road  as  we  went  along.  We  camped  at  night  by  the 
side  of  Reddings  Cave.  The  valleys  were  beginning  to  grow  more 
fertile  and  the  air  more  pacific. 

"I  arose  quite  unwell  in  the  morning.  Several  brethren  went 
to  meet  President  Young,  and  the  camp  lay  still  waiting  for  him 
to  come  up.  Brother  Kimball  came  at  noon  and  a  council  of  the 
whole  camp  was  called,  and  it  was  resolved  that  Orson  Pratt  take 
a  company  of  about  twenty  wagons  and  forty  men  and  go  on  to 
the  canyon  and  make  a  road  as  they  went,  so  we  would  not  be  hin- 
dered when  we  came  along.  There  were  twenty-three  wagons  in 
all  that  started  at  1  o'clock. 

"We  had  found  but  little  game  for  many  days  until  yesterday, 
when  the  hunters  brought  in  twelve  antelopes,  and  ten  today. 


PIONEERS  ENTER  SALT  LAKE  VALLEY.        311 

"President  Young  was  better  today,  but  decided  not  to  move 
until  to-morrow.  In  the  afternoon  I  walked  out  with  Elder  Rich- 
ards, in  search  of  springs  of  water. 

"Next  morning  I  rode  back  seven  miles  to  visit  President 
Young  and  found  him  much  better  in  health  and  quite  cheerful. 
The  evening  before,  Dr.  Richards,  myself,  and  George  A.  Smith 
went  before  the  Lord  and  prayed  for  Brother  Young,  and  we  had 
a  testimony  that  he  would  recover  from  that  hour.  I  found 
Brother  Rockwood  the  sickest  man  that  had  been  in  our  company. 
I  tarried  until  near  night,  assisting  the  sick,  and  then  returned 
to  our  encampment. 

"I  started  early  on  the  morrow  with  my  carriage  and  horses 
to  go  back  for  President  Young  and  Brother  Rockwood.  I  was 
two  hours  driving  seven  miles  to  their  camp.  I  found  them  much 
better,  and  they  thought  they  could  ride,  as  my  carriage  was  the 
easiest  vehicle  in  our  company.  I  made  up  a  bed  and  took  them 
both  into  my  carriage,  and  the  rest  of  the  wagons  started  and 
drove  to  the  main  body.  The  sick  seemed  refreshed  by  their  ride. 
After  a  short  halt,  the  whole  company  drove  four  and  a  half  miles 
and  camped  for  the  night. 

"Next  day  I  again  took  Brothers  Young  and  Rockwood  in  my 
carriage  and  drove  them  during  the  day.  We  had  bad  roads  for 
the  sick,  and  Brother  Brigham  was  worn  out  and  worse  at  night. 
At  night  I  went  to  Weber  Fork,  one  mile  from  our  encampment, 
and  caught  a  trout  for  him. 

"He  was  still  sick  in  the  morning,  and  after  we  had  driven 
three  miles  on  to  the  Weber's  Fork,  we  camped  the  remainder  of 
the  day  because  President  Young  was  worse.  The  Twelve  and 
others  went  out  and  prayed  for  him  and  for  the  sick  generally, 
according  to  the  order  of  the  priesthood. 

"Sunday,  the  18th,  was  spent  holding  meeting;  and  on  the 
morrow  morning,  forty-one  wagons  went  on.  With  them  were 
Dr.  Richards'  and  George  A  Smith's.  Fifteen  wagons  remained 
with  President  Young.  Two  of  mine  were  of  the  number. 

"In  company  with  Heber  C.  Kimball,  E.  T.  Benson,  and  How- 
ard Egan,  I  rode  over  the  mountain  called  Pratt's  Pass,  with  the 
company  that  went  on,  and  then  returned  to  President  Young. 

Next  morning  we  started  early  and  stopped  for  breakfast 


312  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

after  a  five-mile  drive.  I  carried  Brother  Brigham  in  my  carriage. 
The  fever  was  still  on  him,  but  he  stood  the  ride  well. 

"After  breakfast  we  traveled  ten  miles  over  the  worst  road 
of  the  whole  journey.  Our  camping  ground  at  night  was  on  a 
trout  creek.  Here  we  found  three  wagons  that  had  tarried  in 
consequence  of  the  sick.  Brothers  Sherwood,  Johnson,  and  Dewey 
were  so  sick  they  could  not  journey,  and  we  camped  with  them 
and  baptized  them  for  their  health,  and  I  confirmed  them.  This 
morning  Brother  Pratt's  company  was  only  eight  miles  further  on 
than  where  we  camped  at  night. 

"We  remained  in  camp  next  day  because  of  sickness.  We 
were  on  East  Canyon  Creek,  and  the  route  we  were  taking  was 
Reed's  Pass,  which  we  named  Pratt's  Pass,  in  consequence  of  his 
going  on  to  make  the  road. 

"Next  day  eight  miles  of  our  journey  was  made,  and  East 
Canyon  Creek  was  reached.  It  was  eight  miles  of  the  worst  of 
roads,  and  Brother  Case  smashed  one  of  his  hind  wheels.  We  had 
to  wait  two  hours  to  bring  his  wagon  up.  The  sick  stood  the 
journey  better  than  we  expected  during  the  day,  considering  the 
bad  road. 

"We  left  East  Canyon  Creek  on  the  23rd  and  traveled  to  the 
west  five  miles  up  hill  which  brought  us  to  the  summit,  and  then 
descended  the  mountain  six  miles  through  a  thick  timber  grove. 
The  timbers  had  been  cut  out  of  the  road,  yet  it  was  full  of  stumps 
and  it  kept  each  teamster  very  busy  to  dodge  the  stumps  and  not 
break  his  wagon.  One  man  turned  his  wagon  over  and  smashed 
the  top  all  to  pieces.  There  were  two  children  in  the  wagon,  but 
they  were  not  hurt. 

"We  nooned  at  a  beautiful  spring  in  a  small  birch  grove. 
There  was  more  timber  during  this  half  day's  travel  than  we  had 
seen  in  a  month,  and  the  valleys,  both  ascending  and  descending, 
were  extremely  fertile  and  covered  with  vegetation  to  the  tops  of 
the  hills. 

At  the  spring  where  we  nooned  we  were  met  by  Brothers 
Pack  and  Matthews  from  the  forward  camps.  They  brought  us 
a  letter  informing  us  that  it  was  only  ten  miles  to  the  valley  of  the 
Great  Salt  Lake,  or  Great  Basin,  and  fourteen  to  their  camp.  They 
had  explored  the  country  as  far  as  possible  and  made  choice  of  a 


PIONEERS  ENTER  SALT  LAKE  VALLEY,  1847.     313 

spot  to  put  in  crops.  After  nooning  we  traveled  up  another  very 
tedious  hill  and  down  into  a  valley  and  camped  for  the  night. 

"This,  the  24th  day  of  July,  1847,  was  an  important  day  in 
the  history  of  my  life,  and  in  the  history  of  the  Church  of  Jesus 
Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints.  After  traveling  from  our  encamp- 
ment six  miles  through  the  deep  ravine  valley  ending  with  the 
canyon,  we  came  in  full  view  of  the  valley  of  the  Great  Salt  Lake, 
or  the  Great  Basin — the  Land  of  Promise,  held  in  reserve  by  the 
hand  of  God  as  a  resting  place  for  the  Saints. 

"We  gazed  with  wonder  and  admiration  upon  the  vast  fer- 
tile valley  spread  out  before  us  for  about  twenty-five  miles  in 
length  and  sixteen  miles  in  width,  clothed  with  a  heavy  garment 
of  vegetation,  and  in  the  midst  of  which  glistened  the  waters  of 
the  Great  Salt  Lake,  with  mountains  all  around  towering  to  the 
skies,  and  streams,  rivulets  and  creeks  of  pure  water  running 
through  the  beautiful  valley. 

"After  a  hard  journey  from  Winter  Quarters  of  more  than 
one  thousand  miles,  through  flats  of  the  Platte  River  and  plateaus 
of  the  Black  Hills  and  Rocky  Mountains  and  over  the  burning 
sands,  and  eternal  sage  regions,  willow  swails  and  rocky  regions, 
to  gaze  upon  a  valley  of  such  vast  extent  surrounded  with  a  per- 
fect chain  of  everlasting  mountains  covered  with  eternal  snow, 
with  their  innumerable  peaks  like  pyramids  towering  towards 
heaven,  presented  at  one  view  to  us  the  grandest  scenery  and  pros- 
pect that  we  could  have  obtained  on  earth.  Thoughts  of  pleasant 
meditation  ran  in  rapid  succession  through  our  minds  at  the  an- 
ticipation that  not  many  years  hence  the  House  of  God  would 
be  established  in  the  mountains  and  exalted  above  the  hills,  while 
the  valleys  would  be  converted  into  orchards,  vineyards,  fields, 
etc.,  planted  with  cities,  and  the  standard  of  Zion  be  unfurled, 
unto  which  the  nations  would  gather. 


CHAPTER  29. 
RETURN  OF  THE  PIONEERS  TO  WINTER  QUARTERS,  1847. 

In  Retrospect. — First  Crop  of  Potatoes  Planted. — The   Beginning  of 
Irrigation. — First    Sunday. — Explorations    South    to    Utah    Lake. — 
Choice  of  Temple  Block. — Address  by  Brigham  Young. — Return  to 
Winter    Quarters. — Meet    the    Second    Company   of    Pioneers. — En- 
counter with  the  Indians. — Reach  Winter  Quarters,  Oct.  31,  1847. — 
First   Presidency  Organized,  Dec.  27,   1847. 

As  the  valley  presented  itself  to  view  before  the  gaze  of  this 
sturdy  band  of  pioneers,  President  Young  expressed  his  full  sat- 
isfaction with  the  place.  The  Lord  had  shown  him  the  view  be- 
fore in  a  vision ;  and  now  as  he  lay  upon  his  bed  ( still  physically 
indisposed)  in  Elder  Woodruff's  carriage,  the  Lord  also  showed 
him  many  things  concerning  the  future  of  the  valley;  and  with 
one  united  testimony,  the  pioneer  company  felt  that  they  had 
reached  their  destination.  They  could  now  rest  the  soles  of  their 
feet  in  peace  and  be  free  from  fury  of  angry  mobs. 

That  was  sixty  years  ago ;  and  in  view  of  the  great  change 
which  has  been  brought  about,  we  are  led  to  exclaim,  "What 
hath  God  wrought!"  Then,  sage-brush  plain,  with  no  inhab- 
itants excepting  the  wandering  Lamanite,  not  a  building,  not  a 
fence,  not  a  furrow,  the  silence  of  a  barren  desert  reigned  su- 
preme. To-day,  a  mighty  city  of  100,000  people  stands,  with 
a  Temple  of  the  Lord,  many  houses  of  worship  and  of  learn- 
ing, modern  inventions,  and  all  other  evidences  of  civilization. 
It  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  cities  in  all  the  land,  where  the 
weary  traveler  and  the  home-seeker  from  nearly  every  land  and 
clime  have  found  a  place  of  rest.  What  a  debt  of  gratitude  these 
busy  thousands  owe  to  the  pioneers  of  sixty  years  ago  will  not 
be  fully  known  until  they  are  quickened  by  a  perfect  understand- 
ing of  man's  relationship  to  God  and  man,  and  the  purposes  of 
a  Supreme  Being. 

Orson  Pratt,  Erastus  Snow,  and  a  number  of  others  had  en- 
tered the  valley  two  days  before  and  had  already  plowed  by  the 
side  of  two  small  streams  nearly  five  acres  of  land.  After  gaz- 
ing a  short  time  over  the  valley,  the  company  moved  over  the 


RETURN  TO  WINTER  QUARTERS,  1847.    315 

table-land  into  the  valley  about  four  miles  to  the  encampment  of 
their  brethren.  Brother  Woodruff  had  one-half  bushel  of  po- 
tatoes, and  before  eating  his  dinner,  he  planted  them  in  the  earth 
and  hoped,  by  the  blessings  of  the  Lord,  to  save  enough  for  seed 
the  following  year. 

There  were  no  idlers  in  the  camp,  all  were  busy  as  bees. 
They  dammed  up  one  creek,  and  before  night  had  spread  the  water 
over  a  large  tract  and  irrigated  the  parched  ground.  This  was 
the  beginning  of  irrigation  in  the  Salt  Lake  Valley,  July  24,  -1847. 
Since  then  the  work  of  irrigation  has  spread  abroad  in  all  the  arid 
regions  of  the  West  from  Nebraska  to  California.  The  various 
methods  of  utilizing  the  water  have  been  studied  and  improved. 
Irrigation  has  occupied  the  attention  of  great  minds  assembled 
in  Congresses  to  discuss  the  subject,  and  has  been  considered 
in  the  legislative  halls  of  the  nation;  but  the  pioneers  in  this 
enterprise  were  the  little  band  of  faithful  and  great  men  led  by  the 
Prophet  Brigham  Young  to  the  Valleys  of  the  Mountains. 

Of  the  future,  Elder  Woodruff  records  the  meditations  of 
their  minds  on  that  occasion  thus :  "Thoughts  of  pleasant  medi- 
tations ran  in  rapid  succession  through  our  minds  in  anticipation 
that  not  many  years  hence  the  House  of  God  would  be  established 
in  the  mountains  and  be  exalted  above  the  hills,  while  the  val- 
leys would  be  converted*  into  orchards,  vineyards,  and  fields  plant- 
ed with  cities,  and  the  Sandard  of  Zion  be  unfurled  for  the  gath- 
ering of  the  nations."  Such  positive  utterances  show  how  deeply 
convinced  were  the  pioneers  that  God  had  led  them  to  the  valley. 
They  knew  the  future  in  general,  as  well  as  we  of  to-day  know  the 
past  in  detail.  They  said  that  the  Lord  had  shown  it  unto  them, 
and  the  fulfillment  of  their  predictions  proves  that  He  did.  It 
would  indeed  be  a  wilful  unbelief  on  the  part  of  the  descendants 
of  these  pioneers  to  doubt  the  inspiration  which  guided  President 
Young  and  his  associates  in  the  settlement  of  the  Salt  Lake 
Valley. 

Toward  the  evening  of  the  24th,  as  if  to  give  hope  of  future 
moisture,  the  Lord  sent  a  beautiful  thunder  shower,  and  it  rained 
for  a  short  time  over  the  entire  valley.  President  Woodruff 
says :  "We  felt  thankful  for  this,  as  it  was  the  general  opinion 
that  it  never  rained  in  the  valley  during  the  summer  season." 
Thus  closed  the  day,  the  great  Pioneer  Day,  to  be  celebrated  each 


316  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

year  by  thousands  and  indeed  by  millions  yet  unborn. 

The  following  day  was  Sunday,  and  the  pioneers  met  for 
worship  at  about  10  a.  m.  The  first  sermon  delivered  in  the 
valley  was  by  President  Geo.  A.  Smith,  and  Bro.  Woodruff 
writes  that,  "It  was  an  interesting  discourse." 

President  Heber  C.  Kimball  and  Ezra  T.  Benson  also  spoke  in 
the  forenoon. 

At  2  p.  m.,  the  Sacrament  was  administered.  The  congre- 
gation was  addressed  by  Elders  Wilford  Woodruff,  Orson  Pratt, 
Willard  Richards,  and  several  others  with  closing  instructions 
by  President  Young  in  which  he  warned  them  against  breaking 
the  Sabbath.  They  must  not  work,  fish,  or  hunt  on  that  day. 
He  warned  them  against  sin  of  every  kind,  and  thus  there  was 
begun  the  work  of  God  in  the  Valleys  of  the  Mountains. 

On  Monday  the  26th  President  Young  and  several  brethren 
ascended  the  summit  of  a  mountain  on  the  north  which  they 
named  Ensign  Peak,  a  name  it  has  borne  ever  since.  Elder  Wood- 
ruff was  the  first  to  gain  the  summit  of  the  peak.  Here  they  un- 
furled the  American  flag,  the  Ensign  of  Liberty  to  the  world. 
It  will  be  remembered  that  the  country  then  occupied  by  the 
Saints  was  Mexican  soil,  and  was  being  taken  possession  of  by 
the  Mormon  Battalion  and  pioneers  as  a  future  great  common- 
wealth to  the  credit  and  honor  of  the  United  States. 

Elder  Woodruff  soon  became  active  in  exploring  the  valley, 
and  penetrating  southward  to  the  Utah  Lake.  He  came  in  con- 
tact with  roaming  Indians  but  found  them  friendly  and  desirous 
of  trading  with  the  whites.  After  exploring  a  couple  of  days, 
and  seeing  the  new  land,  with  here  and  there  a  herd  of  mountain 
goats,  sheep,  and  antelope,  he  and  his  brethren  returned  to  the 
pioneer  encampment. 

Four  days  after  the  arrival  of  the  pioneers  m  the  Valley, 
they  selected  the  site  upon  which  to  build  the  Temple  of  the  Lord. 
President  Young  called  the  Twelve  together  on  this  important 
occasion,  and  all  were  united  in  the  choice  of  the  Temple  Block. 
Those  who  were  present  on  that  occasion  were  President  Brigham 
Young,  Elders  Heber  C  Kimball,  Orson  Pratt,  Willard  Richards, 
Wilford  Woodruff,  George  A.  Smith,  Amasa  Lyman,  and  Ezra  T. 
Benson. 

At  that  time  it  was  moved  and  carried  that  the  Temple  lot 


RETURN  TO  WINTER  QUARTERS,  1847.  317 

should  contain  forty  acres,  but  later  it  was  deemed  too  large  a 
tract  to  care  for  properly,  and  the  lot  was  limited  to  the  ten  acre 
block  upon  which  the  Temple  now  stands. 

The  city  was  laid  out  in  blocks  of  ten  acres,  divided  into 
eight  lots,  of  equal  size,  one  and  a  fourth  acres  in  each.  Presi- 
dent Young  expressed  a  desire  that  the  houses  be  built  in  the 
center  of  the  lot,  so  that  in  case  of  fire  the  neighbors'  houses 
would  not  be  endangered,  being  so  far  apart.  The  design  of  Presi- 
dent Young  was  that  no  speculation  in  lands  by  the  brethren 
should  be  allowed  whereby  the  first  comers  should  enrich  them- 
selves at  the  expense  of  their  brethren  who  should  follow. 

Close  up  to  the  city  limits,  the  farming  land  was  parceled 
out  in  five  acre  plats,  joining  them  a  little  farther  out  into  ten 
acres,  and  outside  of  these,  twenty  acre  fields.  This  arrangement 
prevented  any  one  man  from  holding  a  large  tract  near  the  city, 
and  by  so  doing  prevented  speculation  by  the  individual  to  the 
detriment  of  the  whole  community. 

The  city  could  easily  extend  its  borders  without  purchasing 
much  land  from  any  one  individual.  In  other  words,  the  inter- 
est of  the  whole  was  to  be  uppermost  in  the  mind  of  each  man, 
and  the  spirit  of  greed  and  avarice  seldom  asserted  itself  on  the 
part  of  those  noble  founders  of  Utah's  great  commonwealth. 

I  have  heard  my  respected  step-father,  Jesse  W.  Fox,  say 
that  he  surveyed  many  of  the  cities  and  much  of  the  land  between 
Logan  and  St.  George,  a  distance  of  over  400  miles,  and  the 
desire  to  select  a  town  lot  or  a  farm  lot  in  any  of  the  places 
for  speculative  purposes  never  entered  his  heart;  and  if  any  one 
asked  him  to  select  one  for  him  he  promptly  refused,  saying  that 
those  who  owned  the  land  should  be  the  builders  on  it  and  that 
no  one  by  his  assistance  should  ever  speculate  at  the  expense 
of  the  poor  Saints  coming  to  the  Valley  to  serve  God  and  keep  His 
commandments. 

This  was  the  spirit  and  sentiment  of  President  Young,  Elder 
Woodruff,  and  all  those  noble  men,  and  it  was  generally  shared 
throughout  all  the  camp  of  Israel.  Indeed,  it  is  the  spirit  of  the 
Gospel  of  Christ. 

On  July  29th,  about  one  hundred  and  forty  of  the  Mormon 
Battalion  came  into  camp  with  one  hundred  Saints  from  Mississip- 
pi. Captains  Brown,  Higgins,  and  Lieutenant  Willis  of  the  Bat- 


318  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

talion  were  among  the  number.  They  were  met  about  four  miles 
out  by  President  Young  and  party,  and  received  from  them  a 
hearty  welcome  to  the  home  of  the  Saints. 

They  brought  with  them  sixty  wagons,  one  hundred  head  of 
horses  and  mules,  three  hundred  head  of  cattle,  all  of  which  served 
to  strengthen  very  materially  the  settlement  of  the  Saints.  While 
some  were  exploring,  others  were  plowing  and  planting  so  that 
in  less  than  a  week  from  the  24th  of  July  they  had  fields  planted 
with  potatoes,  corn,  beans,  peas,  and  buckwheat. 

What  a  busy,  hopeful,  energetic  scene  the  Pioneer  Camp 
must  have  presented  at  that  time !  They  visited  the  warm  and 
hot  sulphur  springs  on  the  north,  and  bathed  in  the  latter. 

A  number  of  the  Utah  Indians  visited  the  camp,  and  the 
subject  of  the  course  to  be  pursued  in  dealing  with  them  was  dis- 
cussed, and  the  counsel  to  feed  them  and  not  fight  them  has  been 
followed  by  the  Latter-day  Saints  from  that  day  to  the  present. 
Had  this  policy  been  pursued  by  all  the  whites,  much  blood  and 
treasure  would  have  been  saved  to  the  nation;  and  it  is  safe  to 
say  that  many  lives  and  much  property  have  been  saved  the 
people  by  the  course  of  peace  and  love  pursued  by  the  Latter-day 
Saints  toward  their  red  brethren. 

Sunday,  August  1st,  the  Saints  assembled  for  worship  and 
were  edified  by  discourses  from  Elders  Kimball,  Pratt,  Lyman, 
and  others.  Elder  Willard  Richards  read  a  letter  from  the  com- 
manding officers  of  the  Battalion  highly  commending  the  de- 
portment of  the  Mormon  volunteers  in  the  American  service. 
The  revelation  given  to  President  Young  at  Winter  Quarters 
was  read  to  the  assembly  and  accepted  as  the  word  of  the  Lord 
by  their  unanimous  vote. 

In  the  evening  the  Twelve  met  in  council  and  decided  that 
Brother  Ezra  T.  Benson  and  three  others  should  return  east 
until  they  met  the  company  following  the  pioneers,  ascertain  their 
welfare,  and  bring  on  the  mail. 

Elder  Woodruff  joined  with  Elder  Geo.  A.  Smith  in  cutting 
and  hauling  logs  for  their  cabins  while  awaiting  also  the  prepar- 
ation of  adobes  for  their  more  permanent  dwellings.  Brother 
Woodruff  reports  his  first  day  at  chopping  logs  as  very  fatiguing. 
Many  of  the  horses  belonging  to  the  pioneers  were  exposed  to  the 


RETURN  TO  WINTER  QUARTERS,  1847.  319 

Indians,  but  none  was  stolen,  "and  this,"  writes  Elder  Woodruff, 
"increased  our  confidence  in  the  Indians." 

About  this  time  President  Young  felt  impressed  that  he  and 
the  brethren  of  the  camp  should  renew  their  covenants  by  baptism. 
August  6th,  the  Twelve  were  rebaptized  by  President  Young. 
Elder  Kimball  baptized  President  Young  and  the  latter  confirmed 
his  brethren  and  re-sealed  upon  them  all  their  former  blessings. 
Following  this,  the  brethren  selected  their  inheritances.  Brother 
Woodruff's  was  the  corner  diagonally  across  the  street  from  the 
south-west  corner  of  the  Temple  Block,  facing  the  east  and  north. 

In  the  evening  Elder  Kimball  baptized  fifty-five  members  of 
the  camp.  Elder  Woodruff  assisted  in  their  confirmation.  August 
the  8th  the  general  work  of  rebaptizing  continued.  Elders  Kim- 
ball, Snow,  Lewis,  Goddard,  Everett,  and  Shumway  did  the  bap- 
tizing, while  President  Young  and  the  Twelve  confirmed.  "This 
made  288  in  all  who  had  been  rebaptized  during  the  last  three 
days.  The  camp  assembled  as  usual  at  10  o'clock  for  public 
meeting  and  was  addressed  .by  Heber  C.  Kimball,  much  to  our 
edification.  I  followed  and  was  never  blessed  with  greater  lib- 
erty of  speech." 

The  practice  of  the  Saints  coming  into  the  Valley  to  renew 
their  covenants  by  baptism  was  followed  for  many  years,  but 
later,  when  the  organizations  abroad  became  more  perfect,  and 
the  Saints  came  with  speedy  and  direct  transportation  from  their 
native  lands  to  the  stakes  of  Zion,  this  practice  has  been  discon- 
tinued as  not  being  of  the  same  necessity  as  in  the  early  pioneer 
days. 

Sunday,  August  15th,  Elder  Woodruff  attended  the  ser- 
vices and  reported  a  lengthy  and  very  interesting  discourse  by 
President  Brigham  Young.  On  the  llth  a  little  child  of  Brother 
Crow  was  drowned  and  President  Young  offered  some  consoling 
remarks  bearing  upon  this  sad  event,  and  he  also  spoke  upon  the 
resurrection.  Much  of  his  discourse  was  upon  the  authority  of 
the  priesthood,  from  which  we  quote  a  few  lines :  "Brother 
Joseph  received  the  Patriarchal  or  Melchisedek  Priesthood  from 
under  the  hands  of  Peter,  James,  and  John.  From  those  Apostles 
Joseph  received  every  power,  blessing,  and  privilege  of  the  high- 
est authority  of  the  Melchisedek  Priesthood  ever  committed  to 
man  on  the  earth.  Some  have  had  fears  that  we  had  not  power  to 


320  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

obtain  revelations  since  the  death  of  Joseph,  but  1  want  this  sub- 
ject from  this  time  and  forever  to  be  set  at  rest.  I  want  the 
Church  to  understand  from  this  day  henceforth  and  forever,  that 
an  Apostle  is  the  highest  office  and  authority  that  there  is  in  the 
Church  and  Kingdom  of  God  on  the  earth.  Joseph  Smith  gave 
unto  me  and  my  brethren,  the  Twelve,  all  the  priesthood,  power, 
and  authority  which  he  held,  and  those  are  powers  which  belong 
to  the  Apostleship.  We  shall  take  time,  and  each  step  the  Saints 
take,  let  them  take  time  enough  to  understand  it.  Everything 
at  Nauvoo  went  with  a  rush.  We  had  to  build  the  Temple  with 
the  trowel  in  one  hand  and  the  sword  in  the  other,  ana  mobs  were 
upon  us  all  the  while,  and  many  crying  out,  'Oh !  the  Temple  can't 
be  built.'  I  told  them  it  should  be  built.  This  Church  should  not 
fall ;  and  the  Lord  said  if  we  did  not  build  it  we  should  be  re- 
jected as  a  Church  with  our  dead.  Why  did  He  say  it?  Because 
the  Saints  were  becoming  slothful  and  covetous,  and  would  spend 
their  means  upon  fine  houses  for  themselves  before  they  would 
put  it  into  a  House  of  the  Lord ;  but  we  went  at  it  and  finished  it 
and  turned  it  over  into  the  hands  of  the  Lord  in  spite  of  earth 
and  hell,  and  the  brethren  were  so  faithful  that  we  labored  day 
and  night  to  give  them  their  endowments. 

"When  I  look  upon  the  great  work  the  elders  of  Israel  have 
to  perform,  and  look  around  upon  them,  and  see  them  vain  and 
foolish,  it  makes  me  sorrowful.  They  forget  their  calling.  O, 
ye  elders  of  Israel,  think  for  a  moment  what  manner  of  persons 
ought  ye  to  be — men  who  hold  the  priesthood  and  keys  of  salva- 
tion, who  have  power  to  go  to  the  nations  of  the  earth  and  say 
to  the  people,  'We  have  salvation  for  you  if  you  will  receive  it, 
and  celestial  glory  awaits  you;  or  condemnation,  if  you  reject 
it.'  It  is  no  trifling  affair  to  have  power  put  into  your  hands  to 
deal  with  the  eternal  destinies  of  the  sons  and  daughters  of  Adam 
who  form  the  nations  of  the  earth." 

In  the  afternoon  Elders  Orson  Pratt  and  Erastus  Snow  edi- 
fied the  people  under  the  influence  of  the  spirit  of  the  Lord.  In 
conference  of  the  leading  men,  they  gave  to  the  city  the  name  of 
"The  City  of  the  Great  Salt  Lake."  It  has  since  been  abbreviated 
to  Salt  Lake  City.  The  stream  running  westward  was  given  the 
name  of  "City  Creek,"  which  it  still  bears ;  the  river  on  the  west, 
"Western  Jordan,"  to  distinguish  it  from  Jordan  in  Palestine ;  the 


RETURN  TO  WINTER  QUARTERS,  1847.    321 

two  streams  from  the  mountains  on  the  east,  "Great  Canyon 
Creek"  and  "Little  Canyon  Creek."  In  the  main,  these  names 
have  been  preserved.  It  was  also  decided  to  fence  the  city,  and 
to  appoint  a  president,  and  high  council  for  the  new  stake  of  Zion. 

Elder  Woodruff  and  his  associates  were  occupied  until 
August  26th  in  setting  things  in  order  and  preparing  for  the 
pioneers'  return  to  Winter  Quarters. 

On  the  way,  they  met  Elder  Benson  as  a  messenger  from 
the  moving  camp  of  Israel,  and  later  on  met  the  camp  itself  in 
different  bodies,  chiefly  in  charge  of  Elders  Parley  P.  Pratt 
and  John  Taylor.  The  whole  company  consisted  of  600  wagons. 
President  Woodruff  met  his  father  in  the  train  but  his  step-mother 
had  gone  back  to  Iowa  to  live  with  her  daughter  Emma.  On 
the  journey  many  interesting  meetings  were  held  and  much  choice 
instruction  given  and  some  reproofs  meted  out,  especially  by 
President  Brigham  Young.  It  was  a  constant  schooling.  Like 
ancient  Israel,  the  Saints  were  not  free  from  faults,  and  needed 
training  and  reproving  to  prepare  them  for  greater  things. 

Brother  Woodruff  recorded  in  his  journal  nearly  all  the  coun- 
sels, teachings,  and  ministrations  of  President  Young  which  oc- 
curred on  the  journey.  A  few  incidents  of  an  exciting  nature 
occurred  on  the  route.  On  the  10th  of  September,  near  the  Sweet 
Water,  the  horses  were  stolen,  and  also  those  belonging  to  the 
Saints  on  their  way  to  the  Valley.  Of  this  episode  Elder  Wood- 
ruff writes :  "The  alarm  was  given  early  next  morning  that  a 
lot  of  our  horses  and  mules  were  stolen.  Bells  were  found  cut 
from  the  horses,  also  lariats  cut  off,  an  arrow  picked  up,  and  other 
signs  of  Indians  were  in  evidence.  The  trail  was  finally  found 
and  a  company  of  200  horsemen  started  in  pursuit  of  the  Indians. 
It  looked  gloomy  to  see  so  many  women  and  children  here  in  the 
mountains  with  their  horses  and  cattle  .stolen.  Thirty  norses  were 
taken  from  the  pioneer  camps,  and  twenty  from  the  other  camps. 
"The  company  remained  together  during  the  day,  and  in  the 
evening  assembled  for  meeting  and  was  addressed  by  Orson  Pratt, 
Heber  C.  Kimball,  and  Brigham  Young.  During  the  evening, 
two  of  the  brethren  returned  from  the  pursuit  of  the  Indians  and 
brought  back  five  of  the  horses. 

"Next  morning  we  parted  with  our  friends  who  were  going 
West,  and  those  of  us  who  had  not  lost  horses  divided  with  those 

22 


322  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

who  had.  As  we  journeyed  on,  we  met  the  remainder  of  our 
brethren  returning  from  the  Indian  chase,  but  with  no  more  of 
the  horses  that  were  stolen.  The  enemy  had  taken  forty  three." 

Ten  days  later,  on  the  morning  of  September  21st,  another 
exciting  disturbance  with  the  Indians  took  place.  He  writes: 
"About  9  a.  m.  the  call  was  made  to  get  our  horses-.  I  started 
for  them  in  the  timber,  one-half  mile  from  camp.  When  about 
two  thirds  of  the  way  one  of  the  most  exciting  scenes  occurred. 
I  heard  several  reports  of  guns  in  quick  succession.  At  the  same 
time,  our  guard  cried  out,  'Indians !  Indians !'  In  less  than  a 
minute  the  timber  and  bluffs  were  lined  with  mounted  Indians 
charging  with  all  speed  upon  our  guard,  horses,  and  camps.  They 
shot  at  several  of  the  guards  but  missed  them.  The  Indians  took 
a  couple  of  the  guards  and  tried  to  carry  them  off  by  force,  but 
the  guards  knocked  them  down  with  their  fists  and  escaped.  Some 
of  the  brethren  snapped  their  guns  at  the  Indians  but  the  guns 
missed  fire  and  no  blood  was  shed. 

"As  soon  as  I  heard  the  report  of  the  guns  and  the  cry 
of  Indians,  and  saw  them  driving  off  horses,  and  gathering  thick 
and  fast  upon  every  hand,  I  ran  to  camp  with  all  speed  and  gave 
the  alarm,  calling  upon  all  to  gather  arms  and  mount  their  horses. 
Brothers  Kimball,  Rockwood,  Matthews,  and  several  others  sprang 
to  their  horses  with  guns  and  pistols  in  hand  and  ran  to  stop 
the  horses  the  Indians  were  driving  away.  One  party  of  Indians 
had  driven  about  a  dozen  horses  and  mules  over  the  hills.  Broth- 
er Kimball  took  after  them.  Two  Indians  had  gone  over  the 
bluff  with  my  horse  and  mule.  Brother  Rockwood  went  after 
them,  and  at  the  same  time  about  20  of  our  horses  came  rushing  to- 
ward camp,  frightened  by  the  Indians.  With  great  exertion  Presi- 
dent Young  and  one  or  two  others  succeeded  in  getting  them 
stopped  and  turned  them  into  camp. 

"As  soon  as  I  arrived  in  camp,  I  opened  my  trunk,  took  out 
my  belt  containing  8  pistol  shots,  buckled  it  on  as  soon  as  pos- 
sible, put  a  saddle  and  bridle  on  a  broken  down  horse,  for  want 
of  a  better  one,  and  mounted  without  spur  or  whip  and  gave  chase 
after  my  own  horses.  I  could  not  go  fast  over  rough  roads  with 
a  poor  horse,  but  went  as  fast  as  possible.  As  soon  as  I  began  to 
ascend  the  bluffs,  I  saw  Indians  gathering  thick  on  every  hand, 
closing  in  between  me  and  the  camp.  As  I  passed  one  Indian, 


RETURN  TO  WINTER  QUARTERS,  1847.    323 

he  was  priming  his  gun,  but  I  continued  the  chase.  While  going 
up  a  ravine  with  steep  bluffs  on  each  side,  an  avalanche  of  some 
thirty  Indians  rushed  down  upon  me  and  hedged  me  in  so  that 
I  could  not  get  out.  Within  a  few  feet  of  me  a  large  Indian  drew 
a  gun  on  me.  I  presented  a  sixshooter  at  his  breast  and  gave  a 
yell,  which  I  had  no  sooner  done  than  he  gave  a  whoop  and  ran  up 
the  hill,  all  the  other  Indians  following  his  example. 

"As  soon  as  my  horse  and  mule  got  over  their  fright  and 
were  out  of  sight  of  the  camp,  they  tried  to  return  to  it,  and 
troubled  the  Indians  in  driving  them.  Brother  Rockwood  soon 
came  near  them,  and  when  the  Indians  found  they  were  overtaken, 
one  "stopped  and  professed  friendship,  while  the  other  tried  to 
drive  the  horses  on.  Brother  Rockwood  fired  his  pistol  at  him 
and  the  Indians  both  ran  away,  and  we  soon  caught  the  horses. 
While  this  was  going  on,  nearly  forty  Indians  surrounded  Broth- 
er Kimball  and  some  of  the  brethren  started  to  his  assistance. 
Indians  were  also  on  every  side  of  me  until  I  got  to  the  camp. 

"The  brethren  who  were  with  me  having  gone  to  the  assis- 
tance of  Brother  Kimball,  the  camp  was  left  with  but  few  to 
protect  it,  so  that  when  I  arrived  I  found  one  hundred  and  fifty 
warriors  had  gathered  around  it,  all  dressed  in  tke  greatest  war 
style.  The  old  chief  then  addressed  us  and  said  they  were  good 
Sioux,  and  they  had  taken  us  to  be  Crows  or  Snakes.  When  they 
found  they  could  get  no  more  of  our  horses  and  that  three  had 
been  retaken,  they  professed  friendship.  There  were  eleven  horses 
in  all  taken  by  the  Indians  who  numbered  about  200  warriors, 
well  mounted,  while  there  were  not  more  than  20  of  our  men  en- 
gaged in  stopping  and  retaking  the  horses.  Brother  Gould  took 
one  of  the  Indian's  horses  and  an  Indian  brought  back  Brother 
Woolsey's  horse  and  exchanged  for  him.  This,  with  my  two 
horses,  were  the  only  ones  taken  during  the  skirmish. 

"When  the  Indians  gathered  before  our  camp,  they  saw  that 
we  were  armed,  and  knew  that  we  had  treated  them  kindly  on  our 
way  to  the  Valley.  The  old  chief  then  proposed  that  we  smoke 
the  pipe  of  peace;  and  that  if  our  chief,  pointing  to  President 
Young,  would  go  to  their  camp,  they  would  smoke  with  him  and 
give  up  the  horses  they  had  taken.  Brother  Brigham  was  not 
well,  and  we  did  not  think  it  prudent  for  him  to  go. 

"While  engaged  in  the  above  conversation  with  the  Indians, 


324  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

Brother  Kimball  who  had  been  out  on  the  chase,  returned  bare 
headed,  having  dropped  his  hat.  He  was  accompanied  by  Brother 
Benson,  and  in  riding  into  camp  rushed  his  horse  through  the 
midst  of  the  Indians.  They  feared  some  treachery,  or  that  he 
was  an  enemy.  They  leaped  upon  their  horses  and  dashed  away 
from  the  camp,  some  even  running  into  the  creek.  As  soon  as 
they  saw  that  no  harm  was  intended,  they  returned  and  took  their 
places,  having  a  hearty  laugh  at  their  fright. 

"Brother  Kimball  volunteered  to  accompany  the  chief  into  his 
camp,  in  place  of  President  Young,  that  we  might  get  our  horses. 
Brother  Stephen  Markham  and  myself  volunteered  to  go  with 
him,  so  we  three  mounted  our  horses  and  started  on  the  expedi- 
tion. We  took  a  Frenchman  with  us  who  could  speak  a  little  of 
the  Sioux  language. 

"The  Indians  told  us  their  camp  was  one  mile  away,  but  we 
traveled  seven  miles  over  bluffs  and  valleys  before  we  came  in 
sight  of  it.  The  camp  was  three  miles  distant  yet,  so  we  halted 
and  waited  for  them.  When  they  came  up  to  us  they  pitched 
about  one  hundred  lodges.  They  numbered  about  six  hundred, 
men,  women,  and  children,  and  brought  with  them  about  one  thou- 
sand horses  and  mules,  all  of  which  we  supposed  were  stolen 
from  emigrants  and  from  Indian  tribes. 

"Their  camps  presented  a  very  picturesque  and  amusing  ap- 
pearance. Among  their  horses  we  readily  recognized  our  own, 
which  were  stolen  on  the  night  we  camped  with  Brother  Grant's 
company.  We  lost  nearly  fifty  head  that  night  and  here  they  were 
in  the  drove  which  these  Indians  had. 

"The  old  chief  called  together  the  war  chiefs  and  placed 
them  on  his  left  han^,  and  ourselves  on  his  right,  and  sac  dovv-n 
upon  the  grass,  filled  a  long  pipe  with  kinnikinic,  smoked  it,  and 
passed  it  to  his  chiefs.  They  smoked  and  passed  it  to  us,  and  we 
each  smoked  in  turn.  The  old  chief  then  told  us  to  pick  out  our 
horses,  which  we  undertook  to  do,  but  found  it  no  easy  task  to 
pick  out  a  few  horses  from  among  one  thousand  others  scattered 
for  nearly  two  miles  up  the  creek.  After  a  laborious  search,  we 
got  all  but  two  that  were  stolen  that  morning.  We  spoke  to  the 
chief  about  the  two  horses  they  still  had  in  their  possession,  but 
while  they  acknowledged  they  had  them,  they  gave  us  no  en- 
couragement that  they  would  let  us  have  them  upon  our  arrival 


RETURN  TO  WINTER  QUARTERS,  1847.    325 

at  Laramie,  but  would  only  let  us  have  one  of  them  now.  The 
brethren  presented  the  chief  with  three  bushels  of  salt  and  we 
then  returned  to  camp.  Thus  ended  the  exciting  scenes  and  busi- 
ness of  the  day." 

In  a  subsequent  effort  to  regain  these  stolen  horses  they  were 
unsuccessful.  It  appears  that  the  Indians  did  not  fulfill  their 
promise,  but  spirited  the  horses  away  where  they  could  not  be 
found. 

On  the  2nd  of  October,  Brother  Woodruff  and  Luke  Johnson 
started  out  in  search  of  some  buffalo  meat.  He  writes  of  this  as 
follows :  "We  started  at  day  break,  and  the  wolves,  whose  cries 
had  rent  the  air  during  the  night,  were  slinking  away  in  all  di- 
rections as  we  rode  along,  and  the  beautiful  swans  were  floating 
upon  the  water,  adding  charm  to  the  scene.  Soon,  a  large  herd 
of  buffaloes  was  in  sight.  We  left  our  horses  and  stole  upon  them 
as  stealthily  as  we  could.  The  picket  guards  were  frightened 
several  times,  but  we  managed  to  reassure  them.  There  is  no 
well  disciplined  army  of  men  more  particular  to  have  an  old  ex- 
perienced guard  on  a  close  look  out  than  a  herd  of  buffaloes." 
After  an  exciting  hunt  they  succeeded  in  getting  only  one  cow. 
On  the  8th  they  had  a  beautiful  view  of  a  herd  of  elk,  but  did  not 
succeed  in  procuring  any.  On  the  17th  they  organized  a  hunting 
expedition  and  succeeded  in  killing  two  buffaloes,  which  supplied 
them  with  meat  for  a  short  time. 

On  the  19th  they  were  met  by  the  police  from  Winter  Quar- 
ters, who  were  led  by  Brother  Hosea  Stout.  These  brethren 
escorted  the  pioneer  company  back,  and  they  all  arrived  on  the 
banks  of  the  Missouri,  October.  31st,  1847.  A  few  days  previous 
to  Brother  Woodruff's  arrival,  Sister  Woodruff  had  given  birth 
to  a  daughter.  Mother  and  child  were  doing  well,  and  all  were 
cheerful  and  happy. 

The  eventiful  year  of  1847  was  now  drawing  to  a  close,  and 
ere  it  became  merged  into  eternity,  one  more  great  event  had 
been  catalogued  in  the  great  book  of  God's  purpose  for  fulfillment. 
On  December  5th  in  a  council  held  at  Elder  Orson  Hyde's, 
President  Brigham  Young  was  chosen  and  sustained  by  the 
counsel  to  be  the  President,  Prophet,  Seer,  and  Revelator  to  the 
Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints,  with  Heber  C. 
Kimball  and  Willard  Richards  as  his  first  and  second  counselors. 


326 


WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 


Father  John  Smith,  uncle  to  the  Prophet  Joseph,  was  chosen  the 
following  day  to  be  the  Presiding  Patriarch  of  the  Church.  This 
action  was  ratified  by  the  unanimous  vote  of  the  general  confer- 
ence held  in  the  Log  Tabernacle,  December  27th,  1847.  About 
1,000  souls  were  assembled,  and  with  one  united  vote  sustained 
these  brethren  in  the  First  Presidency,  and  in  the  Patriarchal 
office  of  the  Church. 

The  Apostles  present  at  the  council  and  the  conference  were 
Brigham  Young,  Heber  C.  Kimball,  Orson  Hytfe,  Orson  Pratt, 
Willard  Richards,  Wilford  Woodruff,  George  A.  Smith,  Amasa 
Lyman,  and  Ezra  T.  Benson.  Of  the  event,  President  Woodruff 
wrote  in  his  journal : 

"From  President  Young's  teachings  we  learned  that  it  was 
necessary  to  keep  up  a  full  organization  of  the  Church,  through 
all  time,  as  far  as  could  be,  at  least  the  First  Presidency,  Quorum 
of  the  Twelve,  Seventies,  and  Patriarchs,  over  the  whole  Church. 

The  affairs  of  the  Saints  at  Winter  Quarters  were  prosperous, 
and  prospects  bright  for  the  New  Year. 


CHAPTER  30. 

A  MISSION  TO  THE  EAST,  1848. 

In  Winter  Quarters. — Battle  of  Nauvoo  Commemorated. — Organiza- 
tion of  Pottowatamie  County. — Bids  President  Young  and  Saints 
Good-by. — Journey  from  Winter  Quarters  to  Nauvoo. — From  Nau- 
voo to  Maine. — A  Letter  to  His  Wife. — Healing  the  Sick. — Discov- 
ery of  Gold  in  California. 

During  the  first  three  months  of  the  year  1848,  Apostle 
Woodruff  devoted  himself  to  the  usual  routine  of  business  inci- 
dent to  frontier  life.  They  were  laying  the  foundations  of  a 
commonwealth  and  strengthening  the  religious  organizations 
which  were  to  play  an  important  part  in  the  social  and  religious 
life  of  the  people.  There  were  frequent  meetings  of  the  Twelve 
and  the  Presidency,  and  the  future  aspects  of  both  the  people  and 
the  country  were  under  daily  consideration. 

It  was  during  the  early  part  of  this  year  that  petitions  were 
sent  to  the  Iowa  Legislature,  one  asking  for  a  county  on  the 
Pottawatomie  tract  of  land,  and  the  other  for  a  post-office.  Elder 
Henry  Miller  was  the  bearer  of  these  petitions.  About  the  same 
time  the  question  of  a  disposition  of  the  Nauvoo  Temple  came  up, 
owing  to  the  recent  arrival  from  that  city  of  Almon  Babbit, 
Hyrum  Kimball,  and  John  Snyder.  President  Young  was  firm 
in  his  view  that  the  Temple  there  should  not  be  sold. 

The  battle  of  Nauvoo,  which  had  been  fought  on  September 
12th,  1846,  was  commemorated  on  this  aniversary  by  those  who 
had  taken  part  in  the  engagement.  They  wore  a  red  badge  on 
the  left  arm,  as  they  had  done  during  the  contest,  to  distinguish 
them  from  their  enemies.  The  disparity  in  numbers  between  the 
Latter-day  Saints  and  their  enemies, — about  100  of  the  former  and 
between  eight  and  ten  hundred  of  the  latter — was  so  great  that 
the  Saints  felt  that  they  had  been  the  recipients  of  Divine  favor, 
especially  in  view  of  the  fact  that  only  three  of  their  number 
bad  been  lost. 

About  the  middle  of  the  same  month,  Orson  Hyde  returned 
from  the  East.  News  also  came  at  the  same  time  of  the  success 
which  the  missionary  work  in  Wales  was  achieving,  principally 


328  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

through  the  labors  of  Captain  Dan  Jones.  While  the  opposition 
there  was  intense,  the  struggle  redounded  to  the  spread  of  the 
Gospel  and  the  increase  of  Saints  through  baptism. 

March  1st  was  the  41st  anniversary  of  Wilford  Woodruff's 
life.  A  few  days  later,  on  the  night  of  March  15th,  he  records  a 
remarkable  dream  in  which  he  passed  in  spirit  through  the  air 
from  state  to  state,  escaped  from  his  enemies  and  passed  on  to 
heaven.  "I  saw,"  he  says,  "JosePn  and  Hyrum  and  many  others 
of  the  Latter-day  Saints  who  had  died.  The  innumerable  com- 
pany of  souls  which  I  saw  seemed  to  be  preparing  for  some  grand 
and  important  event  which  I  could  not  understand.  Many  were 
engaged  in  making  crowns  for  the  Saints.  They  were  all  dressed 
in  white  robes,  both  male  and  female." 

About  this  time  Wilford  Woodruff  recorded  in  his  journal 
the  death  of  John  Quincy  Adams,  and  made  special  mention  of 
the  death  of  John  Adams  and  Thomas  Jefferson,  men  in  whose 
life  and  attainments  he  had  taken  great  interest.  His  life  was 
not  confined  to  the  limits  of  his  personal  activity,  as  he  took  a 
deep  interest  in  all  that  was  going  on  throughout  the  world. 

On  the  27th  of  March,  the  leaders  of  the  Church  met  in 
council  for  the  purpose  of  establishing  a  political  organization  of 
Pottawattamie  County.  The  relations  of  the  Church  to  political 
questions  were  carefully  considered,  and  from  the  outset  it  was 
determined  to  keep  separate  the  religious  and  political  organi- 
zations of  the  new  county  which  they  were  bringing  into  exist- 
ence. They  were  a  religious  body  of  men  in  whose  minds  relig- 
ious influences  were  dominant.  It  would  have  been  the  most 
natural  thing,  perhaps,  in  the  world,  for  them  to  establish  a  politi- 
co-ecclesiastical government;  however,  they  recognized  from  the 
outset,  the  constitution  of  their  country,  respected  the  forms  of 
civil  government,  and  so  separated  it  from  their  religious  organi- 
zations that  non-Mormons  who  should  thereafter  settle  in  their 
midst,  might  enjoy  with  perfect  freedom  their  political  rights, 
'ihis,  however,  did  not  mean  as  some  non-Mormons  thought  it 
ought  to  mean,  that  they  should  be  elected  to  office,  and  the  fail- 
ure to  recognize  them  became  a  source  of  disturbance. 

As  the  time  for  holding  the  annual  conference  for  April 
approached,  there  appeared  before  the  leaders  several  Pawnee 
crrefs  asking  in  behalf  of  their  people  who  were  starving  for  food, 


A  MISSION  TO  THE  EAST,  1848.  329 

for  one  hundred  bushels  of  corn.  The  request  was  granted,  the 
corn  loaded  upon  the  backs  of  the  mules  belonging  to  the  Indians, 
who  returned  to  their  people  with  feelings  of  joy  and  appreci- 
ation. The  spirit  begotten  by  such  an  act  of  generosity  opened 
the  hearts  of  the  Saints  for  the  enjoyment  of  their  conference, 
and  fitted  them  more  perfectly  for  the  worship  of  God.  President 
Young  commented  upon  the  organization  of  the  Presidency  which 
he  said  might  have  been  effected  the  first  conference  after  the 
Prophet's  death,  but  it  was  not  wisdom  to  do  so.  The  authority 
and  keys  had  been  committed  to  the  Twelve,  and  the  Saints  in  fol- 
lowing Brigham  Young  and  the  Quorum  of  which  he  was  presi- 
dent, fully  demonstrated  their  spirit  to  discern  where  the  presiding 
authority  of  the  Church  was  to  be  found.  The  interval  between 
the  death  of  the  Prophet  and  the  organization  of  the  new  Presi- 
dency gave  the  Saints  ample  opportunity  by  experience  to  con- 
jrm  their  belief  in  the  leadership  of  President  Young  and  his 
council.  Before  the  conference  closed,  officers  of  the  high  priests 
and  elder's  quorum  where  chosen,  also  a  high  council  for  the 
Church  in  Pottawatamie  County. 

Special  attention  was  also  given  at  that  time  to  the  condition 
of  the  poor,  particularly  to  the  families  of  the  soldiers  who  had 
enlisted  in  the  Mormon  Battalion.  A  special  committee  was  ap- 
pointed to  locate  the  poor  and  provide  for  their  wants.  A  call 
was  made  for  teams  and  wagons,  and  a  hearty  response  was 
given.  After  the  conference,  Philo  Dibble  exhibited  his  paint- 
ings of  the  martyrdom  of  Joseph  and  Hyrum  Smith,  and  of 
Joseph's  last  address  to  the  Nauvoo  Legion.  There  are  many 
of  the  present  generation  who  will  remember  Elder  Dibble's  ef- 
forts to  preserve  and  disseminate  the  early  history  of  the  Church 
by  exhibitions  of  his  art,  which  he  gave  for  the  benefit  of  the 
Saints  for  many  years  throughout  the  stakes  of  Zion. 

Soon  after  the  close  of  conference  three  of  the  Battalion  boys 
arrived  from  Salt  Lake  Valley,  popularly  know  as  ''The  Valley," 
and  gave  encouraging  reports  from  the  Saints  there.  They 
brought  with  them  letters  to  the  families  that  remained  in  Winter 
Quarters.  At, about  this  time  an  effort  was  made  to  move  the 
bodieb  of  the  dead  to  a  new  cemetery  which  had  been  selected. 
The  graves  of  many  were  so  marked  that  they  might  be  identi- 
fied in  years  to  come.  There,  two  of  Wilford  Woodruff's  sons, 


330  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

Joseph  and  Ezra,  were  buried  in  a  grave  designated  No.  34,  and 
marked  "J.  E.  W." 

While  the  spirit  of  gathering  to  their  new  found  home  in 
the  tops  of  the  mountains  was  uppermost  in  the  minds  of  those 
at  Winter  Quarters,  the  leaders  kept  constantly  before  them  their 
mission  of  carrying  the  message  of  the  new  revelation  to  the 
nations  of  the  earth.  Apostle  Woodruff  was  preparing  for  a 
mission  to  the  East,  and  Orson  Pratt,  to  England.  These  men 
were  specially  fitted  by  nature  and  experience  for  missionary 
work,  and  their  talents  were  fully  recognized  and  made  use  of. 
At  the  same  time  President  Young  was  making  preparations  for 
another  journey  across  the  plains  to  Salt  Lake  Valley. 

These  were  busy  days  at  Winter  Quarters.  All  were  full 
of  hope  and  grand  expectations.  On  Sunday,  April  14th,  Presi- 
dent Young  in  an  address  prophesied  that  the  Saints  would  never 
be  driven  from  the  Rocky  Mountains,  unless  they  were  guilty 
of  insurrection  among  themselves,  and  he  had  no  fear  of  that. 
In  the  midst  of  preparations,  a  steam-boat  arrived  on  the  Mis- 
souri River  at  Winter  Quarters  loaded  with  groceries  and  gener- 
al provisions  needed  by  the  people.  The  same  steam-boat  afforded 
Orson  Pratt  an  opportunity  to  embark  on  his  mission  to  Eng- 
land. A  few  days  later  another  steamer  came  with  150  Saints 
from  England.  These  were  accompanied  by  Elders  Franklin  D. 
and  Samuel  W.  Richards  on  their  return  from  the  British  mission. 

On  Friday  the  26th  day  of  May,  1848,  President  Young 
began  his  second  journey  to  the  Rocky  Mountains.  Elder  Wood- 
ruff writes :  "In  company  with  Orson  Hyde,  E.  T.  Benson,  and 
others,  on  the  22nd  of  June,  I  rode  out  to  the  Horn  to  meet  Presi- 
dents Young  and  Kimball  and  the  Camp  of  Israel.  We  found 
on  our  arrival  that  all  had  crossed,  and  that  Loienzo  Snow  and 
Zera  Pulsipher,  captains  of  hundreds,  had  gone  on,  each  with 
his  hundred.  There  were  about  600  wagons  in  all  and  they  made 
a  grand  encampment — a  beautiful  sight,  indeed.  I  spent  a  little 
time  with  President  Young;  went  through  the  camp,  and  on  the 
following  day  bade  good-bye  to  the  Saints  and  returned  to  Winter 
Quarters." 

The  efforts  to  provide  the  necessary  equipments  for  this 
second  exodus  across  the  plains  brought  its  hardship  to  those 
who  remained.  The  latter  were  without  sufficient  means  to  meet 


A  MISSION  TO  THE  EAST,  1848.  331 

their  wants.  President  Richards  was  at  this  time  sick  and  in' 
straightened  circumstances,  so  that  he  was  unable  to  accompany 
the  Saints  on  their  westward  journey. 

Those  who  remained  were  naturally  weakened  in  their  ability 
to  defend  themselves  by  the  departure  of  the  strongest — those 
best  able  to  endure  the  journey.  '  They  naturally  feared  their 
wakened  condition  and  the  danger  from  Indians,  to  which  they 
were  subjected.  On  the  14th  there,  was  a  bugle  sound  "To  arms !" 
The  report  came  that  the  Indians  vvere  coming  upon  the  people. 
The  alarm,  however,  was  not  justified,  although  the  people  were 
greatly  disturbed  in  their  feelings  by  such  excitement. 

It  was  distinctly  the  Indian's  country  in  those  days,  and  the 
Saints  had  no  one  but  themselves  to  look  to  for  protection.  The 
forces  of  the  United  States  government  were  then  engaged  in 
Mexico.  It  is  interesting  at  this  point  to  observe  that  where  the 
city  of  Omaha  now  stands  the  Saints  were  once  busily  engaged 
cultivating  the  soil  and  providing  means  for  their  expected  jour- 
ney westward,  although  Winter  Quarters  was  a  few  miles  north 
from  the  present  site  of  Omaha. 

On  June  21st,  1848,  Elder  Woodruff  with  his  family,  and 
several  others,  eleven  in  all,  started  upon  his  Eastern  mission. 
They  first  went  to  Mt.  Pisgah  where  they  found  a  number  of 
the  Saints  to  whom  they  preached.  There  would  naturally  be 
some  misgiving  as  to  the  faith  and  continuity  of  those  who  re- 
mained some  distance  in  the  rear  of  the  Saints,  those  who  were  un- 
willing to  follow  the  lead  of  President  Young  and  the  Twelve 
would  naturally  discourage  the  more  timid  ones. 

It  was  during  this  journey,  and  on  the  5th  of  July,  that 
Elder  Woodruff  records  a  miraculous  escape  by  one  of  those 
spiritual  impressions  that  frequently  came  across  his  life.  He  had 
tied  his  mules  to  an  oak-wood  tree  beside  which  he  was  camping. 
His  children  were  sleeping  in  the  wagon,  and  he  felt  impressed  to 
move  from  his  camping-ground,  so  he  moved  his  children  into 
a  house.  Only  a  short  time  elapsed  when  a  thunder-storm  swept 
over  the  place  in  great  fury.  Of  the  circumstance  he  writes :  "We 
had  just  retired  when  the  storm  reached  us  in  great  fury,  and  in  a 
moment  the  large  oak  came  thundering  down  to  the  ground  with 
a  terrific  crash.  Had  I  not  moved  my  mules,  it  would  probably 
have  killed  them.  Had  I  not  moved  my  carriage,  it  would  have 


332  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

"been  crushed  to  atoms,  and  we  would  have  been  killed,  as  the  tree 
fell  where  my  carriage  stood.  It  just  missed  Brother  Kingsley's 
wagon.  I  consider  my  impression  an  interposition  of  Providence 
to  save  our  lives." 

On  the  9th,  they  arrived  at  Nauvoo  and  went  through  the 
Temple  from  basement  to  ste'eple,  and  again  gazed  on  the  once 
beautiful,  but  now  desolate  city  of  Nauvoo.  While  at  the  city, 
in  the  home  of  Almon  Babbit,  Elder  Woodruff  met  a  man  who 
had  come  from  Michigan  to  hear  the  gospel,  and  to  whom  he 
preached  for  one  hour  and  then  led  him  down  into  the  waters  of 
the  Mississippi.  During  the  same  day,  in  a  house  built  by  George 
A.  Smith,  and  occupied  by  Elder  John  Snyder,  he  confirmed 
the  man  whom  he  had  just  baptized  and  ordained  him  an  elder 
and  sent  him  on  his  way  rejoicing. 

Before  leaving  Nauvoo  on  his  eastward  journey,  he  sold  his 
mules,  carriage  and  harness  and  took  steamer  down  the  river 
to  St.  Louis.  From  this  point  Elder  Woodruff  boarded  a  steamer 
for  La  Salle,  Illinois,  and  thence  to  Louisville,  where  he  visited 
his  brother-in-law  and  sister,  Luther  and  Rhoda  Scammon. 
Here  death,  for  the  fourth  time,  entered  his  family  circle  and 
called  to  the  spirit  world  an  infant  of  nine  months. 

Here  Elder  Woodruff's  industrious  nature  asserted  itself,  and 
he  went  into  the  wheat  field  pitching  bundles  ol  grain.  After 
leaving  his  kinsmen  he  continued  his  journey  by  wagon,  rivers, 
lakes,  and  railways  via  Chicago  and  arrived  in  Boston  on  August 
12th,  1848.  The  journey,  by  the  route  which  he  had  taken  from 
Council  Bluffs,  covered  a  distance  of  2,595  miles.  He  remained 
some  time  preaching  the  gospel  at  Boston  and  then  continued  his 
journey  to  Portland,  Maine.  From  there  he  went  to  Scarboro 
where  he  met  other  relations.  It  was  a  happy  reunion  after  a 
separation  of  eight  years. 

The  return  of  Apostle  Woodruff  to  the  East  would  naturally 
awaken  within  him  the  keenest  satisfaction  over  the  opportunity 
it  afforded  to  meet,  after  years  of  strenuous  life  and  marvelous  ad- 
venture, old  friends  and  kinsmen.  To  them,  his  affections  first 
turned,  and  he  told  all  the  wonderful  things  which  God  had 
wrought  in  the  gathering  of  the  Saints  to  the  Valleys  of  the 
Mountains.  From  Maine  he  returned  to  Boston,  went  on  to 
New  York,  and  a  little  later  took  up  his  labors  in  Philadelphia. 


A  MISSION  TO  THE  EAST,  1848.  333 

It  was  here  he  called  on  Colonel  Kane,  a  tried  and  true  friend  to 
the  Mormon  people  in  the  hour  of  their  sorrow.  By  Colonel  Kane 
he  was  most  cordially  welcomed. 

To  his  wife  who  remained  with  her  people  in  Maine,  he 
wrote  on  October  18th,  1848,  this  very  significant  letter :  "I  have 
been  much  blessed  by  the  spirit  of  God  since  I  saw  you.  I  have 
felt  more  of  the  presence  and  power  of  God  in  me  than  I  ex- 
pected to  enjoy  on  this  Eastern  mission.  I  have  felt  that  someone 
has  prayed  for  me  much  of  late.  I  wonder  if  it  was  Phoebe ! 
I  know  how  often  you  pray  for  me,  and  I  feel  its  power  and  prize 
it  much.  I  have  never  felt  such  a  desire  to  prove  worthy  of  your 
confidence  and  trust,  and  shun  every  appearance  of  evil,  keep  out 
of  the  path  of  all  temptation,  and  do  right  in  all  things.  I  have 
had  much  of  the  spirit  of  secret  prayer,  have  poured  out  my  soul 
in  supplication  to  God  with  tears  of  joy,  and  at  the  same  time 
the  visions  of  my  mind  have  been  opened  so  that  I  saw  clearly  my 
duty  to  my  God,  to  my  wife,  to  my  children,  to  the  Saints,  and 
to  the  world  at  large.  I  have  also  seen  the  awful  and  certain 
judgments  of  God,  which  like  a  gathering  storm  are  ready  to 
burst  upon  the  whole  Gentile  world,  especially  this  nation  which 
has  heard  the  sound  of  the  gospel  but  rejected  it,  together  with 
the  testimony  of  the  servants  of  God;  has  stoned  and  killed  the 
prophets ;  has  become  drunk  with  the  blood  of  martyrs  and  Saints ; 
and  finally  has  driven  the  entire  Church  with  the  priesthood  and 
keys  of  eternal  life  out  of  its  midst  into  the  wilderness  and 
mountains  of  Israel." 

At  New  Haven,  on  the  21st,  a  remarkable  case  of  healing  oc- 
curred, of  which  Elder  Woodruff  writes  as  follows:  "A  sister 
Turtle  was  very  low  with  yellow  fever.  Some  of  Job's  comforters 
had  called  upon  her  and  reproached  her  for  being  a  Latter-day 
Saint,  and  had  asked  her  why  she  did  not  get  her  elders  to  heal 
her.  While  under  this  strain  and  reproach  she  cried  out,  'O,  that 
the  Lord  would  send  Brother  Woodruff  here!'  It  was  only  a 
few  moments  before  she  received  a  note  from  me  saying  that  I 
was  coming  to  see  her.  When  I  came,  we  laid  hands  upon  her  and 
she  was  healed,  and  I  returned  home  praising  God.  The  follow- 
ing day,  Sunday,  Mr.  Smith  Turtle  and  his  wife,  who  had  been 
healed  the  day  before,  were  present  in  our  meeting. 

"On  the  23rd  of  October,  1848,  I  ordained  Jairus  Sanford 


334  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

a  high  priest.  He  was  nearly  86  years  of  age.  He  had  been  liber- 
al with  his  means  and  faithful  in  his  duties.  I  left  the  aged  patri- 
arch rejoicing  in  God  and  went  on  my  way  to  Noith  Haven." 

On  the  25th  of  October,  Elder  Woodruff  arrived  in  Boston  by 
rail  and  found  himself  in  the  midst  of  a  grand  demonstration. 
The  people  were  celebrating  the  inauguration  of  a  new  water 
system  by  which  the  water  of  the  Long  Pond  was  conveyed  into 
the  city  of  Boston.  The  procession  covered  a  distance  of  seven 
miles,  requiring  two  and  a  half  hours  to  pass  any  given  point. 
Of  that  ocasion  Elder  Woodruff  writes:  "At  the  close  of  the 
speeches  the  mayor  arose  and  said:  'Fellow  citizens,  it  is  pro- 
posed that  the  water  of  Lake  Cochitreate  be  admitted  into  the 
city  of  Boston.  All  those  who  favor  it  say,  'aye/  The  response 
was  in  a  voice  of  thunder.  At  a  given  signal  a  column  of  water 
8  feet  in  diameter  shot  up  80  feet  in  the  air  and  fell  into  a  great 
reservoir."  In  the  evening  there  were  fire-works  and  other  il- 
luminations. This  was  considered  at  this  time  the  grandest  cele- 
bration ever  witnessed  in  any  American  city. 

On  the  following  day,  October  26th,  Elder  Woodruff  went 
to  New  Bedford  with  Brother  Nathaniel  Coray.  It  was  there 
he  read  with  feelings  of  deep  sorrow  the  burning  of  the  Nauvoo 
Temple  by  a  mob.  He  then  went  to  Maine  where  he  had  parted 
from  his  wife  earlier  in  the  year,  and  returned  with  her  to  Cam- 
bridgeport  on  the  17th  of  November.  Here  he  took  a  house  for 
his  family,  and  finished  the  labors  of  the  year  in  Boston  and  its 
vicinity.  Here  he  compiled  a  brief  account  of  the  current  events 
among  the  nations  of  the  earth.  He  read  history  in  the  light 
of  God's  recent  revelations,  and  out  of  it  he  extracted  the  signs 
of  the  times. 

The  year  had  been  a  trying  one  to  the  Saints  in  Utah  who 
were  greatly  distressed  because  of  the  cricket  plague,  from  which, 
however,  they  were  measurably  relieved  by  the  miraculous  de- 
struction of  these  insects  by  the  sea-gulls. 

Gold  had  been  discovered  in  California  by  members  of  the 
Mormon  Battalion,  and  by  others,  a  circumstance  which  created 
a  feverish  excitement  throughout  the  Eastern  States.  The  rush 
to  California  again  brought  the  Saints  in  Utah  into  conspicu- 
ous relations  with  the  outside  world.  That  meaiit  financial  relief 
to  the  people  in  Salt  Lake  City. 


A  MISSION  TO  THE  EAST,  1848.  33$ 

In  his  journal  he  records  the  fact  that  Captain  Dan  Jones 
by  his  labors  in  Wales  was  adding  to  the  Church  many  persons 
each  month.  Elder  Orson  Spencer  gave  very  encouraging  ac- 
counts of  the  work  throughout  the  British  Isles. 

it  was  at  this  time  that  Almon  Babbit  called  upon  Elder 
Woodruff  and  sought  to  induce  him  to  go  to  Washington  for  the 
purpose  of  accomplishing  certain  things  which  he  said  would  be 
favorable  to  the  Latter-day  Saints.  "After  hearing  him,  I  con- 
cluded that  he  was  working  on  his  own  account  and  without  the 
counsel  of  the  President  of  the  Church.  I  therefore  concluded 
that  my  health,  calling,  and  the  spirit  within  me  would  not  permit 
me  to  leave  the  mission  upon  which  I  was  sent,  to  go  to  Washing- 
ton." SuDequent  events  proved  the  correctness  of  his  impressions. 

Concerning  the  events  of  the  year  he  remarks:  "At  home 
new  towns  were  laid  out,  both  to  the  north  and  south  of  Salt 
Lake  City.  Elders  were  arriving  from  the  Sandwich  Islands. 
Walker,  the  Indian  chief,  visited  the  Saints  in  the  Valley  and 
expressed  friendship  for  them  and  his  antipathy  toward  the 
Spanish.  Brothers  Brown,  Browett,  Allen,  and  Cox  were  killed 
by  the  Indians  in  the  California  mountains,  while  they  were 
exploring  the  country.  These  brethren  I  baptized  in  Hereford- 
shire soon  alter  I  commenced  preaching  at  John  Benbow's.  Broth- 
er Browett  had  been  an  especially  earnest,  true  Latter-day  Saint, 
and  I  know  nothing  to  the  contrary  of  the  others.  They  went 
into  the  army  as  soldiers  in  the  Mormon  Battalion  and  died  in 
the  cause  of  their  country." 


CHAPTER  31. 
ELDER  WOODRUFF'S  RETURN  FROM  THE  EAST. 

Letter  to  Orson  Pratt. — Baptism  of  His  Father-in-law,  Ezra  Carter. — 
Labors  in  New  England. — Meets  Dr.  John  M.  Bernhisel. — Healing 
the  Sick. — Interview  with  Col.  Kane. — Hears  Indian  Chief. — Release 
from  His  Mission. — Return  to  the  Valleys. — Conditions  at  the 
Frontier. — Stampede  on  the  Plains. — Brigham  Young  Appointed 
Governor. — Salt  Lake  Temple  Planned. — Salt  Lake  City  Given  a 
Charter. — Visit  to  the  Southern  Settlements. — Fourth  Celebrated 
at  Black  Rock. — Celebrating  of  Twenty-fourth. — Death  of  His  Step- 
mother.— Judge  Brocchus  Speaks  in  Conference. — Beautiful  Words 
of  Patriarch  John  Smith. — A  Vote  To  Discontinue  Use  of  Tea  and 
Coffee. 

The  beginning  of  the  year  1849  found  Wilford  Woodruff 
actively  at  work  in  the  spread  of  the  gospel.  It  was  a  glorious 
message  which  he  was  bearing  to  the  people  of  the  East,  and  he 
gave  to  it  all  the  ardor  of  his  intensely  religious  nature.  Nor 
was  he  less  concerned  about  the  integrity  and  devotion  of  his  wife 
to  the  faith  they  had  espoused.  His  family  was  carefully  in- 
structed in  the  duties  and  sacraments  of  the  Church.  On  the 
15th  of  the  month  he  wrote  a  lengthy  letter  to  President  Young 
and  Council  in  which  he  reported  his  travels  and  labors.  He 
prepared  a  historical  sketch  for  the  historian's  office,  and  wrote 
to  Orson  Pratt,  who  was  presiding  over  the  British  mission,  as 
follows:  "I  am  42  years  old  today,  March  the  1st,  1849.  How 
peculiar  such  figures  look  to  a  man  while  counting  up  his  years 
in  this  probation.  The  very  sight  of  them  crowds  on  to  his  mind 
a  flood  of  thoughts  more  than  tongue  can  utter  or  pen  describe. 
The  last  sixteen  years  of  my  life  have  been  passed  endeavoring 
to  preach  the  gospel  and  build  up  the  Kingdom  of  God  in  asso- 
ciation with  my  brethren.  The  past  is  gone,  I  have  no  desire  to 
recall  it.  I  would  not  wish  to  live  my  life  over  again  if  I  could. 
I  feel  like  looking  forward  and  not  backward. 

"While  the  Jews  were  high-minded  and  in  the  height  of  their 
power,  the  Son  of  God,  in  lamb-like  meekness,  bowed  to  the  ordi- 
nance of  baptism  and  all  other  rites  of  the  gospel  and  command- 
ments of  His  Father.  He  was  looking  forward  to  a  time  when  He 


A  MISSION  TO  THE  EAST,  1848.  337 

should  make  His  second  visit  to  His  brethren  after  having  over- 
come death  and  the  grave.  At  the  present  day,  while  emperors, 
princes,  kings,  lords,  nobles,  and  great  men  of  the  world  have 
been  making  a  wonderful  effort  to  maintain  their  dignity,  and  ap- 
pear to  good  advantage  before  the  world,  many  of  the  noblest 
spirits  that  ever  dwelt  in  the  flesh,  like  Jesus  and  the  Apostles, 
have  been  meekly  submitting  to  the  ordinances  of  the  gospel,  and 
like  little  children  have  submitted  to  the  authority  of  the  holy 
priesthood." 

During  the  month  of  March  Elder  Woodruff  visited  Cape 
Cod,  preaching  to  the  Saints  and  strangers,  the  latter  including 
sea-captains,  sailors,  and  fishermen.  There  he  also  organized 
a  branch  of  the  Church  with  21  members.  Upon  his  return  home 
to  Cambridgeport,  he  found  his  father-in-law,  Ezra  Carter  Sr., 
awaiting  him.  On  the  22nd  of  March  Father  Carter  was  bap- 
tized, his  wife  having  received  the  gospel  before  this.  Elder 
Woodruff  records  these  events  as  the  fulfillment  of  prophecy  by 
Father  Jos.  Smith,  the  patriarch,  who,  in  blessing  him  and  his 
wife  years  before,  promised  that  their  household  should  receive  the 
gospel  and  stand  with  them  in  the  Church.  Elder  Carter  lived  to 
be  96  years  of  age.  His  old  home,  in  a  beautiful  rural  district 
of  southern  Maine,  still  stands.  It  is  near  the  roadside  as  you  go 
from  Saco  to  Portland. 

On  the  12th  of  April  he  started  a  company  of  Saints  for 
Zion.  There  were  71  all  told,  50  of  whom  were  from  Philadelphia. 
From  Philadelphia  he  visited  Saints  in  the  neighboring  towns.  At 
Hornerstown  he  baptized  three  members  of  the  Woolf  family. 
They  had  been  believers  for  a  number  of  years,. having  been  vis- 
ited by  the  Prophet  and  a  number  of  the  Twelve.  Leaving  Penn- 
sylvania he  traveled  through  New  Jersey  to  New  York  where  he 
met  T.  D.  Brown,  just  returning  from  England.  From  New 
York  he  went  on  to  Cambridgeport  to  his  family. 

After  journalizing  the  calamities  occurring  in  St.  Louis,  New 
Orleans,  California,  and  other  parts  of  the  world,  Elder  Woodruff 
started  on  a  visit  to  Fox  Islands  where  he  had  introduced  the 
gospel  twelve  years  before,  having  baptized  nearly  one  hundred 
people.  He  passed  many  weeks  on  the  Islands  but  with  much 
less  success  than  upon  the  first  mission  there.  From  here  he 
went  to  New  Brunswick,  Canada,  performing  a  large  part  of  the 


338  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

journey  on  foot.  One  day  he  walked  35  miles,  carrying  a  heavy 
load  part  of  the  distance. 

Arriving  at  the  ferry  of  Beauburs  Island,  he  crossed  in  a  boat 
and  walked  a  mile  through  a  pleasant  grove  to  the  home  of  Elder 
Joseph  Russell,  who  for  eleven  years  had  been  the  owner  of  the 
entire  island,  which  is  a  mile  and  a  half  in  length,  by  a  half  a  mile 
in  width.  Elder  Russell  was  a  ship-builder  and  had  constructed 
23  ships  with  a  tonnage  of  650  tons  each.  He  was  a  man  of  con- 
siderable wealth,  worth  at  that  time,  at  a  low  estimate,  $30.000 
He  was  liberal  with  his  means  and  faithful  in  the  discharge  of  his 
duties  to  the  Church.  At  that  place  there  was  a  small  branch  of 
the  Church  over  which  he  presided. 

On  the_28th  he  went  with  Elder  Russell  and  son  to  Bedque. 
While  here  he  received  word  that  Charles  C.  Rich,  Lorenzo  Snow, 
and  Franklin  D.  Richards  had  been  chosen  members  of  the  Twelve 
Apostles. 

On  the  5th  of  August,  Elder  Woodruff  set  out  upon  his  re- 
turn to  Cambridgeport,  Elder  Russell  having  first  contributed 
$1,500  with  which  to  aid  the  Church  in  its  newly  chosen  home. 
He  remained  but  a  short  time  at  home,  when  he  started  for  Fall 
River  and  New  Bedford  to  visit  the  Saints  in  those  places.  On  his 
return  from  his  trip  to  the  South,  he  met  at  Cambridgeport,  Dr. 
John  M.  Bernhisel,  who,  after  giving  an  account  of  affairs  in  the 
Valleys,  informed  Elder  Woodruff  that  he  had  come  to  Washing- 
ton as  our  representative,  bearing  a  petition  for  a  Territorial  Gov- 
ernment. 

Under  date  of  July  25th,  1849,  the  President  of  the  Church 
wrote  Brother  Wrpodruff  a  statement  of  conditions  of  the  Church 
in  the  Valleys  and  expressed  their  desire  to  be  admitted  into  the 
Union  as  a  sovereign  state.  In  that  letter  the  President  re- 
marked: "The  ne.xt  time  that  you  encounter  the  hardships,  pri- 
vations, and  toil  over  the  plains  and  mountains,  you  will  meet  with 
a  very  different  reception  from  that  which  you  did  on  your  first 
arrival  here.  Friends  will  greet  you,  the  products  of  the  earth 
will  be  administered  for  your  comfort.  We  shall  be  very  happy  to 
see  you  again." 

During  the  remainder  of  the  year  1849,  Elder  Woodruff 
visited  the  eastern  branches,  preaching  the  gospel  and  comforting 
all  who  would  listen.  In  Cape  Cod  an  aged  lady  of  84  years  was 


A  MISSION  TO  THE  EAST,  1848.  339 

instantly  healed  by  his  administrations.  She  immediately  arose 
from  her  bed  of  sickness  and  went  about  her  work. 

He  again  went  to  Philadelphia  where  he  had  several  visits 
with  Colonel  Kane  with  whom  he  talked  over  the  situation  relative 
to  a  Territorial  Government.  The  following  he  quotes  as  the 
words  of  Col.  Kane :  "I  applied,  acording  to  the  wish  of  Presi- 
dent Young  for  a  Territorial  Government,  and  had  my  last,  sad, 
and  painful  interview  with  President  Polk.  I  found  he  was  not 
disposed  to  favor  your  people,  and  had  men  of  his  own  stamp 
picked  out  to  serve  as  governor  and  in  other  positions,  many  of 
whom  would  oppress  you  in  any  way  simply  to  fill  their  own  pock- 
ets. President  Polk  was  unwilling  to  appoint  men  among  your- 
selves, and  I  saw  it  was  absolutely  necessary  to  have  officers  of 
your  own  people  to  govern  you,  otherwise  you  would  be  better  off 
without  any  government  at  all.  It  was  necessary  for  me  to  use 
my  discretion  and  I  therefore  withdrew  the  petition." 

On  December  3rd,  he  paid  a  visit  to  Gerard  College  of  Phila- 
delphia. On  the  15th  of  the  month  he  attended  a  meeting  there 
where  a  Mr.  Koh-Ge-Ga-Gah-Bow,  chief  of  the  Ozebwa  na- 
tion, delivered  a  lengthy  and  spirited  address  in  behalf  of  the 
American  Indians,  in  which  he  appealed  to  the  citizens  to  induce 
the  government  to  give  the  Indians  a  territory  they  could  call  their 
own,  and  to  forbid  the  encroachment  thereon  of  the  whites.  He 
censured  the  white  men  in  no  uncertain  terms  for  their  pretended 
Christianity  and  religious  prpfessions,  while  in  reality  they  were 
filled  with  deceit,  hypocrisy,  and  wickedness. 

The  year  1850  witnessed  a  change  in  the  character  of  Elder 
Woodruff's  labors.  Missionary  work  was  in  harmony,  not  only 
with  his  spiritual  nature,  but  with  the  grand  conceptions  which 
he  entertained  for  the  future  of  the  Church  with  which  he  had  as- 
sociated himself.  Upon  his  return  from  Cambridgeport,  he  re- 
ceived a  letter  trom  the  Presidency  in  which  he  was  required  to 
return  to  the  Valley,  and  to  bring  with  him  all  the  Saints  he 
could  gather,  and  such  means  as  could  be  collected  from  their 
properties  and  from  contributions  in  the  East.  The  Saints  in 
the  Valleys  of  the  Mountains  were  so  far  removed  from  manu- 
facturing centers  that  they  felt  the  necessity  of  home  manufacture, 
especially  in  the  establishment  of  woolen  a'nd  cotton  factories  in 
on:ler  that  they  might  be  self-supporting.  The  New  England  states 


340 


WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 


where  Elders  Woodruff's  labors  had  been  directed  contained  many 
factories,  and  it  was  the  operatives  from  these  factories  whose 
services  would  be  needed  in  the  new  enterprises  at  home. 

On  the  2nd  of  March,  he  went  to  Maine  where  arrangements 
were  made  to  gather  with  him  to  the  Valleys  of  the  Mountains 
his  wife's  people.  His  wife's  brother,  Ilus  F.  Carter,  had  bought 
ten  wagon  loads  of  merchandise  which  was  sent  with  Elder 
Woodruff.  Mr.  Carter,  however,  returned  from  the  Missouri 
River  to  his  home  in  Maine  on  account  of  ill  health.  A  number 
of  the  brethren  had  engaged  in  gold-mining  in  California  and 
sent  money  to  their  friends  in  the  East  to  assist  them  in  their 
emigration.  The  manufactured  products  of  the  East  were  greatly 
needed  by  the  Saints  in  the  Valleys,  and  the  money  sent  from 
California  became  very  helpful  in  providing  a  stock  of  goods  that 
would  contribute  to  the  comfort  of  the  earlier  settlers  whose  supply 
of  clothing  by  this  time  was  almost  entirely  depleted. 

On  the  23rd  of  March,  Elder  Orson  Pratt  arrived  from  Eng- 
land on  business,  intending  to  return  before  going  to  the  Valleys. 
He  found  Elder  Woodruff  busily  occupied  in  the  purchase  of  such 
merchandise  as  would  be  most  helpful  to  those  who  had  gathered. 
About  the  same  time,  Elder  John  Taylor  and  Curtis  E.  Bolton 
were  on  their  way  to  France ;  Lorenzo  Snow  and  Joseph  Toronto 
to  Italy ;  Erastus  Snow  and  Peter  Hanson  to  Denmark ;  Franklin 
D.  Richards  and  several  others  to  England.  Elder  Erastus  Snow 
sailed  from  Boston  to  his  field  of  labor  on  April  3rd. 

By  the  9th  of  the  month,  Wilford  Woodruff  with  his  family 
and  relatives,  and  with  about  100  other  Saints  left  for  New  York 
where  they  were  joined  by  another  100,  making  all  told  209  peo- 
ple. Their  baggage  amounted  to  42,000  Ibs.  On  their  way  to 
Pittsburg,  they  passed  through  Philadelphia.  At  the  former  place 
they  secured  passage  to  St.  Louis  where  they  arrived  on  the  1st 
day  of  May.  From  St.  Louis  to  Cuncil  Bluffs  they  took  pas- 
sage on  the  steamer,  Sacramento.  They  left  St.  Joseph  on  the  12th 
of  May  and  Ft.  Kearney  on  the  15th,  and  the  following  day  Elder 
Woodruff  went  to  Kanesville  to  visit  Elder  Orson  Hyde.  On 
this  journey  they  were  accompanied  by  Elder  Orson  Pratt. 

This  frontier  town  was  a  busy  place  in  those  days.  The  Saints 
were  constantly  coming  and  going,  and  the  people  were  generally 
in  a  state  of  excitement,  and  the  very  nature  of  the  circumstances 


A  MISSION  TO  THE  EAST,  1848.  341 

gave  rise  to  some  discontent.  The  well-to-do  hurried  on  to  the 
Valleys,  and  the  poor  were  left  to  make  such  arrangements  as  they 
could  for  present  support  and  their  future  emigration  to  the  Zion 
of  their  God.  Provision,  of  course,  for  the  emigration  of  the 
poor  was  made  wherever  possible,  but  yet  their  numbers  were  so 
great  as  to  bring  distress  to  the  people  of  Kanesville.  Presi- 
dent Woodruff  expalined  that  he  had  received  counsel  from 
the  Presidency  to  stretch  out  his  arms  and  gather  all  he  possibly 
could  to  Zion.  He  had  baptized,  while  on  this  mission,  about  200 
people.  Every  effort  was  made  to  pacify  those  who  were  dis- 
contented in  this  frontier  town.  The  fact,  however,  that  the  auth- 
orities had  instructed  him  to  gather  all  he  could  was  the  guiding 
motive  in  bringing  with  him  to  Kanesville  the  poor,  as  well  as 
those  who  were  in  fairly  good  circumstances. 

Elder  Woodruff,  when  counsel  came  to  him,  never  quibbled, 
never  doubted,  never  stopped  to  ask  his  file-leaders  the  whys  and 
the  wherefores.  He  was  like  Adam  when  the  angel  said  to  him : 
"Adam,  why  dost  thou  offer  sacrifice?"  And  he  answered,  "I 
know  not  save  that  God  has  commanded  me."  He  was  also 
like  Nephi  of  old  who  uttered  the  memorable  saying:  "For  I 
know  that  the  Lord  giveth  no  command  unto  the  children  of 
men  save  that  He  shall  prepare  the  way  for  them  to  accomplish 
the  thing  which  He  commandeth  them." 

On  the  21st  of  May  the  company  starting  to  Zion  was  or- 
ganized into  hundreds,  fifties,  and  tens  with  a  captain  over  each. 
Robert  Petty,  Leonard  W.  Hardy,  Edson  Whipple,  Joseph  Hall, 
James  Currier,  Miner  Atwood,  and  two  others  whose  names  are 
not  given,  were  appointed  captains.  Some  of  the  teamsters  of  this 
company  did  not  belong  to  the  Church,  and  in  time  became  unruly. 
The  ring-leader,  however,  was  discharged,  and  later  the  others  also. 
On  the  9th  of  July,  Lucy  Johnson,  Matilda  Hardy,  a  Sister  Snow, 
and  Emily  Huntington  died.  Deaths  this  year,  1850,  on  the 
plains  were  frequent  and  Elder  Woodruff's  company  suffered 
with  others.  On  the  day  following,  Elder  Woodruff  baptized  four- 
teen in  the  Platte  River,  among  them  his  wife's  niece,  Sarah  E. 
Foss.  On  the  15th,  a  few  days  later,  a  severe  thunder  storm  arose 
and  Brother  Ridge,  from  Staffordshire,  England,  and  his  oxen 
were  killed  by  lightning. 

The  30th  of  the  month  witnessed  one  of  those  scenes  not 


342  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

uncommon  to  the  plains  in  the  early  days  of  emigration  by  ox 
teams.  Those  who  have  not  witnessed  a  stampede  can  hardly 
imagine  the  scenes  of  confusion  and  dangers  to  which  it  gives 
rise.  There  were  often  thirty  or  forty  teams  close  together.  These 
teams  consisted  of  from  two  to  five  yoke  of  oxen.  The  wagons 
they  drew  were  loaded  with  women,  children,  and  merchandise. 
The  stampede  generally  took  place  without  a  moment's  warning 
and  the  cattle  ran  in  all  directions. 

Writing  of  this  scene  Elder  Woodruff  says :  "Our  stampede 
commenced  in  the  following  manner.  While  my  son  Wilford 
was  mounting  his  horse,  William  Murphy  struck  the  horse  with 
a  whip  which  started  him  to  run.  Wilford  was  thrown  over 
the  horse's  head  to  the  ground.  The  saddle  turned  under  the 
horse  and  as  a  result  he  ran  away.  As  he  approached  one  of 
the  wagons,  a  Mr.  Cannon's  team  became  frantic  and  started  off 
at  a  great  speed.  In  a  moment  twenty  or  thirty  teams  followed 
the  first  that  stampeded  and  the  whole  company  was  rushing 
apparently  onward  into  the  jaws  of  death.  On  my  carriage  was 
a  fine  black  steed,  and  in  it  were  Rhoda  Foss  and  Susan  Woodruff. 
We  were  at  the  head  of  the  company,  and  when  the  stampede 
commenced,  I  was  by  the  side  of  my  carriage.  I  saw  Mrs.  Wood- 
ruff rush  into  the  midst  of  the  scene  with  many  other  women 
and  children.  Their  lives  were  in  constant  danger.  I  told  Rhoda 
to  let  my  horse  run  into  the  bluffs,  and  do  the  best  she  could.  I 
gave  him  a  cut  to  start  him  on  to  a  run  and  left  them  to  the 
care  of  Providence.  I  then  rushed  into  the  midst  of  the  stampede 
in  order  to  save  the  lives  of  my  wife  and  as  many  others  as  pos- 
sible, but  I  had  hard  work  to  save  even  my  own  life.  Mrs.  Wood- 
ruff soon  found  an  opening  and  fled  out  of  the  midst  of  the  scene. 
Brother  Petty 's  wagons  were  turned  over.  My  family  wagon  with 
four  yoke  of  oxen  ran  over  one  of  his  wagons,  and  a  wagon  ran 
over  one  of  his  children.  Prescott  Hardy  was  knocked  down  by 
his  own  team  and  badly  injured  in  the  thigh  and  arm.  Wher- 
ever I  saw  women  and  children  in  danger,  I  did  what  I  could 
to  rescue  them.  However,  only  little  can  be  done  at  such  times, 
and  each  one  must  dodge  the  best  he  can  to  save  his  life  if  pos- 
sible. 

"When  I  found  I  could  do  no  more,  I  ran  forward  to  see 
what  condition  my  family  carriage  and  wagon  were  in.  I  found 


A  MISSION  TO  THE  EAST,  1848.  343 

my  noble  horse  still  running,  but  on  three  legs.  One  of  the  ox- 
teams  had  run  on  to  the  horse  and  carriage,  bent  one  of  the  axles 
and  smashed  one  of  the  horse's  legs.  Rhoda  was  thrown  out  of 
the  carriage  and  Susan  was  lying  upon  her  back  with  her  feet 
hanging  out  between  the  wheels.  She  held  on,  however,  till  I 
came  and  rescued  my  daughter.  Later  I  had  to  shoot  my  horse 
to  put  him  out  of  his  misery.  It  was  very  painful  to  have  to  do 
so.  It  was  a  miracle  that  no  one  was  killed,  and  there  was  really 
but  little  damage  done  to  oxen  and  wagons." 

Barring  some  break-downs  and  delays,  the  company  arrived 
in  Salt  Lake  City,  October  14,  1850.  Soon  after  their  arrival, 
Elder  Woodruff  moved  from  the  old  Fort  into  his  house  near 
Temple  Block.  He  was  also  occupied  in  disposing  of  ten  loads 
of  merchandise  sent  out  to  the  Valley  by  his  brother-in-law,  Ilus 
F.  Carter.  In  the  Council  he  read  to  the  brethren  the  speech  of 
Mr.  Copway  (Koh-Ge-Ga-Gah-Bow),  the  Indian  chief,  and 
the  views  of  Col.  Kane  on  the  government  of  Deseret. 

Wilford  Woodruff's  work  at  this  time  as  a  missionary  had 
given  him  distinction  and  he  was  frequently  regarded  by  his  breth- 
ren as  the  "Herald  of  the  Gospel."  The  following  winter  two 
vacancies  occurred  in  the  legislature  by  the  death  of  Newell  K. 
Whitney  and  Cornelius  P.  Lott.  Governor  Young  appointed 
Elders  Woodruff  and  Charles  C.  Rich  to  fill  these  vacancies,  and 
thus  began  the  experiences  of  Elder  Woodruff  as  a  legislator. 

The  new  year,  1851,  witnessed  the  dedication  of  a  new  school 
house  in  the  Fourteenth  Ward  of  Salt  Lake  City — the  ward  in  which 
Elder  Woodruff  first  located  and  where  he  built  his  home  on  what 
was  subsequently  known  as  the  old  Valley  House  corner.  The 
people  were  poor  in  those  days,  but  they  nevertheless  did  all  that 
a  community  could  under  similar  circumstances  to  promote  edu- 
cation. They  needed  both  schoolhouses  and  meeting-houses, 
but  their  condition  generally  compelled  them  to  make  one  build- 
ing answer  a  double  purpose. 

The  country  to  which  the  Saints  had  come  was  a  wilderness, 
and  the  surroundings  of  the  people  were  such  that  it  was  not  al- 
ways easy  to  keep  men  and  women  under  proper  restraint,  espe- 
cially young  men  who  in  a  wild  country  naturally  were  prone  to  be 
uncouth  and  sometimes  profane  in  their  language.  The  Puritan 
spirit  of  the  early  prioneers  was  so  intense  that  an  effort  was  made 


344 


WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 


to  check  evils  in  their  incipiency  and  to  wage  a  crusade  against 
them  as  fast  as  they  made  their  appearance.  Profanity  was  one 
of  the  evils  that  could  not  be  endured.  The  Authorities  on  the 
12th  of  January,  in  a  congregation  of  the  Saints,  called  attention 
to  the  use  of  such  language,  and  the  whole  congregation  voted  to 
"put  down  swearing"  throughout  the  City  and  the  Territory.  Into 
the  reform  movement,  Elder  Woodruff  threw  all  his  energies  and 
preached  with  all  the  ardor  of  his  soul  against  the  improper  use 
of  words  that  profaned  the  name  of  Deity. 

The  time  nad  come  to  erect  another  temple  for  the  holy  ordi- 
nances that  are  peculiar  and  confined  to  that  sacred  structure.  The 
work  should  be  begun  as  far  as  possible  with  the  absence  of  every 
semblance  of  evil ;  and  on  January  19,  President  Young  announced 
to  the  congregation  assembled  that  the  time  had  arrived  for  the 
erection  of  a  temple.  Truman  O.  Angel  was  appointed  architect, 
and  during  the  day  plans  for  the  new  Temple  were  submitted  for 
inspection  in  the  Seventies'  Hall.  That  building  now  stands  on 
State  street  in  a  good  state  of  preservation. 

On  the  28th,  news  of  the  appointment  of  President  Young 
to  be  the  first  governor  of  Utah  reached  the  people.  This  ap- 
pointment gave  universal  satisfaction.  When  the  news  came, 
President  Young  was  about  fifteen  miles  north  of  the  city.  The 
leaders  and  a  band  went  out  to  meet  him ;  and  upon  his  arrival  in 
the  city,  he  was  welcomed  by  a  salute  of  ten  guns. 

About  this  time,  on  February  2nd,  a  pretender  arose  who 
styled  himself  Elijah,  and  a  Mr.  Bateman  spoke  for  about  9  minutes 
in  his  behalf.  The  new  Elijah,  however,  received  no  encourage- 
ment. 

It  was  about  the  same  time  also  that  there  began  those  reg- 
ular weekly  meetings  of  the  Quorum  of  the  Twelve  Apostles  which 
have  continued  to  the  present  time.  The  object  was  to  keep  the 
Twelve  in  harmony  with  one  another,  that  each  might  know  what 
the  other  was  doing,  that  there  might  be  uniformity,  and  that  they 
might  be  actuated  by  a  spirit  of  unity. 

Early  in  February  of  that  year,  the  legislature  granted  a 
charter  to  the  community  that  was  to  be  known  as  a  municipal  or- 
ganization under  the  name  of  Salt  Lake  City.  Concerning  the 
charter  President  Woodruff  writes  that  President  Young  said: 
"We  do  not  want  the  Church  to  pass  laws  to  punish  crime,  but 


A  MISSION  TO  THE  EAST,  1848.  345 

to  try  members  only  on  questions  of  Church  fellowship.  If  the 
members  transgress  the  laws  of  the  land,  turn  them  over  to  the 
authorities  of  the  land.  We  want  to  protect  the  Church  also  in  its 
rites  of  worship  and  protect  every  other  sect  that  comes  here.  When 
the  kingdoms  of  this  world  become  the  Kingdoms  of  our  Lord  and 
Savior  Jesus  Christ,  will  their  people  all  be  members  of  the  Church 
of  Jesus  Christ  by  obeying  the  Gospel?  No,  not  one-eighth  part 
of  them.  No  more  than  a  telestial  kingdom  is  a  celestial  one, 
and  they  stand  in  about  the  same  relation  to  each  other." 

Elder  Woodruff,  on  the  23rd  of  April,  in  company  with  a 

party  of  about  forty  men  with  twenty  wagons  entered  Utah  Val- 
ley. This  was  his  first  visit  to  the  settlements  there.  He  met  the 
Indian  chief  Walker.  He  thought  him  rather  an  ugly  looking  spec- 
imen for  an  Indian  chief.  Later  on  the  company  reached  Sanpete 
valley.  Here  there  were  about  one  hundred  families  located.  These 
families  were  engaged  in  farming.  They  had  erected  a  schoolhouse 
and  had  commenced  a  council  house. 

Passing  on  from  Sanpete,  the  company  went  through  Sevier 
Valley  to  Marysvale  and  on  to  Cedar  City.  "We  passed  over  the 
worst  road  the  last  few  days  that  I  ever  knew.  We  had  to  draw 
our  wagons  up  and  let  them  down  with  ropes  in  places  where 
the  roads  were  so  bad,  and  at  places  the  slant  was  so  great  that 
we  had  to  hold  our  wagons  up  to  keep  them  from  turning  over." 
In  the  valley  near  Cedar  City  the  company  was  met  by  Presi- 
dent George  A.  Smith  who  at  that  time  had  charge  of  the  south- 
ern settlements.  The  settlers  had  been  there  only  three  months. 
They  had  enclosed  a  fort  of  19  acres,  plowed  and  sown  1,000  acres 
with  wheat,  had  fenced  600  acres,  built  a  sawmill,  and  erected 
the  first  story  of  their  council  house.  The  little  community  wel- 
comed President  Young  and  party  by  the  firing  of  a  cannon  and 
by  waving  the  stars  and  stripes.  This  small  settlement  of  pi- 
oneers had  about  one  hundred  men. 

The  discovery  of  coal  and  iron  ore  in  the  vicinity  of  Cedar 
City  awakened  in  the  Latter-day  Saints  a  special  desire  to  establish 
iron  foundries.  Men  had  been  called  to  this  work  as  a  mission. 
Among  the  one  hundred,  there  were  perhaps  thirty  who  were 
di^.ontented.  Part  of  them  desired  to  return  to  Salt  Lake  City 
to  get  their  families,  and  others  to  abandon  the  mission  at  Cedar 


346  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

entirely.  Apostle  Woodruff  records  the  following  words  of  Presi- 
dent Young  to  these  men:  "If  you  were  now  on  a  mission  to 
France  or  England  or  to  any  other  part  of  the  earth,  you  would 
not  sit  down  and  counsel  together  about  going  to  get  your  fam- 
ilies, or  about  going  home  till  your  mission  was  ended.  This  is 
of  quite  as  much  importance  as  preaching  the  Gospel.  The  time 
is  now  come  when  it  is  required  of  us  to  make  the  wilderness 
blossom  as  the  rose.  Our  mission  is  now  to  build  up  stakes  of 
Zion  and  fill  these  mountains  with  cities,  and  when  your  mission 
is  ended  you  are  at  liberty  to  go.  Only  do  what  is  right.  When 
1  go  on  a  mission,  I  leave  my  affairs  in  the  hand  of  God.  If 
my  house,  flocks,  or  fields  are  lost  in  my  absence;  if  my  wife  or 
children  die,  I  say,  Amen,  to  it.  If  they  live,  I  say,  Amen,  to  that 
and  thank  the  Lord."  The  words  of  President  Young  removed 
much  of  the  discontent  and  most  of  them  remained  to  fill  their 
mission  in  honor. 

In  speaking  at  this  time  of  the  Indians  in  that  section  the 
President  said:  "These  Indians  are  the  descendants  of  the 
Gadianton  robbers  who  infested  these  mountains  for  more  than  a 
thousand  years."  At  the  conclusion  of  this  visit,  the  party  re- 
turned to  Salt  Lake  City  which  they  reached  on  the  24th  of  May, 
1851. 

Elder  Woodruff's  journal  contains  many  of  the  discourses 
preached  by  President  Young  in  those  days  on  subjects  of  prac- 
tice' religion,  home  industry,  prayer,  financial  integrity,  farming, 
tithing,  and  kindred  subjects.  His  talks  contained  just  such  sub- 
ject matter  as  one  would  expect  to  hear  from  a  leader  whose  mis- 
sion it  was  to  make  the  desert  blossom  as  the  rose.  Elder  Wood- 
ruff, here  and  there,  used  stenographic  characters  in  making  notes 
in  his  journal.  He  was  not  a  stenographer,  however,  but  he  was 
so  accustomed  to  writing  the  sermons  in  long  hand  that  his  mem- 
ory was  trained  for  the  work,  and  a  large  measure  of  accuracy 
was  given  to  these  journalistic  efforts. 

To  this  work  he  had  been  called  by  President  Young  soon 
after  the  martyrdom  of  Joseph  and  Hyrum.  The  day  would 
come  when  the  details  of  that  early  history  would  be  in  great  de- 
mand among  those  who  would  love  to  know  the  beginning  of 
the  work  of  God  in  this  dispensation.  "Some  day,"  said  Presi- 


A  MISSION  TO  THE  EAST,  1848.  347 

dent  Young,  "I  shall  look  to  you  for  my  journal."  This  work 
was  so  carefully  done,  and  the  devotion  of  Elder  Woodruff  was 
so  great  towards  his  brethren  that  one  is  impressed  by  the  splen- 
did fidelity  with  which  he  honored  the  call. 

On  the  Fourth  of  July  of  1851  the  Saints  joined  in  a  cele- 
bration at  Black  Rock  on  Salt  Lake.  "The  procession  was  led 
by  the  general  authorities  with  the  Nauvoo  Legion  as  an  escort. 
It  consisted  of  140  wagons  which  reached  Black  Rock  at  2  o'clock 
in  the  afternoon.  Patriotic  speeches  were  made,  and  after  the 
meeting,  social  pastimes  were  indulged  in,  and  many  enjoyed  a 
bath  in  the  lake.  It  was  as  pleasant  a  Fourth  of  July  as  I  ever 
spent,  and  my  family  was  with  me.  Next  day  we  returned  to 
Salt  Lake  City." 

Those  were  happy  days.  The  simplicity  of  their  faith,  the 
candor  of  their  words,  and  the  friendship  of  their  lives  producer!  a 
remarkable  unity  which  in  itself  was  both  inspiring  and  joyful. 

The  Twenty-fourth  of  July  was  honored  by  a  celebration. 
There  was  music  by  the  Nauvoo  brass  band.  The  citizens  came 
out  in  great  numbers.  There  was  a  procession  at  the  head  of 
which  the  aged  fathers  and  mothers  were  placed — men  and  women 
whose  frames  were  shaped  by  the  hardships  and  struggles  of  those 
early  days.  The1  procession  ended  at  the  bowery  where  there  were 
speeches,  instrumental  music  and  singing.  "The  songs  of  Zion 
were  sung  not  in  a  strange  land,  nor  were  our  harps  hung  upon 
the  willows.  The  shades  of  evening  came  over  the  city  and 
there  had  been  no  accident  to  mar  the  proceedings  of  that  hal- 
lowed day.  There  were  no  curses,  no  drinking,  no  rabble,  no 
strife  to  mar  the  occasion."  There  was,  perhaps,  a  little  Church 
mixed  up  with  the  State  in  those  days.  Men  had  conceived  the 
idea  that  God  should  be  honored  as  much  in  the  administration  of 
civil  as  of  religious  affairs. 

The  harvest  season  followed  the  Twenty-fourth  and  Elder 
Woodruff  was  as  enthusiastic  and  energetic  on  the  farm  as  he 
was  in  a  celebration  or  as  he  was  in  preaching  the  Gospel  abroad. 
He  was  a  model  of  industry.  His  little  twenty-acre  farm  just 
south  of  the  city  was  under  a  high  state  of  cultivation.  With  a 
cradle  in  his  hands,  he  went  to  the  work  of  the  harvest  with 
singular  pleasure.  His  restless  nature  often  carried  him  beyond 


348  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

his  strength,  but  he  loved  to  work.  He  always  worked,  and  with 
him  one  kind  of  work  was  as  honorable  as  another;  for  God 
honored  honest  toil. 

At  his  home  on  the  farm,  there  lived  with  him  his  aged  father. 
The  stepmother  had  remained  with  her  daughter  in  Iowa.  About 
this  time,  he  received  word  that  she  had  died  on  the  20th  of  March 
and  that  his  brother  Azmon's  wife  had  also  died  on  the  3rd  of 
January  of  that  year.  His  brother  also  wrote  him  relating  the 
sorrow  and  trouble  he  had  encountered  ever  since  he  had  left  the 
Church.  His  letter  bore  evidence  of  humiliation  and  repentance, 
much  to  the  joy  of  his  faithful  brother  Wilford. 

On  the  7th  of  September,  there  was  a  general  conference  of 
the  Church.  After  addressing  the  Saints  upon  practical  affairs 
and  the  daily  duties  of  life,  President  Young  said:  "No  better 
man  than  Joseph  Smith  ever  lived  on  this  earth.  Hear  it,  O, 
ye  heavens,  O,  ye  earth,  and  all  men!  It  is  my  testimony  that 
he  was  as  good  a  man  as  ever  lived,  save  Jesus."  In  harmony 
with  these  words,  Willard  Richards  related  his  testimony  to 
the  mob  in  Carthage  at  the  time  of  the  Prophet's  death  to  the  effect 
that  they  were  Prophets  of  God,  and  two  of  the  best  men  that 
ever  lived  in  earth. 

During  this  conference,  Judge  Brocchus  of  .the  United  States 
court  in  Utah,  requested  the  privilege  of  speaking.  The  request 
was  granted  and  he  proceeded  to  cast  unsavory  reflections  upon 
the  character  of  the  Saints.  This  President  Young  resented  in 
strong  terms.  In  the  course  of  his  remarks,  the  Prophet  said 
to  those  who  were  going  on  missions:  "Don't  go  and  tell  the 
people  of  different  denominations  that  because  their  sins  are  not 
forgiven  that  they  are  always  going  to  dwell  in  hell;  for  if  they 
are  honest,  they  will  have  a  glory  greater  than  many  who  carry 
the  gospel  to  them.  There  are  good  people  among  all  sects, 
Gentiles,  Jews,  and  heathens.  They  act  according  to  the  best 
light  they  have.  What  is  the  condition  of  the  people  of  this 
country?  Light  has  come  into  the  world,  and  many  men  love 
darkness  rather  than  light.  They  reject  that  light,  fight  the 
prophets,  and  shed  their  blood.  For  this  they  will  be  damned." 

At  this  conference  N.  H.  Felt  and  John  Banks  were  appointed 
traveling  bishops.  E.  T.  Benson,  J.  M.  Grant,  and  Orson  Hyde 
were  called  on  a  mission  to  Kanesville  to  gather  out  all  the  Saints 


A  MISSION  TO  THE  EAST,  1848.  349 

in  that  region.  Elder  Woodruff  here  records  the  remarks  made 
by  Patriarch  John  Smith,  uncle  of  the  Prophet,  and  father  to 
President  George  A.  Smith.  He  had  been  a  member  of  the  Church 
since  1832.  "I  was  ordained  an  elder  under  the  hands  of  Joseph 
Wakefield.  The  Smith  family  was  called  to  bring  forth  this  work. 
My  team  hauled  the  first  load  of  stone  for  the  erection  of  the 
Kirtland  Temple.  My  son  George  A.,  drove  that  team.  There 
were  four  brothers  of  us  on  the  stand  at  Kirtland.  I  am  now 
left  alone.  I  was  in  jail  with  my  nephews,  Joseph  and  Hyrum, 
the  night  before  they  were  killed.  Next  day  three  guns  were 
snapped  at  me.  I  could  not  weep  for  a  long  time ;  when  I  could, 
I  wept  much.  I  have  labored  much  from  that  day  till  this.  Now 
pay  your  tithing,  make  your  measures  good  when  you  sell  any- 
thing, and  fulfill  all  your  covenants  if  they  are  properly  made. 
Then  we  shall  prosper  in  this  Valley.  I  am  an  old  man  and  can- 
not say  much." 

When  the  pioneers  returned  to  Winter  Quarters  from  Salt 
Lake  Valley,  father  John  Smith  was  left  in  charge  of  the  Church 
here.  He  was  a  man  of  the  utmost  honor  and  of  sterling  integ- 
rity both  to  God  and  man.  Three  generations  of  this  man  have 
been  apostles  in  the  Church. 

It  was  at  this  conference  that  all  the  brethren  and  sisters 
voted  to  discontinue  the  use  of  tea,  coffee,  and  tobacco.  It  was 
then  adjourned  until  October  6th. 


CHAPTER  32. 
THE  YEARS,  1852,  '53,  '54. 

Discourse  of  Brigham  Young  on  Sin. — The  Descendants  of  Cain. — 
Edward  Hunter  Chosen  Presiding  Bishop. — Parowan  Stake  Organ- 
ized.— David  Patten. — Talk  on  Dancing. — Death  of  Willard  Rich- 
ards.— Jedediah  M.  Grant  Chosen  Counselor  to  Brigham  Young. 
— Journey  South. — Walker,  the  Indian  Chief. — John  Smith,  Son 
of  Hyrum  Smith,  Called  To  Be  the  Head  Patriarch  of  the  Church. 
—Visit  North. — Legislature. — Philosophical  Society. 

The  beginning  of  the  year  1852  found  Elder  Woodruff  active- 
ly engaged  in  the  legislative  business  of  the  new  Territory.  There 
was  much  to  be  done.  The  foundation  of  a  new  commonwealth 
was  being  laid,  and  the  principles  of  civil  government  were  em- 
phasized and  kept  separate  from  the  religious  organization.  About 
three  years  and  a  half  had  elapsed  since  the  pioneers  entered  Salt 
Lake  Valley.  In  1852  the  census  showed  that  there  were  all  told 
in  Utah,  11,354  souls.  Counties  were  established  with  proper 
organizations,  and  judges  appointed  for  the  administration  of 
laws  therein. 

Elder  Woodruff  kept  in  his  journals  the  civil  and  religious 
movements  of  those  early  days.  Extracts  from  prominent  sermons 
were  written,  especially  those  delivered  by  President  Young.  The 
following  is  a  partial  extract  of  a  discourse  by  him  on  the  subject 
of  Sin.  "If  you  sin  against  God,  go  to  Him  for  forgiveness, 
if  that  sin  is  not  unto  death.  There  is  a  sin  unto  death  which 
we  are  told  we  need  not  pray  to  have  forgiven.  If  you  sin 
against  your  brother,  go  to  him  for  forgiveness.  Ask  forgiveness 
at  the  hands  of  the  innocent.  If  you  sin  against  your  family,  your 
parents,  your  husband,  your  wife,  or  your  children,  seek  forgive- 
ness at  their  hands ;  for  what  is  done  in  secret,  He  will  forgive  in 
secret.  In  seeking  forgiveness  for  sins  that  are  secret,  go  no 
farther  than  is  necessary  to  be  forgiven  of  God.  But  where  sins 
are  committed  openly,  forgiveness  should  be  sought  openly." 

The  Saints  had  not  forgotten  the  troubles  which  their  short- 
comings and  neglect  of  the  things  of  God  had  brought  upon  them 
in  days  gone  by.  The  leaders  understood  very  well  the  necessity 


THE  YEARS   1852,   '53,  '54.  351 

of  avoiding  the  troubles  of  the  past  by  keeping  themselves  in  har- 
mony with  God's  will.  They  knew  that  sin  meant  trouble  not  only 
for  the  individual  but  for  the  Church.  The  authorities  felt  that 
if  the  people  could  be  kept  from  sin  there  would  be  love  and  union 
and  prosperity  in  the  new  homes  which  they  were  establishing  in 
the  Rocky  Mountains. 

The  attitude  of  the  Saints  on  the  question  of  slavery  had 
been  a  source  of  trouble  to  them  in  Missouri.  There  was  naturally 
throughout  the  United  States  some  interest  in  the  position  which 
the  new  Territory  should  take  upon  that  question.  In  those  days 
the  influence  of  the  South  was  predominant,  and  the  pro-slavery 
party  was  asserting  itself  wherever  possible.  The  lines  were 
drawn  more  distinctly  between  the  pro  and  anti-slavery  communi- 
ties. In  those  days  men  might  have  regarded  it  as  good  policy 
to  keep  friends  with  the  South  and  the  democratic  party.  To 
be  pronounced  for  or  against  slavery  was  sure  to  invite  the  op- 
position of  the  North  or  of  the  South. 

President  Young  felt  it,  however,  to  be  his  duty  to  make 
plain  the  attitude  of  the  Mormon  people  in  Utah  on  the  subject. 
In  an  address  to  the  legislature  he  said:  "The  Lord  said  I  will 
not  kill  Cain,  but  I  will  put  a  mark  upon  him,  and  that  mark  will 
be  seen  upon  the  face  of  every  negro  upon  the  face  of  the  earth ; 
and  it  is  the  decree  of  God  that  that  mark  shall  remain  upon 
the  seed  of  Cain  until  the  seed  of  Abel  shall  be  redeemed,  and 
Cain  shall  not  receive  the  priesthood,  until  the  time  of  that  re- 
demption. Any  man  having  one  drop  of  the  seed  of  Cain  in  him 
cannot  receive  the  priesthood ;  but  the  day  will  come  when  all  that 
race  will  be  redeemed  and  possess  all  the  blessings  which  we  now 
have.  I  am  opposed  to  the  present  system  of  slavery." 

Elder  Woodruff  writes  extensively  in  his  journal  of  the  teach- 
ings of  the  President.  In  one  of  his  discourses  the  Prophet 
declares  that  God  has  passed  through  all  the  trials  and  experiences 
that  we  have,  and  the  Savior  likewise.  On  another  occasion,  he 
speaks  of  the  responsibilities  of  parents ;  the  desirability  of  a 
prayerful  spirit  that  they  may  not  only  receive  the  noble  spirits 
from  the  spirit  world,  but  that  they  may  enjoy  the  influence  of  the 
Holy  Ghost  which  should  be  the  inheritance  of  every  child  born 
into  the  world. 

From  a  report  of  the  tithing  in  those  days  it  also  appears 


352  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

that  from  October  1848  to  April  1852,  there  was  paid  in,  $353,- 
755.69,  a  creditable  showing  when  the  hardships  of  those  times 
and  the  limited  numbers  of  Saints  are  taken  into  consideration. 

It  was  at  this  conference,  April  1852,  that  Edward  Hunter 
was  chosen  and  set  apart  as  the  Presiding  Bishop  of  the  Church. 
Many  people  will  remember  the  quaint  words  and  sayings  of  Ed- 
ward Hunter.  When  asked  to  select  his  counselors,  on  that  occa- 
sion, he  arose  and  said:  "I  select  for  my  counselors  Brigham 
Young  and  Heber  C.  Kimball." 

On  the  23rd  of  April,  1852,  Wilford  Woodruff  accompanied 
the  First  Presidency  on  a  tour  through  the  southern  settlements 
as  far  south  as  Cedar  City,  which  they  had  visited  once  before. 
On  this  trip  they  organized  the  Iron  Company  for  the  purpose  of 
developing  the  iron  deposits  of  that  region.  The  rodometer  showed 
the  distance  from  Salt  Lake  to  Cedar  via  Sanpete  Valley  to  be 
314*/2  miles.  It  was  on  this  visit  that  the  Parowan  Stake  was 
organized,  with  John  L.  Smith  as  president,  John  Steele  as  first, 
and  Henry  Lunt  as  second  counselor. 

On  the  28th  of  August,  1852,  a  special  conference  was 
held  and  about  one  hundred  missionaries  were  called  to  Europe 
and  other  parts  of  the  world.  The  following  October  witnessed 
the  call  of  still  other  missionaries.  In  speaking  of  their  bless- 
ings President  Woodruff  said:  "The  spirit  and  power  of  God 
rested  upon  us  in  a  great  degree.  The  heavens  were  opened,  and 
our  minds  were  filled  with  visions,  revelations,  and  prophecy, 
while  we  sealed  great  blessings  upon  the  heads  of  the  elders  and 
foretold  what  would  befall  them  by  sea  and  by  land;  that  they 
would  do  a  great  work  and  gather  many  Saints  and  much  wealth 
to  Zion." 

Before  the  close  of  the  year,  there  were  special  meetings  of 
the  Council  of  the  Twelve  in  which  the  importance  of  keeping 
a  history  of  the  Twelve  was  emphasized,  and  Elder  Woodruff 
was  at  that  time  appointed  to  write  a  history  of  his  Quorum. 
Speaking  of  the  Twelve  at  this  time  he  says:  "There  has  not 
been  a  death  in  the  Quorum  of  the  Twelve  Apostles  except  that  of 
David  Patten,  who  fell  a  martyr  to  his  religion,  according  to  the 
special  request  he  made  of  the  Lord  that  he  might  die  that  death. 
I  lament  the  fact  that  David  Patten  did  not  leave  a  record  of  his 
life,  for  he  was  a  true  prophet,  an  apostle,  and  a  fine  man.  Many 


THE  YEARS   1852,  '53,  '54.  353 

miracles  were  wrought  by  him.  He  once  told  a  rich  man  in  Ten- 
nessee who  fought  the  work  of  God,  that  he  and  his  family  would 
yet  beg  for  their  bread.  Robert  C.  Petty  saw  that  same  man  cry 
at  a  blacksmith  shop  because  the  blacksmith  would  not  sharpen 
his  plough  on  credit." 

Speaking  upon  the  principle  of  writing  a  history  he  said  that 
since  he  had  been  a  member  of  the  Church  he  had  been  inspired 
to  write  not  only  of  his  own  acts  and  life  but  to  write  the  ser- 
mons, teachings,  and  prophecies  of  the  Prophet  Joseph,  President 
Young,  and  Council  of  the  Twelve  Apostles  as  far  as  he  was  ac- 
quainted with  their  labors. 

When  the  new  year  of  1853  opened  Wilford  Woodruff  gave 
expression  to  those  noble  inspirations  which  characterized  his  life. 
In  his  journal  he  writes:  "A  new  year  in  a  new  era!  How 
time  flies,  and  how  wonderful,  how  magnificent  are  the  events 
which  are  borne  upon  its  wings !  It  is  the  opening  of  a  dispen- 
sation that  includes  all  other  dispensations  since  the  world  began. 
The  events  of  the  one  thousand  years  past  pale  into  insignificance 
compared  with  the  work  of  the  present  time." 

On  New  Year's  day  Wilford  Woodruff,  with  other  members 
of  his  Quorum,  all  being  present,  except  Orson  Pratt,  marched  in 
a  body  to  the  homes  of  Presidents  Young,  Kimball,  and  Rich- 
ards, and  to  the  home  of  Father  John  Smith,  the  patriarch,  in  the 
order  named  and  with  loving  respect  wished  them  a  happy  and 
prosperous  New  Year.  Each  of  the  Presidency  and  Father  Smith 
pronounced  their  blessings,  and  in  return  the  Twelve  blessed  them. 
In  the  evening  of  that  day,  the  Presidency  and  the  Twelve  dedi- 
cated the  Social  Hall  for  social  purposes,  and  with  about  two  hun- 
dred of  the  Saints  joined  in  a  dance  with  praise  and  thanksgiving 
to  the  Lord. 

The  14th  of  February,  1853,  witnessed  the  dedication  of  the 
site  of  the  Salt  Lake  Temple.  The  Presidency  and  the  Twelve 
broke  the  ground  with  a  pick.  It  was  an  occasion  of  great  joy 
among  the  Saints,  as  a  temple  meant  so  much  to  their  hopes  and 
faith.  On  April  the  6th,  the  four  corner-stones  were  dedicated, 
and  speeches  were  delivered.  Forty  years  thereafter,  Wilford 
Woodruff,  more  than  86  years  of  age,  presided  at  its  completion 
and  dedication. 

On  the  25th  of  August  Elder  Woodruff  went  with  members 

24 


354  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

of  the  Twelve  to  locate  a  new  Weber  settlement.  The  people 
there  were  growing  dissatisfied  and  changed  their  location  several 
times.  At  the  October  conference,  following,  Wilford  Woodruff 
and  Ezra  T.  Benson  were  appointed  to  select  fifty  families  to  settle 
in  Tooele  Valley.  The  work  in  that  valley  engaged  his  time 
largely  during  the  remainder  of  the  year  until  the  12th  of  Decem- 
ber, when  he  again  took  up  his  work  in  the  House  of  Representa- 
tives. 

The  new  year  of  1854  dawned  upon  the  Sabbath  day.  In 
the  afternoon  the  Saints  were  addressed  by  Apostle  Woodruff. 
On  the  evening  of  the  2nd  there  was  a  dancing  party  given 
in  the  Social  Hall.  The  parties  there  were  attended  by  the 
leaders,  and  an  effort  was  made  to  give  to  those  occasions  an 
innocent  joy  and  a  high  social  quality  that  would  uplift  the  dance 
and  make  it  a  suitable  place  for  Saints,  and  not  allow  it  to  be 
the  exclusive  pastime  of  the  sinners.  In  those  early  days  there 
was  a  much  greater  opposition  on  the  part  of  the  different  re- 
ligious denominations  of  the  world  than  there  is  today.  This 
practice,  from  the  outset  among  the  Latter-day  Saints  of  taking 
their  religion  with  them  into  the  social  life  was  one  of  the  al- 
leged faults  which  the  religious  world  condemned.  In  those 
times  when  there  were  so  many  difficulties,  so  many  hardships 
different  from  those  which  the  people  had  to  encounter  in  the 
East,  the  dance  was  about  the  only  sort  of  amusement  which 
the  Saints  could  enjoy. 

The  following  are  the  words  of  President  Young  which 
give  his  views  of  the  ball  room,  and  which  he  gave  on  the  even- 
ing of  the  2nd:  "I  consider  this  a  suitable  place  to  give  some 
instructions.  The  world  considers  it  very  wicked  for  a  Christian 
to  hear  music  and  to  dance.  Many  preachers  say  that  fiddling 
and  music  come  from  hell,  but  I  say  there  is  no  fiddling,  there 
is  no  music  in  hell.  Music  belongs  to  heaven,  to  cheer  God, 
angels,  and  men.  If  we  could  hear  the  music  there  is  in  heaven, 
it  would  overwhelm  us  mortals.  Music  and  dancing  are  for 
the  benefit  of  holy  ones,  and  all  those  who  come  here  to-night  who 
are  not  holy  and  righteous  and  do  not  worship  God  have  no  right 
to  come  here." 

Men  and  women  were  taught  that  in  all  they  did  on  the 
week  day  as  upon  the  Sabbath  they  should  honor  God.  If, 


THE  YEARS   1852,  '53,  '54.  355 

later  on,  excesses  in  dancing  and  its  improper  practice  were 
corrected  by  a  Prophet  of  God,  John  Taylor,  it  was  because  of  the 
excesses  and  the  improprieties  of  certain  classes,  and  not  because 
of  the  ball  room  itself.  To  him,  there  was  great  objection  in 
permitting  the  dance  room  to  become  a  financial  scheme. 

In  the  year  of  1854  President  Willard  Richards  was  suf- 
fering from  palsy,  and  the  attention  which  he  received  at  the 
hands  of  Elder  Woodruff  was  characteristic  of  the  latter's  tender 
regard  and  loving  administration  for  those  whom  he  esteemed. 
Besides  giving  his  attention  to  the  sick,  he  also  began  the  work 
of  teaching  and  preparing  the  young  men  for  their  duties  in 
the  office  of  the  lesser  priesthood.  He  was  especially  solicitous 
of  the  training  of  his  young  sons,  especially  Wilford  junior. 

Those  were  days  of  extreme  sociability  and  neighborly  love. 
In  his  journal  Elder  Woodruff  writes  of  a  visit  to  his  home  of 
Ann  Whitney  and  Eliza  R.  Snow:  "I  read  over  several  of  the 
old  sermons  of  Joseph  that  were  not  recorded  anywhere  except 
in  my  journal.  We  passed  a  pleasant  evening  together,  and 
before  they  left  they  sang  in  tongues  in  the  pure  language  which 
Adam  and  Eve  spoke  in  the  Garden  of  Eden.  This  gift  was 
obtained  in  the  Kirtland  Temple  through  a  promise  of  the  Prophet 
Joseph  Smith.  He  told  Sister  Whitney  if  she  would  rise  upon  her 
feet  she  should  have  the  pure  language.  She  did  so,  and  im- 
mediately began  to  sing  in  tongues.  It  was  nearer  to  heavenly 
music  than  anything  I  ever  heard."  This  beautiful  gift  Sister 
Whitney  retained  throughout  her  life  time,  and  upon  appropriate 
occasions  exercised  it  to  the  edification  and  joy  of  the  Saints. 

In  those  days  Elder  Woodruff  found  some  time  in  the  midst 
of  public  duties  to  devote  to  the  reading  of  good  books,  among 
them  was  the  first  volume  of  the  life  of  Benjamin  Franklin,  and 
into  his  journal  he  copied  Franklin's  rules  of  perfection.  What- 
ever was  high-minded,  choice,  or  of  value  as  discipline,  Wilford 
Woodruff  cherished. 

On  the  llth  of  January  of  that  year  President  Willard 
Richards  died.  He  had  been  a  sufferer  for  many  years,  but 
through  faith  his  life  had  been  prolonged.  Of  him  Elder  Wood- 
ruff writes:  "He  is  the  first  of  the  Twelve  or  of  our  Presi- 
dency who  has  died  in  the  faith  a  natural  death.  All  who  have 
gone  before  in  full  fellowship  have  died  martyrs*"  He  and  Presi- 


356  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

dent  Richards  had  formed  a  strong  attachment  for  each  other,  and 
they  had  traveled  together  quite  extensively  in  their  missionary 
labors  and  pioneer  work.  At  the  time  of  President  Richard's 
death,  President  Young  was  too  ill  to  attend  the  funeral. 

The  following  month  of  March  Elder  Woodruff  visited  Too- 
ele  City,  Grantsville,  and  other  places  in  Tooele  Valley,  the  coloni- 
zation of  which  had  been  largely  intrusted  to  himself  and  Elders 
Benson  and  Maughan. 

On  the  27th  of  that  month,  he  returned  to  Salt  Lake  City  and 
met  with  the  Twelve  at  his  home.  Here,  the  missionaries  who 
were  going  to  England  had  been  set  apart,  and  Franklin  D. 
Richards  was  called  to  preside  over  the  European  mission. 

The  April  conference  which  followed  was  one  of  considerable 
importance.  It  became  necessary  to  select  someone  to  fill  the 
place  made  vacant  by  the  death  of  Willard  Richards.  President 
Young  asked  the  Twelve  to  suggest  some  man  for  the  place,  but 
they  considered  it  his  privilege  to  choose  his  own  counselor,  and  so 
informed  him,  at  the  same  time  promising  to  endorse  his  selec- 
tion. When  the  authorities  were  sustained,  Jedediah  M.  Grant 
was  taken  into  the  First  Presidency  of  the  Church.  He  had  been 
a  faithful  and  distinguished  elder,  and  was  loved  by  all  the  Saints. 

It  was  at  this  conference  that  the  question  of  Consecration 
was  presented.  Speaking  of  that  subject,  President  Kimball  said: 
"I  want  all  I  have  to  be  secured  in  the  Kingdom  of  God."  They 
knew  the  dangers  and  temptations  of  wealth,  the  selfishness  which 
it  begets,  as  well  as  its  destruction  of  brotherly  love. 

At  the  same  conference,  President  Kimball  spoke  on  Plural 
Marriage  and  declared  its  divine  origin.  "Many  of  you  have 
fought  it,"  he  said,  "you  may  continue  to  fight  it  until  you  go 
down  into  your  graves,  and  it  will  still  continue  to  be  the  work 
of  God,  and  will  still  continue  through  all  Eternity." 

At  that  time  Elder  Parley  P.  Pratt  was  appointed  to  es- 
tablish a  stake  of  the  Church  at  Horner's  ranch  in  California. 
Erastus  Snow  was  called  on  a  mission  to  St.  Louis,  and  Orson 
Pratt  to  Cincinnati.  Joseph  F.  Smith,  then  a  boy  less  than  16 
years  of  age,  was  called  upon  his  first  mission  to  the  Sandwich 
Islands. 

On  the  3rd  of  May,  a  party  of  the  leaders,  of  which  Elder 
Woodruff  was  one,  started  on  a  tour  of  the  southern  settlements. 


THE  YEARS   1852,  '53,   '54.  357 

Their  first  day's  drive  was  to  Union  Ward,  where  the  Saints  had 
been  counseled  to  build  their  homes  within  a  fort,  as  a  protection 
against  the  Indians.  It  appears  that  to  some  extent  this  counsel 
had  been  ignored  by  the  people  there.  In  speaking  of  that  fact 
President  Young  said :  "I  am  responsible  for  the  counsel  I  give. 
If  you  want  to  know  any  more  concerning  it — do  right;  pray  to 
the  Lord,  that  you  may  have  His  mind  revealed  and  may  under- 
stand the  truth  and  know  for  yourselves  what  lies  before  you- 
then you  will  not  question  these  things,  but  will  go  to  work  and 
do  them  with  all  your  might." 

In  those  days  there  was  a  special  anxiety  to  protect  the  people, 
who  were  scattering  out  to  form  new  settlements,  against  the 
attacks  of  the  Indians.  The  people  noted  the  special  supervision 
of  their  leaders  who  were  constantly  directing  the  settlements 
which  were  in  time  to  come  to  be  the  strongholds  of  the  Latter- 
day  Saints.  Every  detail  was  thought  out,  and  nothing  escaped 
the  vigilant  watch-care  of  their  Prophet.  In  his  journal  Elder 
Woodruff  recorded  the  remarks  of  President  Young  spoken  to 
the  people  of  Pleasant  Grove:  "Your  stacks  are  so  placed  that 
one  Indian  could  fire  the  whole  place,  and  others  could  shoot 
you  down.  While  you  were  fighting  the  fire  they  could  kill  every 
man,  woman,  and  child  in  this  place." 

The  party  continued  the  journey  from  here  to  Provo,  Spring- 
ville,  and  Payson.  When  they  reached  Payson  they  were  ap- 
proaching the  Indian  country,  and  the  Indian  question  was  dis- 
cussed. President  Young  counseled  the  Saints  to  feed  the  In- 
dians and  treat  them  kindly.  When  the  company  reached  a  place 
about  fifteen  miles  south  of  Payson  an  organization  was  effected : 
Robert  T.  Burton  was  made  captain  of  the  guard ;  W.  Woodruff, 
historian ;  Parley  P.  Pratt  and  John  Taylor,  chaplains ;  Edward 
Hunter,  chief  bishop;  and  Dr.  Sprague,  physician  and  surgeon. 

After  leaving  Nephi,  Elder  Woodruff  makes  this  interest- 
ing record:  "The  next  day,  May  llth,  we  rode  to  Chicken 
Creek  and  spent  the  night  near  Walker  and  his  band.  President 
Young  and  council  tried  to  talk  with  him,  but  he  was  sulky  and  not 
disposed  to  talk.  When  we  first  formed  our  corral  within  forty 
rods  of  his  camp,  he  gathered  all  of  his  vvarriors  and  made  quite  a 
display,  but  we  did  not  go  to  meet  them,  so  they  turned  their  horses 
out  and  went  to  their  tents. 


358  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

"When  we  called  upon  Walker,  he  lay  down  in  the  dirt  and 
was  averse  to  talking.  Brother  Young  manifested  great  patience 
even  when  almost  any  other  man  would  have  been  exhausted. 
He  went  to  him  and  lifted  him  out  of  the  dirt  and  finally  drew 
from  him  a  conversation.  Walker  said  he  had  no  spirit,  he  had 
no  heart,  he  did  not  wish  to  talk.  'I  want  to  sit  still  and  hear 
President  Young  and  others  talk.'  President  Young  gave  him 
some  tobacco.  The  chief  said  when  he  had  plenty  of  tobacco  all 
his  friends  would  come  and  smoke  with  him,  but  when  he  had 
no  tobacco  they  would  stay  away  from  him.  President  Young 
then  said :  'I  have  brought  some  beef  cattle  for  you.  I  want 
one  killed  so  you  can  have  a  feast  while  we  are  here.'  Walker 
then  wanted  the  Mormons  to  sing  before  the  parties  took  a  smoke. 
The  chief  said,  'Ezra  T.  Benson  came,  and  his  heart  was  good. 
Diminick  Huntington  came,  and  his  heart  was  running.'  We 
then  sang,  and  when  this  was  done  Walker  said,  'I  have  not  got 
the  spirit  of  the  Lord.  If  there  is  anyone  here  who  can  give 
me  the  spirit  of  the  Lord  I  wish  he  would  do  it.'  Speaking 
further,  the  old  chief  said,  'White  people  in  heaven  are  happy.' 
An  Indian  by  the  name  of  Tulpidge  then  spoke  amid  much  cry- 
Ing  and  tears.  He  was  the  Indian  who  had  his  wife  killed.  He 
said  Diminick  Huntington  had  been  good  to  him,  and  he  had  not 
seen  him  since  his  child's  death.  He  said:  'We  now  have  good 
hearts  and  the  Mormons  who  are  now  here  have  good  hearts. 
We  can  lie  down  in  peace  without  fear,  and  I  want  to  live  in 
friendship  with  this  people.' 

"We  now  left  the  Indian  camp  and  returned  to  our  wagons, 
but  President  Young  had  another  talk  with  Walker  the  same  day. 
On  the  following  day  we  again  visited  Walker's  tent,  but  the 
chief  was  still  sulky  and  would  not  talk.  He  left  his  tent  and 
went  into  the  willows  while  the  others  talked.  The  Indians  had 
a  sick  child  which  they  wished  the  elders  to  administer  to.  Presi- 
dent Kimball  with  Elders  Benson  and  Wells  did  so,  and  Dr. 
Sprague  left  some  medicine  for  the  child  and  for  others  who 
were  sick.  The  Indian  said  if  his  sick  child  died  he  would  have 
to  kill  an  Indian  child  or  a  Mormon  child  to  go  with  it — this  is 
their  tradition.  The  interpreter  told  him  he  must  not  do  it  as  that 
was  wrong;  that  when  a  Mormon  child  died  we  did  not  kill  an- 
other to  go  with  it  and  they  must  not  do  it.  The  Indian  said  that 


THE  YEARS   1852,   '53,   '54.  359 

if  the  child  got  well,  he  would  go  with  us.  He  said  Walker  was 
a  great  chief,  and  that  President  Young  was  a  great  chief. 

"Peteetnet  spoke  and  said  they  would  be  good  and  not  steal, 
neither  would  they  kill  anybody,  and  that  anyone  could  go  alone 
and  not  be  killed.  Walker  wished  President  Young  to  write  a 
letter  that  he  might  show  to  the  people  and  let  them  know  that 
we  were  at  peace  with  each  other.  This,  President  Young  did. 
Dr.  Sprague  gave  them  some  medicine,  and  after  a  talk  of  peace 
and  good  will  from  the  old  chief  we  shook  hands  and  smoked 
the  pipe  of  peace.  Walker  received  his  presents.  We  killed  a 
beef  and  made  a  great  feast  for  the  Indians.  They  traded  blankets 
for  horses  and  bought  two  Indians  who  were  prisoners.  After 
making  peace  we  left  them  and  rode  on  to  Sevier  River.  Walker, 
Squashead,  and  many  others  went  with  us  and  spent  the  night  on 
the  Sevier.  We  made  a  raft  and  took  our  wagons  over  in  an  hour 
and  a  half.  Next  day  we  reached  Fillmore,  a  distance  of  thirty- 
five  miles." 

From  Fillmore  the  party  passed  through  Beaver  and  Parowan 
to  Cedar  City.  Here  they  visited  the  Iron  Works  and  saw  some 
of  the  products.  Erastus  Snow  was  present  and  explained  to  them 
the  difficulties  to  be  contended  with  in  the  manufacture  of  iron, 
as  they  were  so  far  from  railroads.  During  this  trip  the  company 
visited  Harmony  and  then  returned  to  the  North,  reaching  Salt 
Lake  the  30th  of  the  month,  having  traveled  a  distance  of  574  miles. 

June  the  27th,  18^4,  the  anniversary  of  the  martyrdom  of 
Joseph  and  Hyrum,  was  observed.  The  Church  held  a  general 
conference,  according  to  previous  appointment.  Elder  John 
Taylor  was  called  on  a  mission  to  New  York,  while  other  elders 
were  called  to  different  parts  of  the  world.  John  Smith,  son  of 
Hyrum  Smith,  was  on  that  day  called  to  the  position  of  presiding 
patriarch  of  the  Church.  He  was  the  fourth  to  occupy  that  place 
in  this  dispensation. 

During  those  busy  times  of  travel  and  teaching,  Elder  Wood- 
ruff also  found  time  to  farm  his  land.  He  records  that  on  that 
year  he  raised  369  bushels  of  wheat,  400  bushels  of  potatoes  and 
200  bushels  of  corn. 

On  November  27th,  he  set  out  upon  a  visit  to  the  settlements 
in  the  north.  On  the  2nd  of  December,  he  paid  his  first  visit  to 
Ogden,  where  he  found  a  large  colony  of  Saints  on  the  east  side 


360  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

of  the  Weber  River.  Here  he  counseled  the  people  respecting 
the  payment  of  their  tithing,  the  Poor  Fund,  the  establishment  of 
schools,  also  the  building  of  a  wall  around  the  city  for  protection 
against  attacks  by  the  Indians.  At  this  time  he  also  visited  North 
Ogden,  then  called  Ogden  Hole,  seven  miles  north  of  Ogden  City. 
It  was  at  that  time  one  of  the  most  flourishing  settlements  north 
of  Salt  Lake  City.  There  were  forty-seven  families  and  a  school 
with  fifty  pupils.  The  people  here  raised  in  1854,  16,000  bushels 
of  wheat. 

On  the  4th  of  December,  Elder  Woodruff  visited  Willow 
Creek,  now  Willard.  From  there  he  went  to  Box  Elder,  later 
known  as  Brigham  City,  which  was  then  chiefly  settled  by  Saints 
from  Scandinavia  and  Wales.  Returning,  he  reached  home  De- 
cember 9th.  On  the  next  day  he  listened  to  Charles  C.  Rich, 
who  gave  an  account  of  the  rise  and  progress  of  the  settlement 
of  the  Saints  in  San  Bernardino. 

On  the  llth  of  December  the  legislature  met.  The  Council 
then  consisted  of  four  members :  Heber  C.  Kimball,  Daniel  H. 
Wells,  Orson  Pratt,  and  Wilford  Woodruff.  The  House  had 
nine  members :  Albert  Carrington,  Leonard  E.  Harrington,  Aaron 
Johnson,  Isaac  Morley,  John  A.  Ray,  Geo.  A,  Smith.  Lorin  Farr, 
and  Erastus  Bingham.  At  that  time  there  were  only  seven  coun- 
ties, viz.,  Salt  Lake,  San  Pete,  Millard,  Iron,  Davis,  and  Weber. 

On  Christmas  day  of  that  year,  there  was  some  excitement 
created  by  a  drunken  brawl  among  the  soldiers  who  were  quart- 
ered in  the  heart  of  the  city.  Some  of  the  citizens  became  mixed 
up  with  it.  Some  of  the  soldiers  fired  upon  the  people  who 
threw  stones  at  them.  The  officers,  however,  with  the  aid  of  the 
marshal  and  mayor  restored  peace.  In  the  evening,  Col.  Steptoe 
and  Judge  Kinney  gave  a  ball  and  invited  the  Presidency  and 
Twelve.  Of  the  occasion  Brother  Woodruff  writes :  "It  was  a 
splendid  affair.  We  had  a  good  supper  and  a  splendid  dance." 

In  order  to  give  some  intellectual  pastime,  a  Philosophical 
Society  was  organized  to  which  the  leaders  gave  special  attention 
and  encouragement  to  those  who  were  anxious  to  improve  their 
minds. 

Closing  his  journal  for  that  year  Elder  Woodruff  notes  that 
he  traveled  over  1,800  miles,  attended  47  meetings,  and  preached 
44  discourses.  He  also  attended  two  general  conferences,  and 
passed  twenty  days  in  the  legislature. 


CHAPTER  33. 
EDUCATIONAL    EFFORTS. 

Education    Promoted. — Adventurers. — Endowment    House. — President 

Young  Speaks  of  the  Resurrection. — Death  of  Judge  Schafer. — Provo. 

Work    in    Educational    Societies. — In    the    Legislature    at    Fillmore. — 

•   Words   of  Confidence  from   Kanosh,  an   Indian   Chief. — Some   Pe- 

cularities  of  Wilford  Woodruff. — Poisoned. 

The  first  day  of  the  year  1855  was  observed  by  a  social  en- 
tertainment which  the  Governor  and  the  Legislature  of  Utah  gave 
in  the  new  Social  Hall.  "It  was  the  most  splendid  party  up  to  that 
date  ever  gotten  up  in  the  Territory.  The  United  States  judges 
and  military  officers  were  invited.  Dancing  commenced  at  3 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon  and  closed  with  a  supper  at  mid-night." 

These  hardy  pioneers  had  grand  ambitions  in  their  humble 
homes,  amid  humble  surroundings.  They  established  a  grammar 
school  under  the  direction  of  Orson  Hyde.  They  also  organized  a 
Universal  Scientific  Association  for  the  study  of  science,  the  pro- 
motion of  education,  and  the  accumulation  of  a  library  and  muse- 
um. They  already  had  their  Philosophical  Society  and  later  or- 
ganized a  Horticultural  Association  for  the  purpose  of  encourag- 
ing the  growth  of  fruit  in  the  Territory. 

On  the  4th  of  February,  at  the  Sunday  meeting,  some  atten- 
tion was  given  to  the  attitude  which  the  Saints  had  taken  toward 
a  host  of  new  comers  who  were  not  of  their  faith.  Most  of  them 
belonged  to  an  adventurous  class  and  were  unscrupulous  men. 
Against  them  the  Saints  were  warned.  This  warning  created  con- 
siderable excitement  among  them.  The  new  comers  were  angry,  but 
the  Saints  were  firm.  In  time  excitement  quieted  down.  Some  of 
the  outsiders  soon  learned  that  there  was  a  social  barrier  which  they 
could  not  break  down.  They  were  not  here  to  establish  homes, 
and  many  were  disappointed  when  they  could  not  prey  upon  the 
homes  of  the  Latter-day  Saints. 

As  spring  approached  new  problems  arose.  The  new  country 
was  a  kind  of  experiment  station,  and  the  people  were  anxious  to 
get  all  kinds  of  seeds  that  they  might  experiment  with  the  soil  and 
climate.  Elder  Woodruff  was  among  the  first  to  introduce  fruit 


362  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

trees.  He  obtained  thirty-one  different  kinds  of  choice  applegrafts. 
The  future  began  to  look  more  hopeful.  They  had  in  mind  a 
grand  commonwealth,  which  by  their  faithful  industry  they  would 
establish.  They  were  spreading  out  over  the  Valleys  of  the  Moun- 
tains and  estaolishing  homes.  They  were  a  happy  people,  full  of 
hope  and  grand  expectations — if  the  soil  responded  to  their  efforts. 

The  political  situation  became  disappointing.  At  first  Brig- 
ham  Young  had  been  appointed  Governor,  and  had  given  satisfac- 
tion. He  was  beloved  by  his  people ;  and  respect  for  their  local  self- 
government  and  their  wishes  would  have  continued  him  as  such, 
but  men  were  not  slow  in  circulating  evil  reports  and  in  creating 
prejudice  and  hatred  in  the  hearts  of  those  who  leaned  toward  the 
Latter-day  Saints.  The  word  came  that  another  was  to  succeed 
Brigham  Young  as  governor. 

Announcement  was  made  that  on  February  the  18th  President 
Young  would  give  the  views  of  our  people  concerning  the  govern- 
ment of  the  United  States.  Or.  chat  date  the  Tabernacle  was 
crowded,  and  there  were  probably  one  thousand  people  on  the  out- 
side who  could  not  find  entrance;  but  President  Young  was  sick 
and  unable  to  attend.  His  statement,  however,  to  the  people  was 
read  in  which  he  expressed  loyalty  to  the  Constitution  and  laws 
of  the  country,  but  disapprobation  towards  those  who  were  severe, 
and  towards  men  in  high  places  who  disregarded  the  rights  of 
the  people  here.  The  address  was  published  in  the  Dcseret  News 
and  later  on,  in  the  Journal  of  Discourses. 

On  February  18th  John  Smith  received  his  ordination  to  the 
office  of  Patriarch  of  the  Church,  he  having  been  previously 
called  to  that  high  station  on  the  10th  of  March,  1853.  Elder 
Woodruff  records  the  death  of  an  old  friend,  Joseph  Russell,  who 
was  faithful  and  true,  and  who  had  given  nearly  all  his  means 
amounting  to  about  $7,000.00  to  the  Church. 

The  conference  of  that  year  began  on  April  6th,  with  about 
12,000  people  in  attendance.  Times  were  somewhat  exciting,  and 
there  was  a  pronounced  demonstration  on  the  part  of  the  Saints 
in  the  matter  of  their  adherance  to  the  work  of  God.  At  that  time 
about  one  hundred  missionaries  were  called.  A  little  later  on  in 
the  same  month  the  Deseret  Theological  Society  was  organized. 

On  May  the  15th,  the  Endowment  House  was  dedicated.  To 
the  older  of  the  present  generation  its  sacred  precincts,  its  rites, 


EDUCATIONAL  EFFORTS.  363 

and  ordinances  are  among  the  most  cherished  memories.  Apostle 
Woodruff  was  present  at  its  dedication ;  and  later  in  life  when  the 
Temple  supplanted  it,  he  ordered  it  removed.  On  the  day  follow- 
ing its  dedication,  Geo,  Q.  Cannon  gave  an  interesting  account  of 
his  mission  to  the  Sandwich  Islands. 

On  the  same  date- President  Young  in  speaking  of  the  resur- 
rection, as  recorded  by  President  Woodruff,  said :  "The  identical 
particles  of  matter  in  which  we  have  honored  our  spirits,  our  tab- 
ernacles, in  which  we  have  suffered,  traveled,  labored,  and  built 
up  the  Kingdom  of  God  would  be  the  identical  bodies  resurrected, 
and  no  others.  They  will  be  raised  from  the  grave  to  immortality 
and  eternal  lives.  Evil  was  placed  upon  the  earth  that  man  might 
know  the  good  from  the  evil,  for  without  an  experience  in  those 
things,  men  could  not  know  one  from  the  other.  Upon  the  earth 
the  devil  sowed  the  seeds  of  death  in  everything,  so  that  as  soon 
as  Adam  and  Eve  began  to  eat  of  the  fruit  of  the  earth  they  re- 
ceived into  their  systems  the  seeds  of  mortality — death.  Their 
children  thus  became  mortal  and  subject  to  pain,  sorrow,and  death. 
By  this  means  they  were  redeemed  and  partook  of  life,  peace,  and 
happiness,  and  they  would  know  how  to  prize  them.  Father  Adam 
would  never  cease  his  labors  to  redeem  his  posterity  and  axalt 
them  to  all  the  glory  they  were  capable  of  receiving.  Yet  man 
has  his  agency  to  act  for  himself — choose  good  or  evil,  and  to  be 
rewarded  according  to  his  works." 

On  May  the  19th  Elder  Woodruff  set  out  upon  another  visit 
to  the  southern  settlements  in  company  with  President  Young.  At 
Cedar  City  they  found  the  iron  works  in  full  blast.  They  were 
making  good  iron,  casting  pipes  and  other  necessary  appliances 
needed  by  the  people.  While  there,  they  organized  a  stake  of 
Zion  comprising  Iron  County.  On  reaching  Lehi  on  their  return 
they  had  an  interesting  visit  from  Aropene,  an  Indian  chief.  This 
was  the  latter  part  of  May,  and  by  this  time  the  crops  and  gardens 
had  almost  entirely  been  destroyed  by  the  grasshoppers. 

In  his  journal  of  June  30th  of  that  year  he  records  the 
funeral  of  Judge  Schafer,  Chief  Justice  of  the  Territorial  Supreme 
Court  of  Utah.  The  funeral  was  held  on  that  day.  The  Saints 
turned  out  in  large  numbers  and  showed  great  honor  to  the 
judge  whose  justice  and  uprightness  were  so  greatly  respected. 

On  July  the  13th  Elder  Woodruff  attended  the  conference 


364  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

in  Provo  with  Presidents  Young,  Kimball,  and  Grant.  During 
the  conference,  they  had  a  visit  from  an  Indian  chief  whose  Eng- 
lish name  was  High  Forehead.  He  and  others  of  his  tribe  ad- 
dressed the  congregation,  expressing  their  confidence  in  President 
Young  and  the  people  over  whom  he  presided.  There  was  in 
those  days  a  class  of  people  in  Provo  whose  conduct  was  not 
entirely  satisfactory.  It  was  a  gathering  place  for  many  uncouth 
miners,  whose  habits  of  drinking  and  gambling  did  not  give 
Provo  a  very  good  name.  Speaking  of  the  town,  Apostle  Wood- 
ruff says  in  his  journal:  "There  was  a  strange  spirit  in  Provo 
and  many  had  not  the  spirit  of  God."  Many  of  the  early  inhabi- 
tants of  the  town  will  find  in  that  remark  something  of  the  spirit 
of  charity. 

On  Elder  Woodruff's  return  to  Salt  Lake  City  he  speaks  of 
the  excellent  times  they  had  in  the  Polysophical  Society  as  well 
as  in  the  Universal  Scientific  Society.  These  social  gatherings 
for'  intellectual  improvement  afforded  the  progressive  men  of 
those  days  some  opportunity  to  satisfy  their  desires  for  education. 
Elder  Woodruff  rarely  failed  in  his  journal  to  give  an  account 
of  the  doings  of  those  societies,  and  to  express  the  great  delight 
he  had  had  over  the  information  imparted  by  the  lectures.  In  his 
journal  he  says:  "On  September  13th  we  met  in  the  Social  Hall 
under  the  organization  of  a  Pomological  Society.  The  house  was 
well  filled  and  the  subject  discussed  was  the  organization  of  a 
Horticultural  Society.  A  committee  was  appointed  to  draft  the 
constitution  and  by-laws  to  govern  said  society.  I  was  chosen 
chairman  of  this  committee,  and  subsequently  president  of  the 
society  which  did  much  to  promote  the  culture  and  growth  of 
fruit  in  the  Territory. 

The  spirit  of  Wilford  Woodruff  was  pre-eminently  mission- 
ary in  every  aspect  of  his  life.  If  he  raised  fruit,  it  was  in  ful- 
fillment of  a  mission  to  promote  an  industry.  When  he  sat  in 
the  legislative  halls,  he  regarded  his  work  as  a  grand  mission  for 
the  establishment  and  spread  of  the  principles  of  civil  govern- 
ment. It  all  made  him  an  enthusiastic  worker.  If  he  farmed, 
he  did  it  as  much  to  teach  others  how  to  farm  as  to  obtain  a  liveli- 
hood from  it.  With  him,  all  life  and  labor  was  a  mission.  It  was 
all  in  the  spirit  of  a  teacher  and  he  was  conscientious  in  the  ex- 
treme about  what  and  how  he  would  teach.  In  attending  a 


EDUCATIONAL  EFFORTS.  365 

quarterly  conference  at  Farmington  in  October,  1855,  he  writes 
in  his  journal:  "After  retiring  to  bed  I  prayed  to  the  Lord  to 
show  me  what  we  should  teach  the  people,  and  this  I  received  as 
an  answer.  'Let  my  servants  obtain  the  Holy  Ghost  and  keep 
My  spirit  with  them  and  that  will  instruct  them  what  to  teach  the 
people  continually.  Instruct  the  people  to  keep  My  spirit  with 
them  and  they  will  be  enabled  to  understand  the  word  of  the 
Lord  when  it  is  taught  unto  them.' ': 

It  is  quite  natural,  therefore,  that  he  should  keep  a  careful 
account  of  missionary  work  both  at  home  and  abroad.  He  notes 
in  the  fall  of  that  year  that  Nathaniel  V.  Jones  returned  from 
his  mission  to  Hindoostan,  also  the  appointment  of  Lorenzo  Snow, 
Ezra  T.  Benson,  and  Phineas  Young  to  England. 

Elder  Woodruff  was  appointed  as  a  misisonary,  in  connec- 
tion with  Elders  Orson  Pratt,  and  Parley  P.  Pratt,  to  travel 
throughout  the  Territory.  He  speaks  of  this  event  as  giving  him 
much  pleasure  and  adds:  "It  is  the  first  time  since  the  organi- 
zation of  this  Church  and  Quorum  that  I  have  had  the  privilege  of 
being  associated  with  these  two  men  on  a  preaching  mission. 
We  have  met  but  little  except  in  conference  from  time  to  time." 
He  mentions  about  this  time  the  death  of  Orson  Spencer  who 
had  died  in  St.  Louis.  Of  him  he  says :  "Many  friends  mourn 
his  loss.  He  was  a  firm  pillar  in  the  Church  and  Kingdom  of 
God." 

Having  been  again  elected  to  the  legislature,  Elder  Woodruff 
set  out  for  Fillmore  which  was  then  the  capital  of  the  Territory. 
He  went  in  company  with  Lorenzo  Snow,  Loren  Farr,  and  Jon- 
athan C.  Wright.  While  in  Fillmore,  in  January,  1856,  he  re- 
ported and  wrote  in  his  journal  an  account  of  an  excellent  dis- 
course preached  by  President  Young.  The  following  was  taken 
from  his  journal:  "It  is  our  duty  to  make  every  sacrifice  (if  it 
may  be  called  a  sacrifice)  required  of  us  by  our  Fatlier  in  Heaven, 
that  He  and  His  holy  angels  may  know  our  integrity.  I  see  a 
thousand  weaknesses  in  myself  that  I  now  regret,  and  it  is  so  with 
all  those  who  have  the  spirit  of  God,  and  they  will  try  to  over- 
come them.  People  may  be  guilty  of  various  sins,  and  do  you 
think  they  can  be  forgiven  in  a  moment.  No,  every  Latter-day 
Saint  knows  better.  This  would  be.  sectarianism.  The  religion 
of  the  world  is  that  a  man  may  commit  muder,  and  when  on  the 


366  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

gallows,  he  can  repent  and  be  forgiven  and  go  straightway  to 
Abraham's  bosom.  It  is  a  false  doctrine.  It  is  not  true.  Some 
may  say  that  they  cannot  overcome  their  passions  when  they  are 
tempted  and  tried,  they  cannot  help  scolding,  swearing,  etc.,  but 
I  tell  you  they  can  help  it,  and  must  overcome  it  sooner  or  later 
or  they  cannot  be  saved.  We  should  improve  day  by  day,  be  a 
better  man  or  woman  to-morrow  than  we  are  to-day.  Mothers, 
when  you  are  cross  and  attempt  to  correct  you  children,  conquer 
yourselves  first.  Fathers,  when  you  feel  angry  passions  rise,  then 
you  need  the  grace  of  God  to  bring  yourselves  into  subjection  to 
Him  that  you  may  gain  victory  over  your  feelings.  Live  so  that 
you  may  have  the  revelations  of  God  concerning  you  in  all  things 
— that  you  cannot  be  deceived.  When  Sidney  Rigdon  claimed 
to  be  the  leader  of  the  people,  the  people  knew  not  his  voice.  Par- 
ents are  under  the  greatest  obligation  to  live  their  religion,  so  also 
the  young  men  and  women,  that  when  they  marry  and  have  a  pos- 
terity their  children  may  be  born  in  holiness  and  righteousness, 
and  it  will  then  be  hard  to  make  anything  out  of  them  but  Latter- 
day  Saints."  . 

On  January  the  16th,  Kanosh,  an  Indian  chief,  made  an  ad- 
dress to  the  brethren,  as  follows :  "I  am  just  beginning  to  get 
my  eyes  opened.  I  know  that  President  Young's  talk  is  good. 
What  he  says  is  so.  He  tells  us  more  good,  and  I  am  like  the 
sun  just  rising  in  the  East,  and  so  with  my  people.  We  have 
been  in  the  night,  I  have  had  eyes  but  I  could  not  see,  and  ears, 
but  I  could  not  hear;  and  this  has  been  the  case  with  my  people. 
Our  hearts  could  not  understand,  but  now  our  eyes  see,  our  ears 
hear,  and  our  hearts  understand.  All  that  Brigham  and  Heber 
have  said  is  straight;  but  when  I  talk  with  Col.  Steptoe  and 
his  men,  he  is  not  straight,  I  would  not  believe,  for  a  tenth  part 
of  their  talk  is  not  straight,  and  so  it  is  with  the  Spaniards,  and 
with  all  the  white  men  until  I  saw  the  Mormons.  They  are  the  first 
to  tell  me  the  truth.  You  are  here  to  make  laws.  I  hope  you  will 
make  good  laws  to  punish  the  guilty  and  spare  the  innocent.  I 
wish  to  do  right  and  have  my  people  do  right.  I  do  not  want 
them  to  steal  nor  kill.  I  want  to  plant  and  raise  wheat,  and  to 
learn  to  plough,  and  do  as  the  white  people  do.  I  want  to  learn 
to  read  and  to  write,  and  to  have  my  children  learn  so  that  we  may 
understand  what  you  say  to  us."  This  is  a  beautiful  manifesta- 


EDUCATIONAL  EFFORTS.  36? 

tion  of  the  confidence  which  the  better  class  of  Indians  had  in  the 
Mormon  people. 

After  the  adjournment  of  the  legislature,  and  on  the  26th  of 
January,  a  large  mass  meeting  was  held  in  Salt  Lake  City  to 
consider  the  establishment  of  a  mail  and  passenger  service  between 
the  Western  States  and  California.  Governor  Young  was  chosen 
chairman.  A  committee  was  appointed  to  draft  resolutions  re- 
garding the  project.  About  this  time  the  First  Reader  published 
in  the  Deseret  Alphabet  was  gotten  up.  To  this  work  Elder  Wood- 
ruff gave  much  of  his  time.  During  the  month  of  February  he 
reports  in  his  journal  that  three  boys  had  been  killed  by  the  In- 
dians who  had  driven  off  a  number  of  horses  and  cattle. 

On  the  3rd  of  March  Elder  Woodruff  was  called  on  a  mis- 
sion to  the  East  to  secure  type  for  the  Deseret  Alphabet.  On  the 
7th  of  April,  during  the  spring  conference  of  that  year,  he  was 
appointed  assistant  historian  of  the  Church.  In  those  days  mis- 
sionaries were  usually  called  at  conference,  and  that  occasion  had 
in  it  surprises  for  many  who  were  called  to  go  on  a  mission 
without  a  moment's  notice.  At  this  time  Elders  Orson  Pratt  and 
Ezra  T.  Benson  were  called  to  England  to  preside  over  the 
European  mission. 

There  was,  too,  a  humorous  side  to  Wilford  Woodruff's  na- 
ture, notwithstanding  the  seriousness  which  he  possessed.  It 
seems  that  in  o"ne  of  the  Sunday  meetings  President  Jedediah  M. 
Grant  found  it  necessary  to  refer  to  some  thefts  which  had  taken 
place  a  short  time  before.  Among  other  things  stolen  was  some 
flour  that  had  been  taken  from  Elder  Woodruff's  home,  After 
concluding  his  rebuke  for  these  things  President  Woodruff  arose 
and  said :  "If  they  have  taken  the  flour  because  of  hunger  and 
will  ask  the  blessing  upon  the  bread  when  it  is  made,  and  send 
me  home  the  bags,  I  will  bring  no  accusation  against  them." 
The  bags  were  put  in  a  sack  and  brought  to  his  home  next  morn- 
ing. 

A  circumstance  somewhat  of  the  same  nature  as  that  referred 
to,  occurred  in  which  the  writer  was  a  witness.  He  and  one  of 
his  companions  were  chasing  a  flock  of  tame  ducks  up  the  street 
along  Elder  Woodruff's  fence.  The  latter  saw  them  and  came 
out.  He  being  a  nervous,  quick-spoken  man,  the  boys  expected 
a  scolding.  "Boys,"  he  said,  "if  you  will  let  those  ducks  alone,  I 


368  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

will  give  you  some  apricots."  They  hardly  knew  how  to  compose 
themselves — so  great  was  their  surprise — but  they  went  with  him 
to  the  orchard,  one  of  them  filling  his  hat  and  the  other  a  bucket. 
Nothing  further  disagreeable  was  said,  but  the  boys  never  there- 
after chased  the  ducks. 

On  the  22nd  of  April  of  that  year,  the  missionaries  who 
were  called  on  missions  left  the  city  for  their  fields  of  labor.  It 
was  a  greater  effort  in  those  days  to  take  a  mission.  The  sacri- 
fice was  greater  for  all  concerned.  The  dreary  plains  had  to  be 
crossed  again,  and  the  expense  was  naturally  very  great.  At 
this  time  George  A.  Smith  and  John  Taylor  went  to  Washington 
to  urge  claims  of  Utah  for  admission  into  the  Union.  A  few  days 
after  the  missionaries  left,  Apostle  Woodruff  was  poisoned  in 
consequence  of  skinning  an  animal  which  had  been  killed  by 
poison.  His  system  became  so  infected  that  his  life  was  despaired 
of,  but  his  faith  was  so  unceasing  and  so  disassociated  from  all 
doubt  that  through  administration  he  was  healed.  Brother  Wood- 
ruff records  in  his  journal  the  blessing  which  President  Young 
pronounced  upon  his  head,  as  follows :  "Brother  Woodruff,  I  say 
to  you  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ,  that  you  shall  not  die,  but 
you  shall  live  to  finish  your  work  which  was  appointed  you  to  do 
upon  the  earth.  The  adversary  has  sought  many  times  to  destroy 
your  life  but  the  Lord  has  preserved  you,  and  will  preserve  you 
until  your  work  is  done." 

On  his  recovery  he  makes  record  of  a  letter  received  from 
the  chief  gardener  of  Queen  Victoria,  who  desired  to  open  a  cor- 
respondence with  the  Horticultural  Society  of  Utah.  Such  mat- 
ters were  of  course  highly  interesting  to  the  people  here,  because 
those  were  days  of  experiments. 


CHAPTER  34. 
THE   REFORMATION,    1856. 

Hard  Times  Were  Difficult  for  Some  To  Endure. — Recording  Church 
History. — Dedication  of  Historian's  Office. — First  Hand-cart  Com- 
pany.— The  Reformation  Inaugurated. — Death  of  Jedediah  M.  Grant. — 
Suffering  of  the  Hand-cart  Companies. — Heber  C.  Kimball's  Dream. 

The  year  1856  found  the  people  engrossed  in  the  labors  inci- 
dent to  pioneer  life.  They  were  beginning  to  appreciate  more 
than  ever  the  wonderful  resources  of  their  new  Zion.  The  grow- 
ing opportunities  to  accumulate  means  were  absorbing  the  more 
progressive  classes.  The  social  life  of  the  people,  however,  was 
not  neglected,  ,and  there  were  picnics  and  celebrations.  The 
Fourth  and  the  Twenty-fourth  were  great  days.  The  out  door 
amusements  of  those  times  were  more  enjoyable  because  of  the 
general  surroundings.  This  year  the  Fourth  was  ushered  in  by 
the  firing  of  cannon  and  the  ringing  of  bells.  There  were  pro- 
cessions and  orations  that  pleased  and  inspired*  the  people.  The 
canyons  were  near  by  and  they  were  agreeable  resorts  in  days 
when  there  were  few  groves.  These  occasions  helped  the  people 
to  forget  many  of  the  hardships  incident  to  pioneer  life.  Some 
could  not  easily  endure  the  trials  of  those  days  because  they  had 
not  sufficient  faith  to  penetrate  in  the  least  the  future.  To  them 
all  was  darkness  and  hardship.  Some  were  discouraged. 

About  this  time,  one  of  the  chief  clerks  in  the  Historian's  Office 
became  weary  of  the  hardships  of  those  days,  was  a  victim  of  des- 
pair. He  entertained  doubts  of  the  truth  of  the  work ;  and  though 
he  was  treated  well  by  all  the  brethren,  he  was  nevertheless  un- 
happy and  returned  to  England  to  take  up  again  the  life  in  which 
he  had  been  reared.  Apostle  Woodruff  wrote  of  him  thus :  "He 
could  not  stand  the  hard  times,  and  did  not  know  whether  Mor- 
monism  was  true  or  not,  so  he  returned  home.  He  had  taken  a 
very  honorable  course  in  all  his  business  dealings."  The  man 
was  respected  and  spoken  well  of.  He  felt  that  he  had  made  a 
mistake,  but  he  was  honest  and  honorable.  He  never  sought  to 
shift  the  burden  of  his  own  unhappiness  and  discontent  on  to  the 

25 


370  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

shoulders  of  others.  He  aimed  to  be  fair  and  wanted  to  do  what 
was  right.  The  man  had  not  the  faith  to  support  him  in  the 
trying  ordeals  of  those  early  years  in  Utah.  It  was  one  cir- 
cumstance out  of  many ;  and  like  some  others  who  left  the  Church, 
he  never  felt  it  his  duty  to  bring  reproach  upon  those  whose  faith 
he  could  neither  understand  nor  appreciate.  The  man  was  not 
hindered  in  the  execution  of  his  wishes.  He  was  wished  God 
speed,  and  his  old-time  friends  would  still  be  friends,  even  though 
there  might  be  a  great  disparity  in  the  matter  of  faith. 

In  those  days,  Elder  Woodruff  was  occupied  largely  in  the 
historian's  office  reading  Church  history  to  President  Young. 
From  the  beginning  of  the  Church  in  Utah,  President  Young  had 
f  At  the  importance  of  keeping  an  accurate  and  extended  history 
of  God's  dispensation  in  the  Valleys  of  the  Mountains.  Many 
important  things  connected  with  the  Church  in  its  infancy  had  not 
been  recorded,  and  were  then  even  becoming  matters  of  hearsay. 

On  the  6th  of  September,  1856,  a  large  number  of  mission- 
aries were  set  apart  and  the  burden  of  the  instructions  to  them 
then  was  the  keeping  of  a  journal.  The  special  instructions  on 
that  occasion  were  given  to  them  by  Parley  P.  Pratt  and  Wilford 
Woodruff,  the  latter  outlined  in  a  general  way  what  should  make 
up  a  journal.  The  record  was  to  be  "full,  correct,  and  proper." 
Matters  were  to  be  so  fully  given  that  future  generations  would  not 
be  at  a  loss  to  understand  them.  They  should  be  so  correct,  that 
credence  could  be  given  to  what  was  written,  and  so  proper  that 
inappropriate  and  irrelevant  matters  should  not  fill  up  and  make 
a  journal  tedious  and  of  no  consequence,  except,  perhaps,  to  the 
one  who  wrote  it.  All  official  acts  in  the  exercise  of  the  authority 
of  the  priesthood  should  be  carefully  kept.  Whenever  it  be- 
came important  for  the  Church  to  give  a  history  of  any  event, 
it  should  be  able  to  put  its  hands  on  the  records  of  those  who 
took  part  in  them. 

Parley  P.  Pratt  said:  "I  have  reflected  upon  this  subject  for 
years  to  know  what  a  man  should  write,  and  have  come  to  the 
conclusion  that  he  should  write  his  official  acts  in  the  priesthood. 
I  am  sorry  that  I  have  not  kept  more  of  a  journal  than  I  have. 
I  wish  I  had  written  every  man's  name  that  I  ever  baptized,  or 
administered  to  in  any  manner.  In  setting  forth  the  hand  dealings 
of  God  with  this  people,  the  elders  of  the  Church  become  per- 


THE  REFORMATION,  1856.  371 

sonal  witnesses  for  God,  and  every  event  which  is  a  manifestation 
of  God's  power  in  their  lives  and  ministry  should  be  recorded." 
They  fully  appreciated  the  fact  that  though  an  event  may  not  be 
of  great  importance  to-day,  it  may  be  valuable  to-morrow  in  the 
light  of  all  that  follows  it. 

On  the  10th  of  September,  Apostle  Woodruff  and  the  clerks 
in  the  historian's  office  moved  to  their  new  office,  which  was  an 
imposing  building  in  those  days,  and  which  still  stands  on  South 
Temple  Street  between  State  and  Main  Streets.  Elder  Woodruff 
was  mouth  in  the  dedication  of  this  building  on  September  15th, 
1856.  Elder  Woodruff  records  this  blessing  in  his  journal  and 
exclaims  therein :  "Wilt  thou  bless,  O  Lord,  with  thy  holy  spirit 
this  building,  that  we  may  never  profane  thy  name  in  this  house, 
or  dishonor  the  holy  priesthood,  or  bring  approach  upon  thy 
cause,  or  grieve  thy  holy  spirit  in  any  way.  Bring  to  our  remem- 
brance all  things  necessary  to  be  written  in  the  history  of  the 
Church,  and  cause  that  papers  and  documents  that  are  necessary 
may  be  brought  to  us  that  we  may  be  enabled  to  compile  a.  cor- 
rect, useful,  and  proper  history." 

On  the  26th  of  the  same  month,  the  two  first  hand-cart  com- 
panies entered  Salt  Lake  Valley.  They  were  in  charge  of  Ed- 
mund Ellsworth  and  Daniel  Duncan  McArthur,  the  former  was 
the  husband  of  President  Young's  oldest  daughter.  Elder  Ells- 
worth died  some  years  ago,  but  Elder  McArthur,  at  this  writing, 
1909,  still  lives  in  St.  George  in  the  86th  year  of  his  age.  For 
some  years  he  was  president  of  the  St.  George  stake  of  Zion. 
These  companies  of  Saints  were  met  at  the  mouth  of  Emigration 
Canyon  to  the  east  of  the  city  and  were  escorted  with  much  dis- 
play and  honor  to  the  city.  President  Young  and  the  general 
authorities  went  out  to  meet  them.  Bands  of  music  enlivened  the 
occasion,  and  the  presence  of  many  Saints  gave  great  distinction 
to  the  scene.  They  had  pushed  and  pulled  their  hand-carts  from 
the  Missouri  River,  over  a  thousand  miles.  They  had  waded  the 
streams,  climbed  the  mountains,  and  had  made  better  time  than 
either  the  ox  or  the  horse  teams. 

This  new  method  of  crossing  the  plains  had  been  first  sug- 
gested and  decided  upon  in  England  during  the  presidency  in 
that  mission  of  Franklin  D.  Richards.  It  was,  in  a  measure,  an 
outburst  of  the  enthusiastic  desire  and  spirit  of  the  people  there 


372  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

to  gather  with  their  religious  comrades  in  the  Valleys  of  the 
Mountains.  The  first  companies  had  fared  measurably  well,  but 
those  who  came  later,  and  were  the  victims  of  an  unusual  and 
extraordinary  winter,  suffered  greatly. 

At  this  place  in  Elder  Woodruff's  journal,  he  records  a  dream 
related  by  Daniel  H.  Wells  and  the  latter's  interpretation  of  it. 
He  saw  in  his  dream  a  butcher's  cleaver  in  the  heavens,  from 
which  he  was  led  to  predict  the  near  approach  of  war  and  blood- 
shed in  the  nation.  The  time,  he  declared,  was  nearer  than  people 
imagined. 

The  completion  of  the  Historian's  Office  this  year  was  fol- 
lowed by  the  dedication  of  the  Endowment  House  on  October  2nd. 
The  leading  men  of  the  Church  met  at  the  baptismal  font  where 
the  dedicatory  prayer  was  offered  by  Heber  C.  Kimball.  Elder 
Woodruff  says:  "It  was  full  of  sublimity  and  prophecy  which 
found  its  fulfillment  in  the  history  of  the  font  and  the  building." 
It  would  be  difficult  even  to  estimate  the  sacred  influence  which 
that  building  has  exercised  upon  the  lives  of  untold  thousands 
who  felt  themselves  within  its  sacred  precincts  in  the  presence  of 
their  God.  The  purity  that  went  out  from  that  sacred  house  into 
the  lives  of  those  who  were  married  there  has  been  the  guiding 
star  and  the  savior  of  thousands  of  men  and  women  in  the 
Church.  How  strange,  how  remarkable,  that  a  place  with  such 
sacred  and  uplifting  influence  should  be  made  the  ooject  of  vicious 
attacks  by  those  who  were  the  enemies  of  the  Church  and  its  per- 
secutors ! 

The  completion  of  the  font  signalized  the  importance  of  the 
so-called  Reformation  in  the  Church  which  began  in  that  year. 
President  Young  entered  the  font  and  baptized  his  counselors, 
Heber  C.  Kimball,  and  Jedediah  M.  Grant.  Later  Elder  Wood- 
ruff and  others  were  Dafltized;  and  the  privilege  extended  to  all 
the  Saints  throughout  the  Church  to  renew  their  covenants.  There 
was  a  spirit  of  trouble  brewing;  a  growing  opposition  through- 
out the  United  States  toward  the  Saints  was  felt  by  the  leaders, 
who  were  impressed  by  the  spirit  of  reform.  It  was  important 
that  the  people  should  be  so  upright  and  chaste  in  their  lives  that 
the  Lord  should  have  no  occasion  to  punish  them  for  their  short- 
comings. It  was  a  time  of  revival  in  the  observance  of  the  duties 
and  the  ordinances  in  the  Church.  The  people  were  called  upon 


THE  REFORMATION,  1856.  373 

to  repent.  Questions  touching  their  morals  and  the  manner  of 
their  worship  were  put  to  the  people  both  in  public  places  and  in 
their  homes.  The  people  generally  were  asked  to  renew  their 
covenants  by  baptism. 

An  excerpt  from  the  journal  of  Elder  Woodruff  illustrates 
something  of  the  spirit  of  those  times.  After  explaining  to  a  cer- 
tain individual  that  he  considered  it  a  privilege  to  be  re-baptized, 
the  man  professed  his  immunity  from  sin. 

"In  all  the  trials  incident  to  the  pilgrimage  and  pioneer  life, 
have  you  never  sworn  nor  used  bad  language?" 

"No  sir,"  was  the  prompt  reply. 

"Have  you  never  broken  the  Sabbath  day?" 

"No  sir,"  came  the  quick  response. 

"Have  you  never  cheated  your  neighbor  in  trade?" 

"No  sir,"  thundered  the  unrepentant  man. 

"Then,  for  heavens  sake,  go  off  and  do  something.  You  are 
the  only  perfect  man  I  ever  saw,  and  hope  never  to  see  another 
in  this  life." 

Subsequent  events,  however,  proved  that  the  man  who  was 
so  self-assertive  was  the  very  sort  of  an  individual  who  was 
greatly  in  need  of  repentance. 

From  the  days  of  the  gold  excitement  in  California,  there 
had  been  an  influx  of  adventurers  into  Utah.  Most  of  them  were 
men  of  reckless  lives,  men  of  improper  habits.  Their  influence 
became  greatly  detrimental  to  many  of  the  Saints.  It  must  be 
counteracted,  and  the  so-called  Reformation  was  to  be  the  means 
of  setting  the  people  right.  It  was  to  be  a  time  of  repentance. 
Every  responsible  position  that  men  held,  whether  ecclesiastical 
or  civil,  called  for  the  most  devout  obedience  to  God's  law.  Men 
who  were  legislators  observed  the  ordinance  of  baptism  that  they 
might  more  conscientiously  and  more  uprightly  enact  laws  for 
the  happiness  and  welfare  of  the  people. 

The  October  conference  which  was  then  at  hand  was  devoted 
to  the  proclamation  of  repentance  throughout  the  Church.  The 
new  zeal  was  felt  everywhere,  both  at  home  and  abroad.  There 
were  frequent  visits  from  house  to  house.  The  leaders  of  the 
Church  were  foremost  in  the  new  move.  A  special  call  was  put 
upon  Jedediah  M.  Grant.  To  him  the  work  of  the  Reformation 
was  a  special  mission.  He  was  by  nature  a  most  zealous  man, 


374  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

and  this  special  call  increased  his  zeal.  He  gave  to  the  work  all 
his  energies  and  carried  more  the  burden  of  that  mission  than 
any  other  man  of  his  time.  It  proved  too  much  for  his  physical 
nature,  which  could  not  bear  the  incessant  labors,  and  consequently 
on  the  1st  of  December,  1856,  he  departed  this  life. 

Of  him  Elder  Woodruff  writes  in  his  journal:  "He  died 
December  1st,  1856,  twenty  minutes  past  10  o'clock.  He  was  aged 
forty  years,  nine  months,  and  seven  days.  We  went  immediately 
to  his  house  where  we  found  his  wives  and  children  weeping 
bitterly.  Jesse  C.  Little,  Leonard  W.  Hardy,  Daniel  H.  Wells, 
Doctors  Sprague,  and  Dunyon,  and  Israel  Ivins,  stood  by  him  as 
he  breathed  his  last.  As  1  gazed  upon  his  tabernacle  of  clay, 
I  felt  to  exclaim,  a  mighty  man  in  Zion  is  laid  low,  a  valiant  man 
in  Israel  and  a  great  champion  of  the  Kingdom  of  God  is  taken 
from  us !  We  feel  his  loss  deeply.  For  two  months  it  seemed  as 
though  he  had  been  hurried  to  close  up  his  work.  He  had  been 
preaching  for  several  months  calling  upon  the  people  to  repent. 
His  voice  had  been  like  the  trumpet  of  the  Angel  of  God.  He 
has  labored  night  and  day  until  prostrated  by  sickness.  He  called 
at  the  Historian's  office  on  the  19th  of  November  which  was  his 
last  day  out.  During  his  sickness,  he  beheld  a  glorious  vision  from 
which  he  related  to  the  brethren  all  he  had  seen  of  the  spirit 
world." 

Of  President  Grant,  Elder  Woodruff  records  the  following 
testimony  by  Brigham  Young:  "We  have  no  cause  to  mourn 
for  Brother  Grant.  He  is  well  off.  He  has  lived  in  advance  of  his 
age  and  is  better  fitted  for  eternity  in  the  forty  years  of  his  life- 
time than  many  would  be  in  one  hundred  years." 

Elder  Woodruff  records  among  the  closing  events  of  those 
years  the  sufferings  and  other  experiences  of  the  hand-cart  com- 
panies. He  tells  of  the  anxiety  about  those  who  were  overtaken  by 
the  storms  in  Wyoming.  Relief  parties  were  sent  out,  provisions 
were  forwarded,  and  at  the  fire  sides  of  the  Saints,  there  were 
fervent  prayers  for  the  protection  of  their  unfortunate  brethren 
and  sisters  struggling  to  reach  the  land  of  Zion — the  goal  of  their 
ambition,  and  the  object  of  their  devotion. 

On  the  12th  of  October,  1856,  Elder  Woodruff  records  the 
ordination  of  Leonard  W.  Hardy  and  Jesse  C.  Little  as  the  first 
and  second  counselors  to  the  presiding  bishop,  Edward- Hunter. 


THE  REFORMATION,  1856.  375 

About  this  time,  Frederick  Kesler  was  ordained  bishop  of  the 
16th  ward,  a  position  which  he  held  with  honor  for  nearly  one- 
half  century. 

Through  all  the  latter  months  of  1856,  the  work  of  the  Ref- 
ormation was  going  on.  There  was  quite  a  universal  spirit  fav- 
oring the  highest  and  purest  standard  of  life.  Men  of  a  sensitive 
and  a  religious  nature  found  within  themselves  an  excessive  con- 
scientiousness that  sometimes  made  them  imagine  they  were  sin- 
ners because  of  a  state  of  perfection  they  saw,  but  could  not  feel. 
Such  a  condition  brought  with  it  doubts  and  misgivings.  Some 
of  the  very  best  men  in  the  Church  felt  their  unworthiness  and 
shrank  from  responsibilities  which  they  imagined  others  could  ful- 
fill better  than  they.  President  Woodruff  records  at  this  time  that 
he  and  Lorenzo  Snow  called  upon  President  Young  and  offered 
to  surrender  their  apostleship.  They  had  received  it  at  his  hands 
and  were  willing  to  give  it  up  in  favor  of  any  one  that  the  Presi- 
dent might  think  more  competent  and  more  worthy.  President 
Young  expressed  his  perfect  satisfaction  with  them  and  his  con- 
fidence in  their  integrity  and  labors,  and  gave  them  every  assur- 
ance of  his  love  and  blessing. 

There  were  those,  however,  in  those  days  who  were  not  so 
conscientious  and  by  nature  so  upright.  They  took  advantage  of 
the  repentant  and  humble  condition  of  others.  They  exercised 
authority  that  was  unjust  and  harmful.  The  dangers  of  the  ex- 
cesses of  a  certain  class  began  to  be  felt  and  restraint  was  put 
upon  them.  When  the  movement  had  accomplished  the  good  in- 
tended and  dangers  arose,  the  Reformation  subsided  and  has  gone 
into  history  with  a  mixture  of  evil  with  a  vast  amount  of  good. 
Elder  Woodruff  records  his  belief  that  the  Reformation  had  a 
great  effect  for  good  upon  the  lives  and  the  conduct  of  the 
people.  It  also  had  a  tendency  to  separate  those  who  were  in- 
sincere and  untrustworthy.  It  was  a  judgment  upon  the  Saints 
that  they  themselves  pronounced  in  their  willingness  or  unwilling- 
ness to  be  in  harmony  with  the  spirit  of  the  times. 

The  spirit  of  the  leaders  at  that  time  when  the  call  to  re- 
pentance was  loudest  was  one  of  the  most  enthusiastic  and  God- 
fearing character.  They  felt  themselves  in  the  presence  of  heav- 
enly beings  and  constantly  answerable  to  God  for  the  condition 
of  the  people  Elder  Woodruff  speaks  of  a  tongue  lashing  which 


376  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

he  received  from  one  of  his  brethren  who  did  not  take  kindly  to 
the  spirit  and  methods  of  the  times.  The  man  did  not  care  to 
have  his  conduct  brought  into  question.  He  had  repented  and 
been  baptized  once  and  the  repetition  of  repentance  was  not  in 
harmony  with  his  feelings,  and  he  resisted  the  call  made  upon  him 
by  his  brethren  who  did  not  hesitate  and  who  were  not  easily 
brushed  aside  in  their  purpose  and  determination  to  bring  about  a 
reformation.  To  those  who  did  not  take  kindly  to  the  spirit  of 
those  times,  it  looked  like  an  invasion  of  their  personal  liberty. 

In  his  journal,  Apostle  Woodruff  records  a  dream  related  to 
him  by  Heber  C.  Kimball,  which  reflected  not  alone  the  latter's 
views  of  the  times,  but  the  general  spirit  among  the  leaders.  The 
dream  runs  as  follows : 

"I  dreamed  that  I  was  traveling  with  a  companion,  and  we 
came  to  a  powerful,  rapid  stream  of  water  like  the  Niagara  River. 
The  waves  were  rolling  very  high  and  increasing  in  size.  They 
had  been  muddy,  but  were  getting  clear.  As  we  came  to  this 
rushing  stream,  we  did  not  know  how  we  should  get  over  it.  I 
turned  my  eyes  a  few  moments  from  my  companion,  and  when 
I  looked  back  I  saw  him  on  the  other  side  of  the  river  and  climb- 
ing a  steep  hill.  I  did  not  know  how  he  got  there.  I  wanted  to 
cross,  so  I  called  to  him  as  loud  as  I  could  to  stop  and  wait  for  me, 
but  he  paid  no  attention  to  me,  but  went  on  as  fast  as  he  could. 
Then  a  person  came  to  me  and  said  you  have  an  iron  rod  in  your 
hand,  which  I  perceived  I  had.  It  was  several  feet  long.  The 
angel  said  to  me :  'You  must  use  this  rod  and  feel  your  way  over 
the  river.'  Then  I  awoke. 

"I  considered  my  dream  and  interpreted  it  as  follows:  My 
companion  was  J.  M.  Grant,  who  had  suddenly  died  and  left  me, 
and  was  on  the  other  side  of  the  veil.  The  waters  mean  the  people. 
They  are  increasing  in  strength  and  growing  better  and  clearer. 
The  iron  rod  in  the  word  of  God,  which  I  must  cling  to  till  I  get 
through  life.  I  consider  there  are  great  things  awaiting  this 
people." 


CHAPTER  35. 

CELEBRATION  OF  24th,  1857. 

Words  of  Brigham  Young. — Talk  by  the  Indian  Chief,  Aropene. — 
Assassination  of  Parley  P.  Pratt. — Return  of  Thomas  B.  Marsh  to 
the  Church. — Celebration  of  the  Twenty-fourth  in  Big  Cotton- 
wood  Canyon. — News  of  the  Army's  Approach. 

The  year  1857  made  its  appearance  in  the  midst  of  an  unusual 
and  extraordinary  snowstorm.  The  ushering  in  of  the  new  year 
in  such  a  manner  was  pretentous  of  the  stormy  and  extraordinary 
experiences  of  the  Saints.  Elder  Woodruff  records  that  he  passed 
most  of  the  day  in  company  with  President  Young  and  Franklin 
D.  Richards.  They  were  actively  engaged  in  compiling  Church 
history.  It  is  remarkable  how  completely  attached  to  the  leaders 
of  the  Church  Elder  Woodruff  was.  His  trust  in  them  was  both 
complete  and  sublime.  He  never  found  occasion  to  suppose  for 
one  moment  that  these  leaders  ever  proved  unworthy  of  the  trust 
he  imposed  in  them.  In  his  mind,  Brigham  Young  was  a  Prophet 
of  God,  an  Apostle  of  Jesus  Christ,  as  truly  and  perfectly  as  was 
Samuel  of  old,  or  Peter,  or  Paul.  His  reverence  and  respect  for  the 
living  oracles  were  as  perfect  as  for  the  dead.  The  words  of  both 
Joseph  and  Brigham,  he  was  always  careful  to  write  down  in  his 
journal.  In  time  when  the  sermons  were  recorded  by  reporters  of 
the  Church,  he  confined  his  record  to  sayings  that  were  made  when 
there  was  no  reporter  present. 

On  the  llth  of  January,  in  the  Eighteenth  ward,  President 
Young  addressed  the  people  and  from  his  sermon  Elder  Woodruff 
records  among  other  things  these  words  :  "It  is  sometimes  taught 
among  us  that  we  should  follow  Brother  Joseph  or  Brother  Brig- 
ham,  or  some  other  leader,  and  do  as  they  say,  and  that  is  all  that 
is  required.  Now  this  is  in  one  sense  a  false  doctrine.  No  man 
should  trust  solely  the  testimony  of  another.  He  should  have  a  di- 
rect testimony  from  God  for  himself.  Then  obedience  is  intelli- 
gent and  not  blind.  I  might  have  listened  to  Joseph  Smith  testify 
to  the  truth  of  the  Book  of  Mormon  until  I  was  as  old  as  Methuse- 
lah, and  in  the  end  I  would  have  gone  away  in  darkness  had  I  not 


378  WILFORD  WOODRUFF.  , 

received  a  testimony  from  God  that  he  was  a  prophet  and  that  he 
knew  by  revelation  whereof  he  spoke.  Men  should  get  the  spirit 
of  God  and  then  live  by  it." 

In  those  days  there  was  a  strong  sympathetic  interest  in  the 
welfare  of  the  Indians.  The  better  ones  among  them  were  feeling 
constantly  greater  confidence  in  the  people  and  in  their  leaders. 
They  had  a  real  friendship  for  those  white  men  who  treated  them, 
not  only  kindly,  but  with  high  consideration  for  their  rights.  The 
Indian  felt  that  there  were  reasons  why  he  should  command  re- 
spect as  well  as  receive  justice.  Aropene  seems  to  have  been  a 
chief  specially  favored  among  the  Indians  and  respected  by  the 
Saints.  In  the  early  part  of  that  year,  Elder  Woodruff  records 
that  this  chief  delivered  a  strong  discourse  to  the  Saints  in  which 
he  exhorted  them  to  respect  the  counsel  of  their  leaders  and  to 
abstain  especially  from  the  use  of  liquor,  and  to  do  right  in  all 
things. 

On  the  17th  of  February  of  this  year,  Elder  Woodruff  ad- 
dressed a  meeting  of  the  bishops  and  gives  in  his  journal  a  brief 
synopsis  of  his  instructions  to  them.  "No  man  should  boast  of 
the  authority  and  power  of  the  priesthood,  or  contend  about  the 
comparative  greatness  of  a  seventy  or  a  high  priest.  Men  should 
not  boast  of  that  power  until  they  have  received  some  manifesta- 
tion of  it,  and  when  they  receive  it  they  will  not  feel  like  boasting 
about  it.  Its  power  will  create  humility  and  not  pride.  It  is  sel- 
dom that  I  have  seen  the  power  of  the  priesthood  made  manifest 
among  the  children  of  men  in  our  day  to  any  very  great  degree. 
There  are,  however,  some  instances.  One  was  when  the  Prophet 
Joseph  beheld  the  sick  and  the  dying  in  his  dooryard,  and  when 
they  were  also  strewn  along  the  banks  of  the  river  for  two  miles. 
He  arose  and  shook  himself  like  an  old  lion  and  commenced  at  his 
tent  door  and  healed  all  the  people  who  were  not  dead  on  both 
sides  of  the  river,  by  the  power  of  God,  and  his  voice  was  as  the 
voice  of  God  and  the  earth  almost  trembled  under  his  feet  as  he 
went  along  commanding  the  sick  to  arise  and  be  made  whole.  It 
was  also  made  manifest  by  Joseph  while  in  prison  and  in  chains 
in  Missouri. 

"Again,  David  Patten  was  taken  by  an  armed  mob  under  a 
United  States  warrant.  When  he  was  surrounded  by  about  forty 


CELEBRATION  OF  24th,  1857.  379 

such  men  who  were  acting  under  the  garb  of  law,  and  who  forbade 
him  to  say  one  word  in  his  own  defense,  he  arose  in  the  power  of 
God  and  held  them  fast  to  their  seats  until  he  had  addressed  them 
for  about  one-half  hour.  He  told  them  that  they  were  cowards, 
rascals,  and  villains,  and  proved  it  to  them  and  they  had  not  the 
power  to  harm  one  hair  of  his  head,  and  they  let  him  and  Warren 
Parish  go  free. 

"This  power  was  again  made  manifest  by  President  Brigham 
Young  on  the  banks  of  the  Missouri  River  at  Winter  Quarters, 
when  the  merchants  brought  up  goods  to  sell  to  the  brethren  who 
were  going  to  the  mountains.  Old  Major  Miller,  the  Indian  agent, 
was  there,  surrounded  by  officers.  In  order  to  show  his  great  au- 
thority, he  told  the  merchants  who  owned  some  alcohol  not  to  roll 
a  barrel  off  the  boat  or  he  would  knock  the  head  of  the  barrel  in 
and  pour  the  liquor  upon  the  ground.  President  Young  thereupon 
stepped  up  and  told  the  men  to  roll  it  out.  Miller  and  his  officers 
turned  pale,  and  the  liquor  was  rolled  out  and  nobody  was  hurt. 
Other  instances  might  be  named  where  the  power  of  the  priest- 
hood has  been  strongly  manifested.  These  men  never  boasted  of 
it,  and  they  never  will." 

March  1st  brought  Elder  Woodruff  to  his  50th  birthday. 
About  this  time  he  recorded  in  his  journal  instructions  from  Pres- 
ident Young  upon  the  importance  of  keeping  a  journal.  The 
President  quotes  from  instructions  from  the  Prophet  Joseph  on 
the  subject.  He  shows  that  the  written  testimony  of  the  things  of 
God  is  quite  as  important  as  the  spoken  testimony,  that  the  world 
will  be  judged  by  what  is  written  in  the  books,  and  that  where  it 
is  the  duty  to  record  the  manifestations  of  the  spirit  of  God  and 
men  neglect  to  fulfil  that  duty,  the  spirit  will  be  witdrawn  from 
them.  "Were  you  to  be  brought  before  the  civil  authorities  and 
accused  of  a  crime  or  a  misdemeanor,  you  may  be  punished  if  you 
cannot  prove  from  your  journal  that  you  were  somewhere  else 
and  are  innocent.  Your  enemies  may  prevail  against  you." 

These  words  from  the  lips  of  Brigham  Young  in  those  early 
days  are  significant  because  of  the  position  the  enemies  of  the 
Church  sought  to  place  him  in.  How  often  he  was  subject  to  ac- 
cusations which  were  laid  at  his  door  and  which  the  enemies  in- 
sisted were  true  if  he  could  not  prove  his  innocence.  How  often 


380  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

that  has  been  the  case  in  the  history  of  the  Latter-day  Saints  con- 
cerning whom,  in  the  minds  of  their  enemies,  there  are  no  pre- 
sumptions whatever  of  innocence.  The  order  of  proof  with  them 
has  been  different  too  often  from  that  followed  by  the  world  in 
the  administration  of  law  and  justice.  From  these  admonitions  of 
the  Prophet  it  may  be  seen  that  so  far  as  the  Latter-day  Saints 
are  concerned,  they  may  often  be  compelled  to  prove  their  inno- 
cence, for  their  enemies  will  not  treat  them  with  the  fairness  with 
which  they  treat  one  another,  and  regard  men  as  innocent  until 
they  are  proven  guilty. 

Just  before  the  opening  of  spring  conference,  on  March  23rd, 
President  Woodruff  officiated  in  the  dedication  of  the  baptismal 
font  which  had  been  erected  by  the  people  of  the  Fourteen  Ward. 
The  semi-annual  conference  in  those  days  created  a  great  deal  of 
interest  as  well  as  anxiety  because  of  those  whose  names  were  an- 
nounced for  the  first  time  as  missionaries  to  the  nations  of  the 
earth.  As  the  list  was  read  at  the  close  of  conference,  a  profound 
silence  fell  upon  the  entire  congregation,  as  wives  and  mothers,  as 
well  as  fathers  and  husbands,  never  knew  when  the  minute  call 
would  come  to  them  or  to  their  household. 

This  spring  the  missionaries  adopted  the  hand-cart  method  of 
crossing  the  plains.  They  were  an  enthusiastic  body  of  men  who 
on  the  23rd  of  April  hitched  themselves  to  their  carts  and  made 
their  way  through  the  canyons  and  over  the  mountains  to  the 
Missouri  River  and  other  terminal  points,  from  which  they  adopt- 
ed a  more  convenient  method  of  travel. 

Elder  Woodruff  records  in  his  journal  on  June  23rd  that  the 
"eastern  mail  arrived  bringing  the  sad  news  of  the  assassination  of 
Elder  Parley  P.  Pratt,  who  had  been  killed  near  Ft.  Smith  in 
Arkansas,  by  a  man  named  McLean." 

Apostle  Woodruff  was  always  careful  in  his  journal  to  say 
something  of  the  lives  of  men  and  women  whose  integrity  to  God 
he  knew  and  esteemed.  He  rarely  failed  to  record  his  testimony 
of  those  who  were  valiant  when  anything  important  occurred  in 
their  lives,  or  when  they  died.  Of  a  Sister  Vose  who  had  just 
come  to  the  Valleys  he  said :  "She  was  seventy-seven  years  of  age 
and  rode  1,200  miles  in  twenty-three  days,  at  least  one-half  the 
.iistance  by  team.  She  has  been  a  member  of  the  Church  almost 


CELEBRATION  OF  24th,  1857.  381 

from  the  beginning,  and  has  given  thousands  of  dollars  to  build 
up  the  Kingdom  and  to  assist  the  elders  in  their  ministry." 

Just  about  this  time,  he  records  the  return  of  Thomas  B. 
Marsh  to  the  fold.  This  man  had  once  been  president  of  the 
Twelve  Apostles.  He  had  forsaken  the  Church  and  in  time  he  was 
forsaken  by  his  family  and  his  friends.  There  still,  however,  re- 
mained within  him  a  lingering  testimony  of  the  spirt  that  had  once 
led  him  to  a  higher  and  better  life.  He  appealed  by  letter  to 
President  Young  to  be  restored  to  the  Church.  The  request  was 
granted  by  the  President  who  said :  "Let  him  be  baptized  and  con- 
firmed and  then  come  to  the  Valleys."  This  brother  reached  Salt 
Lake  City,  and  on  the  16th  of  September,  1857,  was  presented  by 
President  Young  to  the  congregation  in  their  Sabbath  meeting.  As 
they  gazed  upon  him,  they  saw  a  wreck — a  relic  of  his  former  self. 
He  was  now  crppled  and  palsied  in  body,  miserable  and  unhappy 
in  his  spirit.  When  he  arose,  he  called  the  attention  of  the  Saints 
to  himself  as  an  object  of  pity  and  commiseration,  and  warned  the 
Saints  against  apostasy  and  asked  them  to  forgive  him.  Presi- 
dent Young  put  his  request  to  a  vote  and  he  was  unanimously  re- 
ceived into  the  fellowship  of  his  brethren  and  sisters.  A  few  years 
later  he  died  in  Ogden. 

The  approach  of  mid-summer  awakened  in  the  hearts  and 
feelings  the  patriotic  spirit  of  a  devoted  body  of  pioneers,  who 
loved  their  religion  and  who  consequently  loved  their  country. 
The  Fourth  of  July  was  celebrated  as  usual  by  a  "splendid  mil- 
itary performance."  The  procession  disbanded  before  the  Gov- 
ernor's office  at  noon. 

They  loved  their  country  and  they  also  loved  their  religion. 
Their  advent  into  the  Valleys  of  the  Mountains  was  a  mile-stone 
in  what  to  their  minds  was  the  greatest  historical  event  of  modern 
times.  That  event  must  not  be  forgotten.  Future  generations 
must  hold  it  in  sacred  remembrance,  for  it  was  God's  history 
which  the  world  some  time  would  recognize  by  appropriate  and 
almost  universal  observance.  The  remembrances  of  the  pioneer 
journey  were  green  in  the  memories  of  all  but  the  little  children. 
The  Twenty-fourth  of  July  recalled  the  scenes  at  one  thousand 
camp  firesides  on  the  plains  and  in  the  mountains.  It  reminded 
them  of  suffering,  recalled  their  hopes,  aftd  strengthened  their 


382  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

faith.  They  were  witnesses  of  God's  providence  in  dispelling 
fears  that  human  courage  could  not  overcome,  and  in  removing 
obstacles  that  seemed  to  them  insurmountable. 

On  the  22nd  of  July,  1857,  a  great  procession  of  people  might 
have  been  seen  wending  their  way  along  the  eastern  hillsides  of 
the  Salt  Lake  Valley  on  their  way  to  a  lake  in  Big  Cottonwood 
canyon.  The  night  of  that  day,  they  camped  at  the  granite  quarry 
from  which  the  rock  was  then  already  being  hewn  for  the  founda- 
tion of  the  Temple.  On  the  following  morning,  President  Young 
and  the  leaders  of  the  Church  led  the  procession  up  tnrough  the 
canyon  to  a  place  selected  for  the  celebration.  The  first  arrived  at 
noon  and  the  last  came  in  about  midnight.  Of  this  occasion  Presi- 
dent Woodruff  writes :  "This  was  a  great  turnout.  The  company 
numbered  2,587  persons,  468  carriages  and  wagons,  1,028  horses 
and  mules,  and  332  oxen  and  cows.  Flags  were  raised  upon  the 
highest  peaks  and  the  stars  and  stripes  were  unfurled  upon  the 
highest  trees.  The  surrounding  scenes  of  mountains,  valleys, 
lakes,  woods,  and  meadows  made  the  sight  the  most  interesting  I 
ever  beheld.  We  had  prayer  at  night  and  an  address  from  Pres- 
ident Young.  There  were  five  bands  in  attendance  to  discourse 
sweet  strains  of  music." 

Next  day  being  the  Twenty-fourth,  ten  years  had  passed 
since  the  faithful  pioneers  entered  the  Valleys  of  the  Mountains. 
The  day  was  to  be  celebrated  in  an  enthusiastic  manner.  The 
program  consisted  of  the  firing  of  cannon,  speeches,  songs,  recita- 
tions, and  music.  They  were  also  there  to  render  their  thanks- 
giving and  praise  to  God  for  His  care  over  them,  and  above  all 
for  the  testimony  of  His  spirit,  which  burned  within  them.  Some 
engaged  in  trout  fishing,  others  roamed  over  the  hills,  and  there 
were  social  pastimes  that  promised  a  great  day  for  the  Saints. 

At  noon,  Bishop  Smoot,  Judson  Stoddard,  Judge  Elias  Smith, 
and  O.  P.  Rockwell  arrived  in  camp.  The  first  named  two  brought 
the  unhappy  news  with  them  from  the  East  that  the  government 
had  withdrawn  the  mail  contract,  and  were  sending  a  new  gov- 
ernor, judges,  and  2500  troops  to  Utah  to  suppress  an  insurrec- 
tion that  had  never  existed.  The  action  of  the  government  was 
based  upon  the  falsehoods  sent  broadcast  by  Judge  Drummonci 
and  other  unprincipled»men. 


CELEBRATION  OF  24th,  1857.  383 

President  Young  met  the  issue  in  a  spirit  of  indignation  and 
with  a  determination  not  to  submit  to  another  injustice.  At  day- 
light, on  the  25th,  the  company  broke  up  and  commenced  their 
homeward  journey.  Their  joy  and  enthusiasm  had  now  been 
turned  to  wonderment,  anxiety,  and  sorrow.  The  approaching 
army  was  the  theme  of  their  conversation.  Dark  clouds  hovered 
over  them.  A  new  problem  had  to  be  solved.  What  was  to  be 
done  ?  Where  could  they  go  ?  What  was  to  be  the  result  of  an- 
other injustice  perpetrated  against  them?  Their  faith  was  again 
brought  to  their  service.  They  exercised  it  by  humiliating  them- 
selves in  prayer  and  fasting.  The  spirit  of  joy  had  been  trans- 
formed into  one  of  the  greatest  solemnity. 


CHAPTER  36. 

WAR  TIMES,   1857. 

Deposit  of  Church  Records  in  Temple  Foundation. — Approach  of  the 
Army. — Present  of  a  Team. — John  D.  Lee. — Visit  of  Captain  Van 
Vliet. — Lot  Smith. — Col.  Alexander  Writes  President  Young. — Com- 
munication from  Governor  Cumming  to  Governor  Young. — Mir- 
aculous Escapes. — High  Price  of  Salt  at  Army  Headquarters. — 
Prediction  of  Calamity  to  the  Nation. — A  Poetic  Tribute  by  Eliza 
R.  Snow. 

Apostle  Woodruff  was  asked  by  President  Young  to  notify 
the  Twelve  to  meet  at  the  Temple  foundation,  on  August  13th. 
The  purpose  of  the  meeting  was  to  deposit  the  works  of  the 
Church  in  the  foundation  of  the  Temple  and  to  dedicate  the  cor- 
ner-stone containing  the  deposit.  About  7  o'clock  in  the  morning, 
President  Brigham  Young,  Heber  C.  Kimball,  Daniel  H.  Wells, 
John  Taylor,  Wilford  Woodruff,  Erastus  Snow,  Franklin  D.  Rich- 
ards, also  Elders  Truman  O.  Angel,  Alonzo  H.  Raleigh,  Benja- 
min F.  Mitchell,  Jonathan  Pugmire,  Jr.,  Edward  L.  Parry,  Henry 
Maiben,  Jesse  C.  Little,  Albert  Carrington,  John  Lyon,  Joseph  A. 
Young,  and  Brigham  Young,  sons  of  Brigham  Young,  met  on  the 
grounds  where  President  Young  and  Wilford  Woodruff  packed 
about  65  books,  chiefly  Church  works,  and  a  number  of  coins  in  a 
stone  box,  whose  dimensions  were  as  follows :  length  2\  feet, 
depth  20  inches,  and  width  19  inches.  At  15  minutes  to  8  o'clock 
the  lid  was  put  on,  soldered  with  lead  and  covered  with  plaster  of 
paris.  The  stone  box  was  turned  bottom  side  up  and  placed  in  the 
south-east  corner.  After  this  a  dedicatory  prayer  was  offered  by 
President  Young. 

Three  days  later,  President  Young  delivered  a  discourse  to 
the  thousands  who  had  congregated  for  the  purpose  of  receiving 
instructions  with  reference  to  the  policy  to  be  pursued  respecting 
the  approach  of  the  so-called  Johnston's  army.  There  was  natur- 
ally a  great  deal  of  anxiety  and  heartfelt  prayer  over  a  situation 
that  seemed  to  forebode  nothing  but  evil  and  misfortune  to  the 
Saints.  The  vast  multitude,  however,  with  uplifted  hands  pledged 


WAR  TIMES,  1857.  385 

their  support  to  the  President  and  the  leaders  of  the  Church.  It 
was  one  of  the  most  important  days,  says  Elder  Woodruff,  ever 
witnessed  in  Israel. 

On  September  5th,  a  messenger  arrived  with  the  news  that 
General  Johnston  was  at  Ash  Hollow,  with  nearly  2,000  men  who 
were  traveling  fifteen  miles  per  day.  The  people  were  promised 
that,  if  they  would  follow  counsel,  they  should  never  be  driven 
from  the  Valleys. 

The  spirit  of  the  times,  and  the  willingness  of  men  to  make 
any  sacrifice  are  well  illustrated  in  a  little  circumstance  which  at 
this  point  Elder  Woodruff  records  in  his  journal.  President 
Young  had  sent  for  him  and  asked  if  he  had  a  team,  to  which  the 
latter  replied :  "  'Yes,  I  have  a  pair  of  small  ponies.' 

'Can  you  spare  them  ?'  he  asked. 

I  hesitated  a  moment  and  then  answered,  'Yes,  I  can  do  any- 
thing that  is  wanted.' 

President  Young  then  said:  'I  have  a  pair  of  good  horses 
which  I  wish  you  to  have  as  you  are  laboring  here  in  the  Histor- 
ian's Office. 

I  was  taken  by  surprise,  but  accepted  them  and  felt  very 
thankful.  They  were  a  fine,  large  team  of  sorrel  horses." 

The  Saints  now  realized  that  though  far  away  in  the  Valleys 
of  the  Mountains,  they  were  nevertheless  the  objects  of  hatred  by 
many  throughout  the  nation.  Men  sought  popularity  among  the 
masses  by  denouncing  them.  At  this  time,  Stephen  A.  Douglas 
was  receiving  "honorable  mention"  for  President  of  the  United 
States.  He  had  known  President  Joseph  Smith  in  the  early  days 
of  the  Church,  and  had  defended  him  against  the  injustice  of  his 
enemies,  but  he  knew  how  unpopular  the  people  were  and  sought 
the  support  of  the  masses  in  a  bitter  denunciation  of  the  Saints. 
Elder  Woodruff  says  that  Sunday,  August  30th,  President  Young, 
himself,  and  others  were  engaged  in  a  discussion  of  the  Douglas 
speech,  which  was  answered  by  Albert  Carrington. 

Captain  Van  Vliet  of  the  United  States  army  reached  the  city 
on  the  8th  of  September,  and  at  once  had  an  interview  with  Gov- 
ernor Young.  The  next  day  he  met  with  the  Presidency  and  the 
Twelve  and  presented  a  letter  of  introduction  to  Governor  Young 
which  was  read  to  those  present.  Little,  it  seems,  was  said  on 
M 


386  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

this  occasion,  but  there  was  a  deep-seated  anxiety  in  the  hearts  of 
all  those  present.  Later  in  the  day,  the  President  introduced  the 
Captain  to  his  wives  and  children.  He  then  escorted  him  through 
his  orchard  and  garden,  and  then  went  with  him  to  Albert  Car- 
rington's  orchard,  where  he  introduced  the  Captain  to  Mrs.  Car- 
rington.  He  asked  her  if  she  was  willing  to  destroy  her  beautiful 
orchard  and  leave  it  desolate  for  her  religion's  sake.  She  said  she 
was,  and  would  remain  up  nights  to  do  so  if  it  became  necessary. 

The  Captain  was  much  impressed  by  the  thrift  and  industry 
of  the  Latter-day  Saints,  and  in  his  interview  with  President 
Young  said:  "The  Mormons  have  been  lied  about  more  than 
any  people  I  ever  knew."  He  admitted  his  belief  that  Judge 
Drummond's  lies,  charging  the  Saints  with  burning  court  records, 
led  to  the  sending  of  the  army  to  Utah.  Governor  Young  there- 
upon told  Captain  Van  Vliet  of  the  impositions  that  had  been 
heaped  upon  the  Latter-day  Saints,  and  said  that  the  people  did 
not  wish  to  fight  the  United  States.  "If  we  are  driven  to  it,  we 
shall  put  our  trust  in  God  and  do  the  best  we  can.  He  has  set  His 
Kingdom  upon  the  earth  and  it  will  never  fail ;  and  if  they  drive  us 
to  fight,  God  will  overthrow  those  who  do  so.  We  are  the  sup- 
porters of  the  United  States  Constitution.  We  love  the  Consti- 
tution and  the  laws  of  our  country,  but  it  is  the  corrupt  adminis- 
tration of  these  laws  that  we  suffer  from  and  not  from  the  laws.  If 
the  laws  had  been  enforced  in  Missouri,  Governor  Boggs  would 
have  been  hanged  and  many  of  his  friends  who  took  part  in  kill- 
ing and  driving  the  Saints.  The  government  officers  who  have 
been  sent  here  have  no  interest  in  common  with  ours.  They  have 
sought  to  destroy  us.  Captain  Van  Vliet,  we  have  treated  all  men 
who  have  been  sent  to  us  as  government  officials  as  well  as  we 
have  you,  and  will  treat  them  well ;  but  if  they  drive  us  to  fight, 
we  shall  put  our  trust  in  God  and  do  the  best  we  can." 

The  Captain,  who  was  deeply  impressed  by  the  statement  of 
Governor  Young,  felt  thoroughly  convinced  that  he  meant  every 
word  he  said.  On  the  13th  he  attended  services  in  the  Tabernacle 
and  listened  with  attention  to  sermons  from  John  Taylor  and 
President  Brigham  Young.  On  the  evening  of  that  day,  the  Cap- 
tain had  another  interview  with  the  leaders,  in  the  course  of  which 
he  said:  "If  our  government  pushes  forward  this  thing  and 


WAR  TIMES,  1857.  387 

makes  war  against  you,  I  shall  withdraw  from  the  army,  for  I 
will  not  take  a  hand  in  shedding  the  blood  of  American  citizens." 

Upon  the  departure  of  Captain  Van  Vliet,  Elder  Woodruff 
presented  him  with  a  box  of  peaches  which  he  had  raised  in  his 
own  garden.  The  Captain  was  accompanied  by  Dr.  Bernhisel. 
The  two  departed  together  for  the  East  for  the  purpose  of  report- 
ing conditions  in  Utah. 

All  the  time  these  agitations  were  going  on,  the  Saints  pur- 
sued the  even  tenor  of  their  ways,  raising  fruit  and  grain.  There 
were  home  missionaries  among  them  preaching  home  industry 
and  self-support. 

The  purpose  of  the  authorities  was  to  impede  the  progress  of 
the  army  and  so  delay  it  that  the  government  might  have  an  op- 
portunity to  make  an  investigation  into  the  real  condition  of  af- 
fairs in  Utah,  and  after  learning  them,  withdraw  the  army  which 
was  then  approaching  Salt  Lake  City.  A  body  of  men  under  the 
command  of  Daniel  H.  Wells  and  Lot  Smith  had  been  sent  to  the 
front  to  stop  the  progress  of  the  army.  This  they  did  by  stamped- 
ing the  cattle  and  horses.  They  were  enjoined  by  President  Young 
to  avoid  the  shedding  of  blood  except  in  self-defense. 

Those  who  had  thus  volunteered  to  act  in  the  defense  of  their 
homes  and  their  liberties  were  without  sufficient  equipments  and 
provisions  to  sustain  them  in  their  defensive  warfare.  They  had 
no  well-equipped  commissary  like  that  with  which  an  army  is  pro- 
vided. The  teams  and  wagons  were  a  part  of  the  equipment  which 
belonged  to  the  farm.  They  were  needed  at  home.  Very  natural- 
ly in  such  an  emergency  they  suffered  great  privations  and  were 
anxious  that  the  difficulties  and  dangers  might  end  as  speedily 
as  possible. 

Before  Captain  Van  Vliet  had  left,  he  promised  to  hasten  to 
Washington  and  speak  in  our  favor.  President  Young  told  him 
that  the  Lord  would  bless  him  in  so  doing,  for  he  felt  that  He 
had  sent  him  to  Utah.  On  his  return,  the  Captain  endeavored  to 
persuade  the  army  to  remain  at  Ham's  Fork  for  the  winter,  but 
the  Tenth  regiment  swore  it  would  come  on  at  all  hazards.  The 
Captain  then  informed  them  that  if  they  did,  they  would  get  a  dif- 
ferent reception  from  anything  they  had  ever  encountered  before. 

Just  at  this  time,  when  the  advance  of  the  army  was  the  all- 


388  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

absorbing  topic  and  the  dangers  of  its  approach  weighed  heavily 
upon  the  leaders,  John  D.  Lee  added  to  their  distress  the  news  of 
the  Mountain  Meadow  massacre.  He  had  reached  Salt  Lake  City 
from  his  home  in  Harmony  on  the  29th  of  September,  1857. 

At  this  place  in  his  record  and  at  this  time,  Apostle  Woodruff 
gives  the  account  of  the  Mountain  Meadow  massacre  which  John 
D.  Lee  gave  to  President  Young :  "A  company  of  California  em- 
igrants of  about  150  men,  women,  and  children,  many  of  them 
belonging  to  the  mobbers  of  Illinois  and  Missouri,  had  been  mas- 
sacred. They  had  many  cattle  and  horses  with  them.  As  they 
traveled  along  south,  they  went  damning  Brigham  Young,  Heber 
C.  Kimball  and  the  heads  of  the  Church,  saying  that  Joseph  Smith 
ought  to  have  been  shot  long  before  he  was.  They  wanted  to  do 
all  the  evil  they  could,  so  they  poisoned  beef  and  gave  it  to  the  In- 
dians and  some  of  them  died.  They  poisoned  the  springs  of  water 
and  some  of  the  Saints  died.  The  Indians  became  enraged  at  their 
conduct  and  surrounded  them  on  a  prairie.  The  emigrants  formed 
a  bulwark  of  their  wagons,  but  the  Indians  fought  them  five  days 
until  they  killed  all  their  men — about  60  in  number.  They  then 
rushed  into  the  corral  and  cut  the  throats  of  their  women  and 
children,  except  some  eight  or  ten  children  which  they  brought 
with  them  and  sold  to  the  whites. 

"The  Indians  then  stripped  the  men  and  women  of  their 
clothing  and  left  them  in  the  broiling  sun.  When  Brother  Lee 
found  it  out,  he  took  some  men  with  him  to  the  place  and  buried 
their  bodies.  It  was  a  horrible  task.  The  whole  air  was  filled  with 
an  awful  stench.  The  Indians  obtained  all  their  property,  cattle, 
horses,  wagons,  etc.  There  was  another  large  company  of  emi- 
grants who  had  1,000  head  of  cattle.  They  were  also  damning 
both  Indians  and  Mormons,  but  were  afraid  of  sharing  the  same 
fate.  Brother  Lee  had  to  send  interpreters  with  them  to  the  In- 
dians to  try  to  save  their  lives." 

The  foregoing  statement  from  the  journal  of  Elder  Woodruff 
which  was  recorded  at  that  time  is  of  special  importance -in  view 
of  the  fact  that  the  enemies  of  the  Church  for  years  endeavored  to 
fasten  upon  President  Young  some  responsibility  for  that  awful 
affair.  There  is  nothing  in  the  statement  whatever  which  bears 
the  least  semblance  of  deception.  It  was  one  of  those  straightfor- 


WAR  TIMES,  1857.  389 

ward  records  which  characterize  Elder  Woodruff's  journal  from 
beginning  to  end.  Then  the  character  and  integrity  of  the  man 
are  both  guarantees  of  the  truthfulness  of  the  statement  made  by 
John  D.  Lee  to  President  Young  as  recorded  in  Elder  Woodruff's 
journal. 

If  President  Young  neglected  at  this  time  to  give  the  report  of 
John  D.  Lee  as  much  attention  as  it  perhaps  should  have  received, 
and  if  an  investigation  was  not  immediately  instituted,  there  is 
ample  excuse  to  be  found  in  the  circumstances  of  those  times. 
The  army  was  pressing  upon  the  people  and  uttering  dire  threats 
as  to  what  would  take  place  when  it  reached  the  Valleys. 

Immediately  following  the  record  of  John  D.  Lee's  visit,  Elder 
Woodruff  says  in  his  journal :  "An  express  came  in  at  night  say- 
ing that  the  troops  were  near  Bridger  and  had  formed  into  three 
bodies  while  traveling.  General  Wells  sent  word  to  President 
Young  to  let  them  come  on  to  Echo  Canyon  and  there  give  them 
battle.  At  6  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  30th  the  drums  beat, 
and  an  army  of  soldiers,  some  400  in  number,  paraded  the  streets. 
They  were  in  readiness  to  march  at  a  moment's  notice  to  the  seat 
of  war.  We  had  at  this  time  about  800  men  in  the  mountains.  It 
was  a  solemn  time ;  for  the  armies  of  the  Gentiles  were  making 
war  upon  us  because  of  our  religion,  and  we  had  to  defend  our- 
selves against  a  nation  of  25,000,000  people,  and  the  war  had  just 
commenced.  We  had  to  trust  in  God  for  the  results.  We  resolved 
to  do  what  we  could  and  leave  the  work  in  His  hands.  All  were 
anxiously  awaiting  the  arrival  of  the  express.  I  told  President 
Young  that  I  was  on  hand  at  any  moment  to  go  into  the  mountains 
when  he  would  say  the  word.  I  went  up  in  the  evening  to  the 
President's  office  and  learned  that  the  California  mail  had  ar- 
rived. I  heard  some  letters  read.  One  stated  that  the  government 
had  made  arrangements  to  send  light  draft  boats  up  the  Colorado 
with  men  and  arms  against  us  from  that  point. 

"Next  morning,  Oct.  1st,  I  arose  early  and  looked  for  an  ex- 
press signal  flag  but  saw  none.  There  was  a  great  deal  of  anx- 
iety throughout  the  day  while  we  were  waiting,  for  the  express 
had  arrived  late.  Word  came  from  General  Wells  respecting  the 
conditions  existing  at  the  seat  of  war." 

The  time  for  conference  was  now  approaching,  but  the  agita- 


390  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

tion  among  the  people  about  the  approach  of  the  army  was  so 
great,  and  there  were  so  many  of  the  men  absent,  that  the  meetings 
were  not  largely  attended.  The  conference  continued  only  two 
days,  the  time  being  occupied  by  President  Young  and  members 
of  the  Twelve. 

On  Oct.  8th  an  express  arrived  with  the  news  that  Captain 
Lot  Smith  had  burned  up  fifty  of  the  government  wagons,  but 
gave  to  the  teamsters  all  their  arms  and  ammunition.  One  de- 
serter from  the  army  came  in  reporting  that  rations  were  short 
among  the  soldiers.  To  each  man,  he  said,  there  was  allowed  only 
three  biscuits,  two  cups  of  coffee  and  a  small  piece  of  beef  per  day. 
Elder  Woodruff  writes:  "The  enemy  is  in  a  close  place.  Their 
provisions  are  rapidly  diminishing  and  there  are  prospects  of 
starvation.  We  have  prayed  that  the  Lord  would  lead  them  into 
the  pit  which  they  had  prepared  for  the  Saints,  and  the  Lord  heard 
our  prayers  and  our  enemies  are  now  in  a  trap  and  are  suffering 
humiliation  without  us  harming  a  hair  of  their  heads." 

The  express  which  arrived  on  the  16th  of  October  brought  a 
threatening  letter  from  Col.  Alexander  to  President  Young.  He 
threatened  extermination  if  the  Saints  resisted,  and  expressed  con- 
fidence in  his  ability  to  carry  out  the  orders  of  the  government. 
Governor  Young  sent  the  Colonel  a  strong  reply ;  wanted  to  know 
why  he  spent  an  entire  month  on  Ham's  Fork  if  he  was  confident 
in  his  ability  to  carry  out  orders.  He  gave  the  Colonel  to  under- 
stand that  on  our  part  there  was  no  surrender.  "We  shall  trust 
in  God  and  go  ahead." 

The  Sunday  following,  President  Young  addressed  the  Saints 
and  declared  his  belief  in  their  ability  to  keep  the  enemy  back,  and 
counseled  the  people  to  go  on  with  their  farming,  fruit  raising, 
etc.  President  Kimball  arose  and  prophesied  that  if  the  Saints 
would  hearken  to  counsel  they  would  continue  to  live  in  their  own 
homes  in  the  valleys,  produce  crops,  and  remain  until  they  returned 
to  Jackson  County,  Missouri.  President  Young  thereupon  shouted 
out,  "I  believe  it."  At  the  same  time,  communications  were  com- 
ing in  from  the  army,  but  they  only  received  from  him  the  same 
determined  answer  that  the  army  should  not  enter  Salt  Lake  Val- 
ley until  conditions  had  changed  and  the  sentiment  of  bitterness 
and  hostility  had  been  allayed. 


WAR  TIMES,  185?.  391 

About  the  same  time  Governor  Gumming  arrived  at  the  head- 
quarters of  the  army  and  sent  a  communication  to  Governor 
Young,  in  which  he  declared  himself  the  Governor  of  Utah.  At 
the  same  time  he  charged  with  treason  all  who  opposed  his  and 
the  army's  movement.  Mr.  Gumming  no  doubt  felt  some  misgiv- 
ings from  the  fact  that  the  horses  and  mules  belonging  to  the 
army  were  dying  by  the  hundreds,  and  the  soldiers  were  short  of 
provisions.  The  difficulty  of  the  situation  was  rendered  worse 
from  the  fact  that  there  existed  both  among  the  officers  and  sol- 
diers a  pronounced  division.  Some  of  them  openly  declared  that 
Governor  Young  was  perfectly  justified  in  his  course  in  defend- 
ing the  rights  of  the  people  of  Utah. 

In  December  the  Mormon  soldiers  were  disbanded  and  al- 
lowed to  return  home  for  the  winter,  and  the  change  was  wel- 
comed by  them.  Their  provisions  were  not  more  than  half  their 
actual  wants,  and  there  were  no  comforts  on  the  frontier.  In 
summing  up  the  condition  of  affairs  at  the  close  of  the  year  Apos- 
tle Woodruff  writes:  "The  expedition  of  the  season  is  now  en- 
tirely closed,  and  we  have  clearly  seen  the  hand  of  the  Lord  made 
visible  in  our  behalf.  An  army  has  been  sent  by  the  United  States 
to  make  war  upon  us  for  the  sole  purpose  of  destroying  the  Church 
of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints.  The  Church  has  been 
driven  from  the  confines  of  the  United  States  into  the  Rocky 
Mountains,  then  a  Mexican  Territory,  with  the  hope  of  the  nation 
that  we  should  perish ;  but  as  soon  as  they  found  that  we  were  to 
live  and  prosper  they  became  alarmed  and  resolved  upon  our  de- 
struction. As  soon  as  this  intention  was  known  to  us,  the  leader 
of  the  Church  and  Kingdom  of  God  arose  up  in  the  strength  of 
Israel's  God  and  proclaimed  Israel  free.  In  this,  his  counselors, 
Heber  C.  Kimball  and  D.  H.  Wells,  with  the  Twelve  Apostles,  sus- 
tained him,  and  all  the  people  said,  'Amen.'  " 

Continuing,  Elder  Woodruff  wrote:  "From  two  to  three 
thousand  of  the  brethren,  who  went  into  the  mountains  under  the 
command  of  Gen.  D.  H.  Wells  to  hedge  up  the  way  of  the  enemy, 
have  arrived.  Our  brethren  made  large  entrenchments  and  ditches 
and  piled  up  large  masses  of  rocks  above  the  narrow  passes  for 
the  purpose  of  rolling  them  down  upon  the  enemy;  but  the  Lord 
has  fought  our  battles  and  hedged  up  the  way.  When  the  army 


392  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

reached  Ham's  Fork,  150  miles  from  our  city,  the  storms  and  cold 
killed  their  horses,  mules,  and  cattle,  by  the  hundreds,  so  that 
when  the  whole  army  got  together  with  the  governors  and  judges, 
whom  the  government  had  sent  to  rule  over  us,  they  had  not  teams 
enough  left  to  draw  one-third  of  their  train  and  were  obliged  to 
stop  and  pass  the  winter  in  the  storms  of  the  mountains.  Their 
wisdom  seems  to  be  taken  from  them,  and  our  brethren  have  been 
able  to  herd  them  like  a  herd  of  cattle.  The  soldiers  shot  grape 
and  musket  and  many  balls  at  our  men  from  time  to  time,  and 
those  balls  fell  like  hail  around  the  servants  of  God,  but  not  a  drop 
of  their  blood  has  been  shed,  neither  did  the  brethren  return  fire 
upon  the  enemy  even  in  a  single  instance.  Fear  had  so  taken  hold 
of  the  soldiers  that  they  would  flee  into  the  main  body  of  the  army 
at  the  approach  of  a  small  number  of  our  brethren. 

"Through  all  this  President  Young  has  been  as  calm  as  a 
summer's  day.  The  army  of  Zion  is  now  returning  to  its  home 
with  the  same  spirit  of  composure  and  quietude  that  it  carried 
with  it  into  the  mountains.  As  the  men  passed,  on  their  return, 
by  President  Young,  they  gave  him  a  quiet  salute  and  went  silently 
to  their  homes,  while  President  Young  gazed  upon  them  with 
thanksgiving  and  praise  to  the  God  of  Israel." 

President  Woodruff  here  relates  the  circumstance  of  a  Brother 
Maxwell  who  had  been  in  charge  of  a  small  scouting  party :  "Af- 
ter going  into  camp  for  the  night,  Elder  Maxwell  felt  strongly  im- 
pressed that  danger  confronted  him  and  his  companions,  and  so 
informed  them.  He  said  they  would  have  to  leave,  but  some  were 
opposed  to  his  recommendation  and  they  retired  to  rest.  The  same 
impression,  however,  increased  upon  Elder  Maxwell  until  he 
promptly  arose  from  his  bed  and  said  they  must  all  leave  or  serious 
trouble  would  befall  them.  His  brethren  quickly  followed,  and 
it  was  only  a  short  time  when  a  hundred  men  surrounded  the  place 
of  their  encampment  with  the  expectation  of  taking  them  pris- 
oners." 

"At  another  time,  Col.  Allen  of  the  Mormons,  fell  a  prisoner 
in  the  hands  of  the  enemy.  Col.  Johnston  threatened  to  hang  him. 
At  the  camp  fire  at  night  Col.  Allen  took  off  his  boots  and  pretend- 
ed to  warm  his  feet.  Suddenly,  he  leaped  by  the  guard  and  ran 
into  a  herd  of  cattle.  His  pursuers  became  confused  and  he  made 


WAR  TIMES,  1857.  393 

good  his  escape.  He  ran  thirty  miles  to  the  camp  of  his  brethren, 
in  his  stocking  feet." 

During  these  trying  circumstances  in  the  army,  President 
Young  sent  some  salt  which  they  needed  very  much.  One  of 
the  sacks  of  salt  which  was  sent,  however,  was  lost,  and  later 
picked  up  by  a  traveler  who  sold  it  to  merchants  for  twenty  dol- 
lars. They  in  turn  sold  it  to  the  soldiers  for  two  hundred  dollars. 
Ben  Simons,  a  Cherokee,  took  to  the  army  nine  hundred  pounds  of 
salt,  which  he  sold  for  two  dollars  and  a  half  a  pound,  or  a  total 
of  two  thousand  two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars.  He  sold  them 
service  berries  for  one  dollar  a  pound.  It  will  be  seen  that  the  ex- 
pedition was  becoming  a  very  expensive  piece  of  folly. 

As  the  year  was  closing,  the  legislature  convened,  and  Elder 
Woodruff  was  again  a  member  of  that  body.  In  his  journal,  speak- 
ing of  these  times,  he  prophecies :  "The  judgments  of  God  will 
now  begin  to  rest  more  fully  upon  this  nation  and  will  be  increased 
upon  it,  year  by  year.  Calamities  will  come  speedily  upon  it  and 
it  will  be  visited  with  thunder,  lightning,  storms,  whirlwnds,  floods 
pestilence,  plagues,  war  and  devouring  fire;  and  the  wicked  will 
slay  the  wicked  until  the  wicked  are  wasted  away." 

His  journal  closes  with  a  copy  of  the  poem  dedicated  to  him 
by  Eliza  R.  Snow. 

POEM. 

"With  true  respect,  and  as  a  tribute  due 
To  friendship,  Brother  Woodruff,  unto  you, 
As  one  more  blessed  than  most  your  fellow  men, 
I  now  address  the  effusion  of  my  pen. 

You  were  appointed,  ere  your  mortal  birth, 
To  an  apostleship  upon  the  earth ; 
The  Lord  our  God  has  had  His  eye  on  thee, 
With  watchful  care  from  earliest  infancy. 

You  were  preserved,  midst  Babylonish  night, 
From  atheistic  and  sectarian  blight; 
From  manly  rectitude  you  did  not  swerve, 
The  Priest  of  Baal  you  never  stooped  to  serve. 


394  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

From  heavenly  courts,  the  light  that's  shining  now, 
Shone  on  your  path,  and  mantled  o'er  your  brow ; 
Eternal  visions  opened  to  your  view, 
You  loved  the  truth  and  found  salvation,  too. 

You  then  with  joy  the  Gospel  banner  bore 
To  distant  lands  and  on  your  native  shore, 
In  truth's  defense  most  valiantly  you  stood, 
And  cleared  your  garments  of  the  Gentiles'  blood. 

One  of  the  chosen  Twelve,  who're  called  to  stand, 
To  turn  the  Gospel  key  for  every  land ; 
Your  name  in  honor,  as  a  faithful  one, 
To  future  generations  will  be  known. 

With  heart  inspired,  rich  matter  to  indite, 
In  Zion  now  your  business  is  to  write, 
With  skill  you  wield  the  ready  writer's  pen ; 
'Tis  yours  to  immortalize  the  deeds  of  men. 

Full  many  a  righteous  act  and  gifted  word 
By  Saints  performed  from  lips  of  prophets  heard, 
Had  slipped  the  mem'ries  of  judicious  men, 
But  for  the  promptings  of  your  faithful  pen. 

The  Church  historian's  labors  to  divide, 

As  his  assistant  coupled  side  by  side, 

You  write  for  Zion,  where  her  history's  known, 

Inscribing  her's,  perpetuates  your  own. 

Faithful  to  God,  to  your  brethren  true, 
Integrity  has  twined  a  wreath  for  you, 
Of  never-fading  laurels,  which  will  be, 
A  glorious  coronet  eternally. 

In  that  blessed  world,  where  light  and  knowledge  dwell, 
Your  blessedness  no  earthly  tongue  can  tell, 
Where  heaven's  effulgence  will  your  head  surround, 
And  you  with  everlasting  glory  crowned. 


WAR  TIMES,  1857.  395 

Filled  with  immortal  majesty  and  might, 
Associated  with  the  Gods  of  light, 
With  gifts  and  powers  of  endless  lives  you'll  be, 
Progressing  on  and  on  eternally." 


CHAPTER  37. 
ARMY    ENTERS    SALT    LAKE   VALLEY,    1858. 

President  and  Congress  of  the  U.  S.  Memorialized. — Words  of  Brig- 
ham  Young. — Arrival  of  Col.  Kane. — Governor  Gumming  Reaches 
Salt  Lake  City. — Migration  Southward. — Delegates  from  Nicaragua. 
Want  Mormons  To  Move  to  Central  America. — Proclamation  from 
President  Buchanan. — Peace  Commission. — President  of  the  Des- 
eret  Agricultural  and  Manufacturing  Society. — Indian  War  Threat- 
ened.— A  Striking  Dialogue. — The  Mob  Element. — Mogo's  Decep- 
tion.— Attacks  on  President  Young. — Greeley  Visits  Utah. 

New  Year's  day,  1858,  was  celebrated  in  the  evening  by  a 
social  gathering  at  Ballou's  Hall,  in  the  Fourteenth  Ward.  Broth- 
er Woodruff  addressed  the  assembly,  made  reference  to  the  crit- 
ical conditions  then  confronting  the  Saints,  but  prophesied  good 
for  the  future  and  declared  the  overthrow  of  all  who  fought 
against  the  people  of  God. 

On  the  5th  of  January  he  records  a  Memorial  passed  by  the 
legislature  in  which  the  wrongs  inflicted  upon  the  Saints  were 
set  forth,  and  Congress  was  asked  to  investigate  the  condition  of 
affairs  in  Utah.  On  the  16th  of  the  same  month  a  mass-meet- 
ing was  held  in  the  Tabernacle.  Resolutions  were  adopted  and 
a  Memorial  sent  to  the  President  and  Congress  of  the  United 
States. 

About  the  same  time  Elder  Benson  and  others  returned  from 
England  and  from  the  States  where  they  had  been  on  missions. 
They  reported  that  persecutions  were  rife  against  the  Saints,  even 
in  England,  where  the  elders  were  assaulted  with  sticks  and  stones 
in  the  hands  of  street  mobs. 

On  February  the  3rd  the  California  mail  brought  the  news 
that  President  Buchanan  recommended  a  strong  force  against  the 
Saints.  Later  advices  brought  word  that  a  steamer  was  to  bring 
four  thousand  men  by  the  southern  route ;  four  thousand  more 
were  to  come  from  Oregon ;  and  two  thousand,  from  the  Missouri 
River.  There  were  then  at  Fort  Bridger  two  thousand,  making 
in  all  an  army  of  twelve  thousand  men.  In  his  journal,  Elder 
Woodruff  writes:  "The  trials  and  sacrifices  the  Saints  may  be 


ARMY  ENTERS  SALT  LAKE  VALLEY,  1858.        397 

called  upon  to  pass  through,  I  do  not  know,  but  I  pray  the  Lord 
to  give  us  grace  according  to  our  day." 

President  Young  and  the  brethren  were  busily  occupied  in 
preparation  either  to  meet  the  foe  or  burn  the  city  and  leave  it 
desolate.  Grain  was  sent  to  the  mill  and  ground,  and  prepara- 
tions were  made  for  caching  it  in  the  earth.  While  the  Saints 
were  preparing  to  fight,  they  were  also  engaged  in  prayer  and  in 
temple  work.  The  Endowment  House  was  visited  by  hundreds 
who  came  there  to  receive  its  blessings. 

On  the  15th  of  February  he  records  this  in  his  journal:  "I 
walked  up  to  the  Historian's  Office  and  then  to  the  President's 
where  I  found  President  Young,  D.  H.  Wells,  Chas.  C.  Rich,  and 
Chas.  Wandell.  President  Young  said :  'All  our  sufferings  in  this 
life  are  for  our  good  that  we  may  learn  the  contrast  between  good 
and  evil.  Jesus  descended  below  all  things  that  He  might  rise 
above  all  things.  All  men  who  receive  the  same  glory  must  abide 
the  same  law.  Some  are  alarmed  because  so  many  of  my  family 
are  sick.  I  have  as  good  a  right  to  be  sick  as  any  body.  I  do  not 
wish  to  escape  affliction,  sickness,  pain,  or  sorrow  any  more  than 
others  escape  them ;  for  if  we  make  a  right  use  of  them  they  will 
return  to  us  in  blessings.  I  made  up  my  mind  years  ago  to  be 
governed  by  certain  principles.  I  resolved  that  I  would  never 
be  controlled  by  my  passions,  by  women,  nor  by  anger,  but  that  I 
would  govern  myself.  This  resolution  I  have  endeavored  to  carry 
out  in  my  life.' ': 

These  were  times  that  tried  mens  souls,  and  it  was  quite 
natural  that  they  should  turn  their  eyes  inwardly  and  examine 
their  own  hearts  to  see  if  they  were  true  to  God  and  His  cause. 
Such  remarks  indicate  the  rich,  deep,  and  beautiful  spiritual 
natures  of  the  men  whom  the  world  has  misjudged  and  illy  treated. 

On  February  15th  Apostle  Amasa  Lyman  reached  the  city, 
bringing  with  him  a  messenger  direct  from  Washington.  It 
was  no  less  a  personage  than  their  old-time  friend,  Col.  Thomas 
L.  Kane.  They  had  made  the  journey  from  San  Francisco  in 
twenty  days.  Col.  Kane  brought  with  him  dispatches  from  na- 
tional head-quarters  to  Governor  Young  and  the  army.  Presi- 
dent Young  immediately  called  a  council  for  7  o'clock,  and  Col. 
Kane  was  presented  to  the  brethren  by  Joseph  A.  Young.  The 
Colonel  was  very  weary  from  his  long  journey.  He  reached  the 


398  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

home  of  Governor  Young  at  8  o'clock,  and  after  an  introduction, 
addressed  those  present  as  follows :  "Governor  Young  and  Gen- 
tlemen :  I  come  as  an  embassador  from  the  chief  Executive  of 
our  nation,  and  am  fully  prepared  and  duly  authorized  to  lay 
before  you  more  fully  and  definitely  the  feeling  and  views  of  the 
citizens  of  our  common  country  and  of  the  chief  Executive  to- 
wards you,  relating  to  the  present  position  of  officers  in  this 
Territory  and  of  the  army  of  the  United  States  now  camped  upon 
your  borders.  After  giving  you  the  most  satisfactory  evidence  in 
relation  to  matters  now  pending  and  concerning  you,  I  shall  call 
your  attention  to  the  poor  soldiers  who  are  now  suffering  in  the 
cold  and  snows  of  the  mountains,  and  request  you  to  render  them 
aid  and  comfort.  I  shall  ask  you  to  assist  them  to  come  here,  and 
to  bid  them  a  hearty  welcome  into  your  hospitable  valley.  Cap- 
tain Van  VHet  made  a  good  report  about  you,  and  used  his  influ- 
ence to  have  the  army  stop  east  of  Bridger.  He  has  done  a  great 
deal  in  your  behalf.  You  all  look  very  well.  You  have  built  up 
an  empire  here  in  a  short  time." 

When  asked  if  Dr.  Bernhisel  had  taken  his  seat  in  Congress, 
he  said :  "Yes,  he  was  opposed  by  the  Arkansas  members  and  a 
few  others.  They  were  foolish,  for  had  he  been  refused  his  seat, 
it  would  have  been  a  declaration  of  war."  The  Colonel  con- 
versed further  on  matters  pertaining  to.  the  government  and  an- 
swered questions  put  to  him  by  Governor  Young. 

Governor  Young  then  spoke  for  some  time  expressing  his 
gratitude  for  the  visit  of  Col.  Kane,  and  also  occupied  some  time 
in  speaking  upon  the  principles  of  righteousness  which  control  the 
actions  of  the  Latter-day  Saints.  "They  are  in  the  hands  of  God, 
He  will  preserve  His  people."  President  Young  then  related  to 
Colonel  Kane  how  the  Lord  in  a  marvelous  manner  had  placed 
means  in  the  hands  of  himself,  President  Kimball,  and  others  while 
on  missions  and  elsewhere  engaged  in  the  work  of  God.  These 
instances,  he  declared,  were  just  as  miraculous  as  those  related  in 
olden  times  by  Peter  and  Paul. 

After  a  late  hour  in  the  evening,  the  interview  closed  and 
all  present  felt  that  the  visit  of  Colonel  Kane  was  full  of  promise 
for  the  peace  of  Utah  and  the  safety  of  the  Saints.  Elder  Wood- 
ruff records  several  enjoyable  visits  which  he  had  with  Colonel 
Kane  during  his  sojourn  in  the  city. 


ARMY  ENTERS  SALT  LAKE  VALLEY,  1858.        399 

March  the  1st  Elder  Woodruff  reached  the  fifty-first  mile- 
stone in  his  life  and  celebrated  the  occasion  by  fitting  out  his  son- 
in-law,  Robert  Scholes,  to  relieve  the  guards  then  in  the  moun- 
tains. He,  himself,  spent  much  of  his  time,  however,  in  the 
Historian's  Office  in  writing  biographies  of  the  leading  men.  They 
were  called  in  to  have  read  to  them  the  history  of  their  lives; 
and  President  Young,  himself,  often  listened  to  many  of  the  biog- 
raphies and  other  items  of  Church  history. 

At  this  time  he  records  the  troubles  that  the  Saints  had  with 
the  Indians  in  the  North  in  which  two  or  three  of  the  former 
were  killed  and  many  cattle  were  driven  off.  A  little  later 
trouble  arose  with  the  Indians  in  Rush  Valley.  Elder  Woodruff 
sent  his  son  Wilford  with  a  team  to  help  move  the  women  and 
children  of  that  locality  to  Tooele  Stake  for  safety.  During  the 
son's  journey  he  was  lost  in  a  heavy  snow-storm  and  was  com- 
pelled to  plow  his  way  through  snow  and  mud  nearly  two  feet 
deep  to  accomplish  his  mission.  When  the  father  heard  of  the 
son's  predicament,  he  went  on  horseback  to  meet  him  but  found 
him  safe,  he  having  been  preserved  from  death  by  the  blessings  of 
the  Lord. 

Although  the  presence  of  Col.  Kane  greatly  relieved  the  situ- 
ation, the  people,  nevertheless,  felt  considerable  anxiety  as  to  the 
final  outcome.  They  sent,  however,  relief  to  the  United  States 
soldiers  and  prepared  to  let  them  come  peaceably  into  the  Valley. 
In  the  event,  however,  that  all  hostility  could  not  be  eliminated  from 
the  army,  the  people  prepared  to  burn  the  city,  leave  it  desolate, 
and  move  southward.  Throughout  the  city  there  was  the  greatest 
activity.  People  were  packing  up  their  provisions  and  such  house- 
hold goods  as  they  could  take  with  them  with  the  view  of  moving 
to  the  south. 

In  the  midst  of  all  this  excitement  the  6th  of  April  arrived. 
The  annual  conference  of  that  year  lasted  only  one  day  on  account 
of  the  hasty  preparations  which  the  people  were  making  for  their 
exodus  southward.  Elder  Woodruff's  wives,  Sarah  and  Emma, 
had  already  moved  to  Provo.  Many  others  had  left  their  homes 
and  taken  up  their  journey. 

On  April  6th  he  writes :  "We  shall  evacuate  the  city  of  Great 
Salt  Lake  and  leave  it,  if  needs  be,  in  the  hands  of  our  enemies. 
We  may  burn  our  habitations  and  lay  waste  everything  we  pos- 


400  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

sess,  inasmuch  as  our  enemies  are  coming  upon  us  intent  upon  our 
destruction.  We  are  determined  to  worship  God  and  acknowledge 
His  hand  in  all  things.  The  roads  are  lined  with  men,  women, 
children,  teams,  and  wagons, — all  moving  south." 

On  the  7th  of  April  Elder  Woodruff  loaded  his  wagons 
with  goods-  and  with  records  from  the  Historian's  Office  and  be- 
gan his  journey  to  Provo  in  a  heavy  snow-storm.  It  was  so 
severe  that  the  people  suffered,  and  some  nearly  perished  by  the 
way.  The  horses  and  cattle  suffered  intensely.  Some  unhitched 
their  teams,  leaving  their  loaded  wagons  in  the  mud,  and  made 
their  way  to  various  places  of  shelter.  His  first  day's  journey  was 
twelve  miles  south  to  Union  Ward,  where  he  remained  all  night 
in  the  home  of  Martesia  Smith.  The  storm  was  so  bad  the  fol- 
lowing day  that  he  was  compelled  to  remain  in  doors.  The  roads 
were  so  bad  that  he  unloaded  two  of  his  wagons  and  returned  to 
Salt  Lake.  On  the  llth  he  attend  services  in  the  Tabernacle. 

The  12th  of  April,  1858,  witnessed  the  arrival  in  Salt  Lake 
City  of  Governor  Alfred  Gumming,  who  was  accompanied  by 
Colonel  Kane.  Both  were  escorted  to  the  city  by  a  Mormon 
guard.  The  Governor  expressed  regrets  that  the  people  were 
moving,  and  begged^  them  to  discontinue  their  exodus.  There 
were,  however,  some  doubts  as  to  the  Governor's  sincerity,  espe- 
cially in  view  of  the  fact  that  the  Saints  had  been  betrayed  so 
many  times,  either  by  pretended  friends  or  open  foes.  They  de- 
cided, however,  to  carry  out  their  program,  and  continued  the 
work  of  moving  to  Utah  Valley. 

During  the  remainder  of  April,  May,  and  June,  Elder  Wood- 
ruff and  other  Church  leaders  were  busy  in  their  preparations 
for  the  journey  south  and  many  trips  were  made  to  and  from 
Provo.  Council  meetings  were  held  and  the  work  of  evacuating 
the  city  went  steadily  on.  Yet,  they  had  faith  that  God  would 
somehow  bring  about  the  fulfillment  of  those  prophesies  which  de- 
clared peace  and  safety,  and  that  they  would,  accordingly,  in  the 
end,  remain  in  their  homes. 

Added  to  the  troubles  which  they  were  under  in  consequence 
of  the  move  southward,  word  came  that  the  Indians  at  different 
points  were  making  trouble  for  the  people,  and  speculators  thought 
they  saw  an  opportunity  to  make  money  from  the  Saints  by  pur- 
chasing their  homes  in  these  the  hours  of  their  distress.  Import- 


ARMY  ENTERS  SALT  LAKE  VALLEY,  1858.        401 

ant  events  followed  in  swift  succession.  Two  delegates  from 
Nicarauga  called  on  President  Young  for  the  purpose  of  persuad- 
ing him  and  the  Mormons  to  buy  land  in  Central  America,  and 
emigrate  with  the  Saints  to  Nicarauga.  Their  efforts,  however, 
were  unavailing.  President  Young  was  firm  in  his  conviction  that 
it  was  God's  purpose  that  the  Saints  should  inhabit  these  Valleys  of 
the  Mountains.  He  further  saw  that  there  was  a  growing  opposi- 
tion to  the  policy  of  President  Buchanan.  General  Houston  had 
taken  a  bold  stand  against  the  action  of  the  government  and  boldly 
defended  the  rights  of  the  Latter-day  Saints.  President  Young 
records  it  as  his  opinion  at  that  time  that  Houston  was  the  only 
man  in  the  United  States  Senate  who  had  the  moral  courage  of 
his  convictions. 

The  coming  of  other  armies  from  different  directions  compli- 
cated the  situation.  They  must  be  stopped.  The  presence  of  thou- 
sands of  soldiers  in  Salt  Lake  Valley  would  make  trouble  even 
under  the  most  favorable  circumstances.  Col.  Kane  hurried, 
therefore,  to  the  East  and  succeeded  by  his  prompt  and  faithful 
efforts  in  stopping  the  other  armies  until  matters  could  be  ad- 
justed. 

At  this  time  there  came  a  Peace  Commission  with  the  prof- 
fer of  peace  and  a  pledge  that  the  army  should  not  molest  the 
Saints  in  any  way  by  coming  into  the  Valley.  But  with  this 
Commission  President  Buchanan  sent  a  proclamation  charging  the 
Saints  with  treason  and  other  crimes,  and  then  forgave  them 
without  an  acknowledgement  on  their  part,  or  a  plea  for  pardon. 

It  was  evident  to  all  that  President  Buchanan  had  committed 
a  blunder,  and  that  he  was  anxious  to  extricate  himself  the  best 
he  could  from  a  situation  that  was  proving  daily  more  embarras- 
sing to  him.  Each  step  he  took  made  him  more  ridiculous  in  the  eyes 
of  fair-minded  men  and  more  open  to  condemnation  by  those  who 
opposed  him.  He  had  believed  the  lies  of  the  federal  officials, 
acted  upon  their  falsehoods  and  squandered  the  nation's  money 
without  taking  any  steps  to  learn  whether  he  had  been  imposed 
upon  or  not.  Brigham  Young  said  President  Buchanan  had  mani- 
fested more  folly  in  his  official  acts  than  any  other  man  that  ever 
occupied  the  presidential  chair. 

The  Peace  Commission  sent  out  to  adjust  matters  consisted 
of  Senator  elect  Powell  from  Kentucky  and  Major  McCullough 

27 


402  WILFORD   WOODRUFF. 

from  Texas.  After  several  meetings  in  Salt  Lake  City,  they  vis- 
ited Provo  and  were  treated  as  all  had  been  before  them,  with  the 
utmost  respect  and  courtesy.  They  had  an  opportunity  to  witness 
the  action  of  the  Saints  in  moving  from  their  homes  and  their 
preparations  to  destroy  the  city  which  they  had  founded.  These 
concessions  on  the  part  of  the  government  brought  about  a  change 
of  policy. 

From  July  1st  to  July  25th  Elder  Woodruff  was  occupied  in 
moving  his  family  back  to  Salt  Lake  City  and  in  harvesting  his 
grain.  It  was  quite  natural  that  this  strain  upon  President  Young 
should  tell  against  his  health.  He  had  been  poorly  for  some  time 
and  sought  rest  in  Cottonwood  Canyon.  Brother  Woodruff  also 
found  himself  impaired  in  health.  The  relaxation  after  months  of 
great  strain  resulted  in  something  of  a  general  collapse  of  their 
physical  strength. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  Colonel  Alexander  of  the  U.  S. 
army  had  formerly  been  arrogant  in  his  demands  on  President 
Young.  On  the  9th  of  August  he  called  upon  the  President  and 
manifested  toward  him  a  friendly  spirit — a  spirit  that  breathed 
peace  and  good  will.  A  great  change  had  come  over  the  Colonel. 

The  time  of  the  leaders  during  the  month  of  August,  1858, 
was  taken  up  quite  largely  in  entertaining  the  officers  of  the 
United  States  army  and  in  receiving  visits  from  them.  Many 
strangers  also  called  upon  the  authorities  at  this  time.  The  situ- 
ation, however,  was  more  trying  in  one  respect  as  the  army  had 
its  camp  followers.  Along  with  it  came  adventurers,  and  drunk- 
eness  was  common  in  the  streets  and  several  men  lost  their  lives. 
Of  these  times  Apostle  Woodruff  says :  "Thus  we  have  the  fruits 
of  civilization  as  manifested  by  the  world,  and  introduced  into 
our  Territory.  Until  the  army  and  its  attendants  came  here,  we 
had  no  such  scenes  enacted  in  our  midst.  For  the  first  time  we 
now  have  drunkenness  and  gambling,  street  broils,  and  murders 
are  of  frequent  occurrence." 

The  Saints,  however,  made  every  endeavor  to  pursue  again 
the  even  tenor  of  their  way.  President  Woodruff  returned  to  his 
work  of  compiling  Church  history.  As  the  fall  of  the  year  ap- 
proached, preparations  were  made  for  a  State  Fair.  He  was 
chosen  as  President  of  the  Deseret  Agricultural  and  Manufactur- 


ARMY  ENTERS  SALT  LAKE  VALLEY,  1858.        403 

ing  Society,  and  made  special  effort  to  put  on  exposition  the  fruits 
of  the  industry  of  the  Latter-day  Saints. 

In  the  midst  of  peaceful  prosperity,  there  was  agitation 
among  the  Indians.  Brother  Josiah  Call  was  killed  by  the  red 
men  in  Sanpete  County.  The  Indians  had  awakened  within  them 
a  strong  resentment  toward  the  soldiers  whom  the  Indians  de- 
clared had  treated  them  wrongfully.  Aropene,  the  chief,  who  had 
formerly  addressed  the  Saints  in  their  public  meetings,  declared 
his  intention  to  make  war  upon  the  army,  and  that  no  man  could 
stop  him  in  his  determination  to  fight.  The  old  chief  had  been 
outraged  because  the  soldiers  had  killed  one  of  his  best  men.  Up- 
on learning  of  the  chiefs  wrath  and  intention,  President  Young 
immediately  sent  him  a  letter  by  a  messenger,  Jeremiah  Hatch. 
In  the  letter  he  explained  to  Aropene  how  wrong  it  was  to  shed 
blood,  and  asked  him  to  live  in  peace  with  all  mankind.  The  letter 
evidently  had  a  persuading  influence  upon  the  mind  of  the  old 
chief,  who  was  calmed  thereby,  and  he  accepted  the  counsel  of  his 
faithful  friend,  Brigham  Young. 

A  circumstance  at  this  time  arose  which  had  a  tendency  to 
create  a  misunderstanding  between  the  Indians  and  the  Latter-day 
Saints  who  had  fed  the  Indians  for  ten  years  past  without  re- 
muneration. Dr.  Forway  had  been  appointed  Indian  agent  and 
a  large  sum  of  money  was  placed  in  his  hands  with  which  to  care 
for  the  Indians.  The  temptation  to  use  this  money  for  personal 
advantages  was  so  great  that  he  insisted  that  the  Saints  should 
continue  to  feed  the  Indians  as  they  had  done  before.  To  this  re- 
quest an  exception  was  taken.  The  money  belonged  to  the  Indians, 
and  the  Saints  insisted  that  the  Indians  should  have  the  use  of  it. 

Elder  Woodruff  records  under  date  of  November  12th,  1858, 
a  conversation  between  Captain  Woolf,  of  the  United  States  Army 
and  one  of  the  elders,  which  breathes  faith,  integrity,  and  the  spir- 
it of  those  times.  The  captain  asked:  "Are  you  a  Mormon?" 
''I  am."  "I  suppose  you  are  an  out  and  in  Mormon,  just  as  it 
suits  you."  "I  am  a  thorough  Mormon  and  believe  in  all  the 
principles  of  our  religion."  "What,  polygamy  and  all?"  "Yes." 
"How  many  wives  have  you?"  "I  have  three  wives  and  twelve 
children."  "How  do  you  suppose  those  children  will  look  upon 
you  when  they  are  grown  up?"  "They  will  point  to  me  and  say: 


404  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

'There  is  my  father,  who  has  raised  me,  fed,  clothed,  and  edu- 
cated me,  watched  over  me  through  persecution,  oppression  and 
scorn,  and  I  will  honor  and  obey  him.' '  Continuing,  the  elder 
then  said  to  Captain  Woolf :  "You  have  children  at  Fort  Leav- 
enworth,  St.  Louis^  and  other  places,  but  you  do  not  acknowledge 
them,  and  will  not  provide  for  them ;  and  their  mother  will  point 
you  out  to  them  with  words  of  shame,  and  they  will  be  taught  to 
despise  you."  Captain  Woolf  replied  with  an  oath,  and  at  the 
same  time  scratching  his  head:  "That  is  true.  I  never  thought 
of  it  in  that  way  before."  "What  would  you  think,"  continued 
the  Captain,  "if  the  government  ordered  your  life  destroyed  if 
you  would  not  put  away  your  wives?"  "I  would  go  where  I 
could  enjoy  my  wives  and  children  in  some  secluded  spot  of  the 
earth,  or  give  up  my  life  rather  than  put  them  away."  The  con- 
versation of  Captain  Woolf  was  then  turned  upon  President 
Young.  He  said :  "Governor  Young,  ought  to  be  the  next  presi- 
dent of  the  United  States  for  he  is  the  brightest  man  in  the  nation, 
and  I  should  vote  for  him." 

Speaking  of  Lot  Smith,  the  wagon  master  of  the  train  that 
Lot  had  burned,  said  that  Lot  Smith  and  his  men  were  gentlemen ; 
and  that  it  was  one  of  the  wisest  and  best  things  that  Governor 
Young  could  have  done,  for  it  stopped  the  progress  of  the  army 
until  events  so  changed  that  peace  came.  It  prevented  the  shed- 
ding of  blood  on  either  side  and  sent  him  back  to  the  States, 
where  he  could  escape  the  suffering  of  the  soldiers  who  wintered 
in  the  mountains. 

On  the  24th  of  November,  that  year,  Apostle  Woodruff  lost 
his  little  son,  Hyrum  Smith,  who  expired  after  several  days  ill- 
ness. He  was  an  infant,  one  year,  one  month,  and  one  day. 

It  was  quite  natural  in  those  times  that  differences  should 
arise  between  the  camp-followers  and  adventurers  on  the  one  side, 
and  the  Saints  on  the  other.  The  latter  were  naturally  strict  in  the 
observance  of  the  rules  of  sobriety  and  morality.  The  social  dis- 
tinction became  marked.  This  gave  rise  to  bickerings  and  hatred 
on  the  part  of  those  who  opposed  the  Saints.  On  the  night  of  the 
22nd  of  November,  the  ruffians  of  the  city  created  a  great  dis- 
turbance in  what  was  then  known  as  Kinkade's  store.  Their 
purpose  was  to  challenge  the  police  to  arrest  them.  The  latter, 
however,  avoided  as  much  as  possible  the  spirit  of  retaliation  until 


ARMY  ENTERS  SALT  LAKE  VALLEY,  1858.        405 

they  became  too  strong,  when  the  leader  knocked  down  several  of 
the  mob.  Shots  were  exchanged,  but  no  one  was  killed. 

In  these  street  broils  and  disturbances,  Judge  Cradlebaugh 
and  other  officials  favored  the  mob  element;  but  to  the  credit  of 
Governor  Gumming,  be  it  said,  he  was  disposed  to  deal  justly 
and  fairly  with  all  parties.  In  an  interview  with  A.  O.  Smoot, 
the  Governor  expressed  his  desire  to  support  the  police.  The 
Governor  also  charged  Judges  Gradlebaugh  and  Sinclair  that 
they  knew  very  well  that  the  people  had  not  been  treated  very 
civilly  or  lawfully,  and  that  it  would  be  the  better  policy  on  their 
part  to  pursue  pacific  measures,  and  not  to  precipitate  trouble. 

During  these  trying  times  efforts  were  constantly  made  to 
drag  President  Young  into  court  on  every  and  any  trivial  charge 
that  could  be  devised.  There  was  also  a  disposition  to  assassinate 
him.  He  was  often,  therefore,  obliged  to  place  himself  under  the 
protection  of  a  guard.  On  one  occasion  when  he  was  requested 
to  appear  in  court,  anxiety  for  his  safety  became  so  great  that  his 
friends  crowded  the  court  room  and  left  but  little  space  for  others. 

On  November  29th,  Judge  Sinclair  harangued  the  grand  jury 
for  the  purpose  of  inducing  them  to  prefer  a  charge  of  treason 
against  President  Young,  the  Twelve,  and  others.  The  district  at- 
torney, however,  took  the  ground  that  the  grand  jury  had  no  juris- 
diction in  the  matter,  as  the  alleged  offense  had  come  before  the 
Peace  Commission,  and  by  that  official  body  the  whole  matter  had 
been  settled.  The  President  of  the  United  States  had  extended  par- 
don, and  the  ground  taken  by  the  judge,  he  concluded,  was  unten- 
able. 

December  6th  of  that  year  Elder  Woodruff  occupied  much 
of  his  time  in  legislative  work.  His  journal  for  that  month  gave 
an  account  of  the  survey  of  roads  made  by  Jesse  W.  Fox,  from 
Salt  Lake  City  to  various  places. 

In  closing  his  journal  that  year  he  points  out  the  world's 
great  achievements  and  its  important  history.  The  electric  cable 
had  connected  America  and  Europe.  The  slaves  in  Russia  had 
been  liberated.  There  had  been  war  in  British  India,  and  there 
were  preparations  for  war  among  the  nations.  The  year  at  home 
had  been  such  as  to  create  anxiety  and  disturbance,  but  the  Saints 
were  nevertheless  full  of  gratitude ;  for  better  prospects  awaited 
them. 


406  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

On  January  2nd,  1859,  the  Saints  met  for  the  first  time  in 
public  assembly  since  May  30th,  1858.  The  approach  of  the  army 
and  the  move  south  had  disturbed  very  greatly  the  peaceful  wor- 
ship of  God. 

There  were  now  more  non-Mormons  in  Salt  Lake  Valley 
than  there  had  been.  Indeed,  the  city  seemed  to  be  over-run  by 
speculators  and  adventurers.  There  was  also  a  class  of  Desperate 
men  who  undertook  to  terrify  the  citizens,  and  publicly  to  mani^ 
fest  their  contempt  for  the  Mormons  and  their  local  police  auth- 
orities. A  party  by  the  name  of  Andrew  Bernard  attempted  the 
life  of  policeman  Christensen  and  was  shot  and  killed  in  the 
fracas.  Christensen,  who  was  an  officer,  acted  in  self-defense. 
Every  possible  effort  was  then  made  to  convict  the  policeman. 
When  that  failed  the  anti-Mormon  element  made  an  effort  to 
implicate  President  Young  and  D.  H.  Wells. 

On  March  24th,  1859,  trouble  arose  between  a  number  of 
soldiers  and  Howard  Spencer.  They  undertook  to  prevent  him 
from  entering  his  ranch  house  in  Tooele  County ;  and  when  he  in- 
sisted in  occupying  his  own  premises,  one  of  them  beat  him  brutal- 
ly over  the  head  with  a  gun.  His  skull  was  fractured  in  several 
places,  and  for  some  time  his  life  was  despaired  of.  Such  dis- 
turbances were  encouraged  by  the  action  of  Judge  Cradlebaugh, 
who  in  Provo  had  been  having  leading  men  arrested  on  various 
spurious  charges.  By  false  pretensions  he  had  induced  a  part  of 
the  army  to  leave  camp  Floyd  and  come  to  Provo.  All  these 
troubles  the  Saints  bore  with  grace  and  warded  off  much  con- 
tention and  bloodshed  by  so  doing. 

Governor  Cumming,  however,  maintained  the  attitude  which 
he  had  first  assumed  and  stood  for  the  right.  He  condemned 
openly  the  course  pursued  by  Judges  Cradelbaugh  and  Sinclair. 
Naturally,  these  judges  strongly  opposed  the  Governor,  and  they 
were  aided  by  the  State  Secretary,  Hartnett,  the  Indian  agent, 
Fornay,  and  other  disreputable  persons  who  sought  the  removal 
of  Governor  Cumming  by  circulating  misrepresentations  against 
him. 

At  this  time  Elder  Woodruff  records  a  somewhat  humorous 
incident  through  which  some  of  the  officials  and  other  adventur- 
ers were  duped  by  a  foreigner  whose  name  was  Mogo.  This  man, 
it  seems,  had  a  brewery  in  the  southern  end  of  the  valley,  which  he 


ARMY  ENTERS  SALT  LAKE  VALLEY,  1858.        407 

wished  to  sell  at  a  high  price.  He  brought  together  a  number 
of  merchants,  Judge  Sinclair,  Secretary  Hartnett,  and  other  digni- 
taries. He  represented  that  he  had  found  gold  in  the  hills  near 
his  brewery.  Elder  Woodruff  gives  the  following  in  the  language 
of  Mogo :  '  'The  Mormons  have  hunted  all  this  country  over  for 
gold.  They  no  find  him,  none  at  all,  but  I  find  him  plenty.  Heap 
more  than  in  California.  I  'fraid  Mormons  get  him  now.  My 
friends,  I  want  you  to  go  with  me  and  get  him  heap  of  gold.' 
The  scheme  proved  too  much  for  those  who  listened.  The  word 
gold  was  enchanting.  It  was  what  the  Mormons  could  not  get. 
The  deception  worked,  and  they  agreed  to  buy  Mr.  Mogo's  prop- 
erty, which  he  divided  into  thirty  shares  of  one  thousand  each. 
His  dupes  invested.  They  bought  up  the  shares,  started  out  at 
night  secretly  so  that  the  Mormons  would  not  suspect  anything. 
They  camped  that  night  at  Mogo's  brewery.  He  placed  one  on 
guard,  while  with  the  others  he  went  in  search  of  the  gold.  Mr. 
Brockie  stood  guard,  cursing  the  cold  weather  while  the  others 
climbed  the  hills.  At  a  certain  point  they  dug  up  several  bags 
of  dirt  and  returned  with  them  to  the  camp.  They  procured  an 
old  pan,  and  while  they  were  washing  out  the  dirt,  one  of  them 
stood  over  the  pan  with  a  magnifying  glass.  The  following  ac- 
count is  given  of  their  gold  washing.  Gilbert  said:  'Brochie, 
what  do  you  see?'  'Nothing  but  mud.'  'There,  what  is  that?' 
'Nothing  but  mud.'  An  oath  followed ;  and  so  one  bag  after  an- 
other was  washed  out,  and  each  time  they  asked  Brockie,  'What 
do  you  see  with  the  magnifying  glass,'  and  there  came  back  the 
same  withering  answer,  'Nothing  but  mud.'  Gilbert  shouted  out 
at  the  top  of  ni's  voice  and  with  an  oath,  'We  are  sold.'  " 

In  the  meantime  Mr.  Mogo  had  made  his  way  to  Camp 
Floyd,  while  his  dupes  made  their  way  back  to  Salt  Lake  City, 
the  poorer  if  not  wiser. 

On  the  28th  of  January,  1859,  Elder  Woodruff's  eldest  daugh- 
ter, Susan  Cornelia,  was  united  in  marriage  by  him  to  Robert 
Scholes ;  and  on  March  3rd  President  Young  married  the  second 
daughter,  Phoebe  A.  Woodruff,  to  Elder  Lorenzo  Snow. 

On  March  29th  Governor  Cumming  issued  a  proclamation  in 
which  he  protested  against  the  act  of  the  United  States  court  in 
calling  out  troops  to  protect  the  courts  when  there  was  no  occasion 
for  it.  "This,"  Apostle  Woodruff  says,  "created  stronger  feel- 


408  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

ings  than  ever  among  the  anti-Mormon  element.  The  action,  how- 
ever, was  sustained  by  the  better  class  of  non-Mormons  who  did 
not  acquiesce  in  the  high-handed  proceedings  of  Judge  Crad- 
elbaugh  and  others." 

March  31st  Elder  Woodruff  attended  the  funeral  of  Mrs. 
Mary  Woolley,  wife  of  Bishop  E.  D.  Woolley,  a  woman  he  es- 
teemed most  highly.  Her  death  was  greatly  lamented,  and  the 
authorities,  generally,  showed  their  respects  by  their  presence  at 
the  funeral  and  by  the  discourses  which  recounted  her  noble  and 
faithful  qualities  of  mind  and  heart.  Apostle  Woodruff  was  al- 
ways greatly  attached  to  those  who  were  devoted  to  the  work  of 
God.  They  were  God's  friends  and  he  wanted  their  friendship. 
It  made  to  him  no  difference  that  their  station  in  life  was  high 
or  low.  If  they  loved  the  work  of  God,  he  loved  and  honored 
them.  From  the  accounts  given  at  this  funeral,  Sister  Woolley 
had  been  a  most  exemplary  woman.  She  had  been  valiant  in  the 
support  of  plural  marriage  and  by  her  example  and  precept  had 
sustained  valiantly  this  practice.  Perhaps  the  best  testimonial  that 
could  be  given  to  the  woman,  who  at  her  funeral  was  so  extolled, 
is  the  exemplary  and  faithful  character  of  her  descendants. 

April  conference  came  with  its  usual  call  for  missionaries  and 
its  spiritual  feasts  which  the  Saints  in  those  days  so  much  en- 
joyed. About  this  time  they  found  relief  in  the  decision  of  Judge 
Cradelbaugh  to  leave  the  Territory  and  locate  in  California.  It  was 
an  occasion  for  thanksgiving  and  gratitude.  But  the  Saints  were 
soon  disturbed  by  a  report  which  reached  head-quarters  that  about 
two  thousand  of  the  troops  were  on  their  way  to  Salt  Lake  City 
from  Camp  Floyd,  where  they  first  located  upon  entering  the  Ter- 
ritory. They  were  accompanied  by  Judge  Sinclair.  President 
Young  felt  somewhat  alarmed  and  at  once  began  preparations  to 
leave  the  city.  He  informed  Governor  Gumming  that  he  would 
look  to  him  for  protection  of  his  family.  He  said  he  had  no  ob- 
jection to  being  tried  by  a  respectable  court,  that  he  was  guilty 
of  no  wrong,  but  that  he  would  not  allow  himself  to  fall  into  the 
hands  of  a  military  mob.  He  knew  very  well  what  that  meant. 
He  and  the  leaders  were  determined  to  burn  the  city  and  leave  it 
desolate  if  the  soldiers  made  war  upon  the  people.  However, 
the  affair  passed  by  without  disturbance  and  the  trouble  the 
Saints  so  much  feared  was  warded  off. 


ARMY  ENTERS  SALT  LAKE  VALLEY,  1858.        409 

Elder  Woodruff  related  in  his  journal  that  on  the  1st  of  July 
Mr.  Miller  of  the  firm  of  Wardle,  Russell,  and  Miller  called 
upon  President  Young.  It  was  a  firm  of  speculators  who  were 
making  money  out  of  the  conditions  incident  to  the  presence  of 
the  United  States  army.  During  the  conversation  Mr.  Miller  told 
President  Young  that  Stephen  A.  Douglas  would  most  certainly 
be  the  next  president  of  the  United  States.  Stephen  A.  Douglas 
had  manifested  his  hostile  attitude  toward  the  Saints.  It  was  like 
the  prediction  of  a  calamity.  President  Young,  however,  knew 
better.  He  remembered  the  words  of  the  Prophet  Joseph  who 
had  prophesied  that  Douglas  should  be  defeated,  in  case  he  ever 
raised  his  voice  against  the  Saints.  Douglas  was  beaten  and  died 
a  disappointed  man. 

The  Fourth  of  July  that  year  was  celebrated  with  the  same 
spirit  of  loyalty  that  had  characterized  the  people  in  the  past. 
In  the  early  part  of  July  there  was  organized  a  Chamber  of  Com- 
merce for  the  purpose  of  protecting  the  citizens  against  the  ex- 
orbitant prices  demanded  by  those  merchants  who  were  taking  ad- 
vantage of  the  times.  In  his  journal  Apostle  Woodruff  reports 
these  words  from  the  lips  of  President  Young:  "If  this  com- 
munity had  done  as  much  as  I  have  to  introduce  sheep,  the  whole 
Territory  would  now  make  clothing  for  its  people.  I  would  make 
my  own  and  wear  sheep's  gray.  It  is  good  enough  for  me  and 
my  family.  I  shall  not  stop  my  labor  until  we  are  able  to  make 
nails  and  iron.  Now,  had  those  who  were  intrusted  with  the 
business  been  controlled  by  principle,  they  would  not  have  made 
a  failure  of  this  enterprise." 

July  13th  he  records  a  visit  of  Horace  Greeley  and  his  inter- 
view with  President  Young.  Mr.  Greeley  was  very  inquisitive  about 
tithing,  Church  organization,  and  plural  marriage;  but  to  all  his 
questions  he  received  prompt  and  frank  answers.  His  descrip- 
tion of  the  distinguished  visitor  in  his  journal  runs  as  follows : 
"Mr.  Greeley  is  a  singular  looking  man,  fairly  well  dressed.  He 
had  a  soft,  groaning  voice  and  feminine  appearance  and  asked 
many  questions.  However,  he  was  a  learned  man  and  his  ability 
must  be  acknowledged." 

On  the  16th  of  July,  when  Mr.  Greeley  lectured,  he  expressed 
his  surprise  at  seeing  any  women  present.  He  said :  "I  had  not 
expected  to  see  a  woman  while  I  was  here.  Well,  I  do  declare,  I 


410  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

am  glad  to  see  so  many  women  here  tonight."  The  following 
Sunday  Mr.  Greeley  sat  on  the  stand  in  the  meeting  while  Orson 
Pratt  preached  on  the  evidences  of  the  Book  of  Mormon.  Elder 
Woodruff  said :  "Mr.  Greeley  took  special  notice  of  the  women  in 
the  congregation,  but  fell  asleep  while  the  sermon  was  being 
preached." 

As  the  year  advanced  and  harvest  came  on,  Elder  Wood- 
ruff entered  his  field  with  cradle  in  hand.  It  was  the  first  crad- 
ling he  had  ever  done,  but  with  the  usual  zest  which  characterized 
the  man,  he  did  the  work  well.  He  also  worked  hard  during  that 
summer  and  fall  in  teaching  the  people  who  came  to  Zion,  and 
urged  among  the  Saints  the  new  home  industries  which  had  been 
started — the  sugar  mill  and  the  nail  factory. 

He  recorded  in  his  journal  the  return  of  N.  V.  Jones  from 
India,  who  brought  with  him  the  information  which  he  had  de- 
rived from  a  learned  man  in  that  country  that  there  was  in  the 
Persian  library  a  history  in  which  an  account  was  given  of  two 
families  who  left  Jerusalem  and  set  sail  for  the  Western  Conti- 
nent. 

On  September  18th  the  elders  departing  upon  their  missions 
received  instructions  from  President  Young  who  is  reported  as 
saying  in  part:  "When  you  labor  until  your  mind  is  exhausted, 
stop.  Don't  overtax  it.  It  is  wrong.  The  way  I  get  through  with  so 
much  business  is  to  dismiss  from  my  mind  the  subjects  on  which 
I  am  occupied  as  soon  as  the  discussion  of  them  is  finished.  When 
I  get  through  I  think  no  more  about  them.  I  can  lie  down  and 
go  to  sleep  and  let  my  mind  and  body  rest.  Don't  fret,  nor  get 
in  a  hurrying  spirit,  for  that  wears  out  the  body." 

From  October  18th,  until  December  1st,  1859,  Elder  Wood- 
ruff passed  through  a  serious  period  of  sickness,  the  worst  he  had 
ever  experienced  in  his  life.  Much  of  that  time  his  life  was 
despaired  of.  On  one  occasion  he  gave  his  family  parting  instruc- 
tions and  prepared  his  mind  for  the  other  world.  He  was  ad- 
ministered to  by  the  authorities  who  were  prompted  to  prophesy 
his  recovery.  This  promise  awakened  his  faith  and  he  rallied 
and  lived  for  nearly  thirty-nine  years. 


CHAPTER  38. 
BEGINNING  OF  THE  REBELLION,  1861. 

Embarks  in  Sheep  Industry. — Adventures  of  One  Gibson. — Lectures  to 
Young  Men  in  Police  Court. — Counsel  to  Missionaries. — Visit  to 
Cache  Valley. — Schools  Investigated. — Celebration  of  the  24th. — 
Prophecies  of  Civil  War. — Little  Children  in  the  Resurrection. — 
Brigham  Young  on  Secession. — Death  of  Aphek  Woodruff. — Gover- 
nor Dawson. 

The  first  day  in  the  new  year,  1860,  came  on  Sunday  and 
found  Elder  Woodruff  feeble  in  body  from  the  effects  of  the  severe 
sickness  which  he  had  just  undergone.  During  the  early  months 
of  that  year,  he  was  occupied  largely  in  the  Historian's  Office. 
He  had,  however,  found  a  new  occupation  that  made  demands  up- 
on his  attention,  since  he  had  purchased  some  sheep  which  he 
kept  at  Fort  Herriman  where  one  of  his  families  lived. 

Early  in  January  of  that  year  there  arrived  in  the  midst  of 
the  Saints  a  man  by  the  name  of  Walter  M.  Gibson.  He  had 
traveled  extensively  in  the  Indian  Archipelago  and  on  various 
islands  of  the  sea.  The  novelties  of  these  lands,  the  peculiarities 
of  their  people,  and  the  products  of  the  soil  afforded  interesting 
subject  matter  for  a  series  of  lectures  which  Mr.  Gibson  delivered 
•in  different  places.  These  talks  interested  Elder  Woodruff,  and 
he  gives  a  synopsis  of  several  in  his  journal.  Gibson  claimed  to 
be  originally  from  South  Carolina,  and  was  accompanied  by  a 
young  woman  whom  he  introduced  as  his  daughter.  After  a  short 
stay  in  the  city,  they  both  professed  faith  in  the  Gospel,  joined 
the  Church,  and  received  the  ordinances  of  the  House  of  God. 
Subsequent  events,  however,  proved  the  Captain  to  be  an  adven- 
turer, insincere  and  dishonest  in  his  motives,  ambitious  for  the 
honors  of  men. 

Elder  Woodruff  records  that  on  February  7th  Justice  Clin- 
ton called  upon  him  with  a  request  that  he  come  to  the  court  room 
and  talk  to  a  number  of  young  men  who  were  to  be  fined  for 
rowdyism  and  for  threatening  to  take  the  life  of  others.  He 
responded  to  the  invitation.  The  young  men  listened  with  marked 
attention,  and  what  he  said  was  received  by  them  with  great  re- 


412  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

spect  and  earnest  consideration.  They  felt  that  his  words  were 
the  fruit  of  an  honest  God-fearing  life. 

On  the  evening  of  that  day,  a  party  was  given  to  which 
Governor  dimming,  General  Stambough,  his  staff,  and  others 
were  invited.  The  Presidency,  the  Twelve,  and  many  of  the 
Saints  were  in  attendance,  and  everything  was  done  to  make  the 
occasion  one  of  social  pleasure  and  fraternal  good  will.  It  was  not 
easy  in  those  days  to  draw  the  line.  There  were  honorable  men 
whose  society  was  not  offensive  and  whose  manly  course  entitled 
them  to  attention  and  to  social  considerations  and  friendly  inter- 
course. On  the  other  hand,  there  were  adventurers  whose  motives 
were  well  known  and  whose  conduct  was  offensive.  They  would 
have  broken  in  upon  the  integrity  and  purity  of  the  Mormon 
homes  without  any  conscientious  respect  for  the  religious  feel- 
ings of  their  neighbors. 

On  March  1st  he  said :  "I  am  fifty-three  years  old  to-day.  I 
feel  sensitive  when  I  look  upon  these  years  and  see  how  truly 
short  life  is — like  a  weaver's  shuttle,  it  soon  passes.  Man  should 
strive  diligently  to  make  his  life  useful.  He  should  speak  the 
truth,  live  honestly,  practice  virtue,  and  set  an  example  in  all 
things  worthy  of  imitation.  It  will  pay  no  man  to  defraud  his 
neighbor  or  to  break  the  commandments  of  God." 

The  conference  this  year  convened  on  the  6th  of  April  and 
some  fifty-four  elders  were  sent  abroad  on  missions.  Among 
them  was  Captain  Walter  M.  Gibson.  President  Young's  instruc- 
tions given  to  the  elders  are  recorded  by  Apostle  Woodruff  as 
follows :  "I  want  you  to  go  upon  your  missions  in  the  spirit  of 
Gfod.  You  will  do  more  good  by  bearing  testimony  of  the  work  of 
God  through  the  Holy  Ghost  than  by  all  the  argument  you  can 
use.  Take  for  example  two  men,  one  learned  and  able  to  preach 
eloquently  from  the  Bible ;  the  other  may  be  ignorant  of  science 
and  arts,  but  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost.  The  man,  however,  who 
relies  upon  that  spirit  will  make  ten  converts  to  one  made  by  the 
man  who  relies  upon  his  learning.  I  would  not  throw  one  straw 
in  the  way  of  the  elders  obtaining  knowledge  of  the  arts  and 
sciences  and  of  being  armed  with  truthful  arguments  upon  every 
subject;  indeed,  they  should  seek  diligently  to  acquire  knowledge, 
but  they  should  obtain  the  Ho*y  Ghost  to  assist  them  in  their 
ministry.  Some  of  you  are  going  to  visit  your  relatives.  When 


BEGINNING  OF  THE  REBELLION,  1861.  413 

you  go  where  they  are,  don't  sit  down  at  your  ease  and  give  up 
preaching,  but  remember  that  you  are  on  a  mission  and  that  you 
should  improve  your  time. 

"You  will  have  all  manner  of  evil  spoken  against  you,  and  all  I 
ask  of  you  and  all  that  God  or  angels  will  ask  of  you  is  that  not 
one  word  spoken  against  you  shall  be  true ;  and  I  want  you  for  my 
sake  and  for  your  own  sake  and  for  the  sake  of  Christ  and  the 
Kingdom  of  God  to  live  so  that  the  wicked  shall  have  no  cause 
to  speak  evil  against  you. 

"Another  subject  I  wish  to  speak  about  is  that  of  begging 
while  upon  your  missions.  I  do  not  wish  you  to  beg,  but  trust 
in  God,  and  do  not  rob  any  one  or  take  anything  unjustly,  but  go 
and  preach  the  Gospel  faithfully.  If  you  trust  in  the  Lord,  He 
will  give  you  all  you  need. 

"There  is  another  subject  of  importance,  and  that  is  the 
temptation  you  will  meet  from  women.  This  has  caused  the 
downfall  of  more  elders  in  the  Church  than  any  other  thing.  Some 
elders  go  upon  missions  nearly  all  their  lives  and  keep  themselves 
clean  and  pure,  while  others  come  home  and  are  shady,  their 
countenances  fall,  they  cannot  look  you  straight  in  the  eye.  They 
have  fallen  into  a  snare.  Joseph  said  to  the  first  Twelve  that 
they  would  have  to  guard  against  this  evil,  for  they  would  have 
more  trouble  from  this  source  than  from  any  other.  While  you 
are  gone,  let  women  alone. 

"Again,  you  will  meet  with  many  who  want  to  debate  with 
you.  Don't  contend  with  any  man.  If  they  have  one  truth  which 
you  do  not  possess,  you  may  accept  it.  In  crossing  the  plains, 
have  your  prayers  in  camp.  There  must  be  no  swearing  or  con- 
tention. If  you  think  some  one  does  wrong,  impute  it  to  the 
head  and  not  to  the  heart.  There  must  be  no  abuse  of  the  cattle. 
I  have  never  permitted  the  abuse  of  dumb  animals  where  I  have 
had  control." 

Such  instructions  were  so  perfectly  in  harmony  with  the  life 
and  character  of  Apostle  Woodruff  that  it  was  quite  natural  that 
he  should  make  special  note  of  them  in  his  journal;  for  in  the 
observance  of  such  counsel,  he  was,  perhaps,  as  perfect  a  model 
as  could  be  found  in  all  Israel. 

The  troubles  of  those  days  are  frequently  referred  to  in 
Elder  Woodruff's  journal.  The  spring  of  1860  was  stormy. 


WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

There  was  much  snow  and  frost.  Much  of  the  fruit  was  killed. 
Then  socially,  the  times  were  stormy.  The  country  was  infested 
by  thieves  and  outlaws.  There  were  frequent  brawls  in  the 
streets  and  several  bad  characters  were  killed. 

From  the  first  to  the  middle  of  June,  Elder  Woodruff  in 
company  with  President  Young  and  party  made  a  journey  to  the 
far  north,  to  the  land  of  snow  and  frost.  Cache  Valley  in  those 
days  was  looked  upon  with  many  misgivings  as  a  suitable  place 
for  colonization.  Lorenzo  Snow  had  been  called  to  preside  over 
Box  Elder  stake  and  Ezra  T.  Benson  in  Cache  Valley  Franklin 
seems  to  have  been  the  extreme  outpost  in  the  north  in  those  days. 
On  this  visit,  Preston  Thomas  was  made  its  first  bishop.  Still, 
those  settlements  had  so  prospered  that  Apostle  Woodruff  ex- 
pressed his  great  delight  with  the  advancement  which  had  been 
made. 

After  his  return  from  this  visit,  Elder  Woodruff  devoted 
some  time  to  the  investigation  of  the  school  system  as  it  then 
existed.  He  and  Robert  L.  Campbell  visited  a  Brother  Mousley's 
school  which  was  pronounced  the  best  they  had  seen.  Elder 
Woodruff  was  a  strong  advocate  of  education.  He  had  been 
deprived  of  its  advantages  in  his  youth,  but  the  spirit  and  reve-. 
lations  of  God  had  created  within  him  a  desire  to  make  good  in 
learning  as  far  as  possible  what  had  been  denied  him  in  his  youth. 

The  summer  of  1860  brought  some  relaxation  from  the  strain 
under  which  the  people  had  been  placed  by  the  approach  of  the 
army.  They  now  indulged  in  patriotic  and  social  pastimes  which 
characterize  the  celebrations  of  the  Fourth  and  the  Twenty- 
fourth  of  July.  On  the  occasion  of  the  Twenty-fourth,  hundreds 
of  people  went  to  Cottonwood  Canyon  where  three  large  boweries 
were  built,  and  where  speeches,  songs,  dancing,  music,  fishing, 
and  other  diversions  were  enjoyed  by  the  Saints  who  felt  that 
peace  had  come  to  them.  At  this  celebration,  Wilford  Wodruff 
wrote,  "There  are  1,120  persons  with  56  carriages,  163 
wagons,  235  horses,  179  mules,  and  168  oxen.  The  animals  were 
in  good  condition,  were  well  treated,  and  the  people  were  happy." 

It  was  here  that  three  years  before  the  Saints  received  word 
that  Johnston's  army  was  coming.  They  had  reason  to  feel  grateful 
over  the  change  that  had  taken  place.  They  had  been  permitted 
to  enjoy  their  homes  in  peace. 


BEGINNING  OF  THE  REBELLION,  1861.  415 

In  the  opening  of  the  year  1861,  Elder  Woodruff  referred  to 
the  prophecy  of  Joseph  Smith  relating  to  the  war  and  calamities 
which  should  befall  the  nation.  He  said:  "The  United  States, 
this  year,  will  be  visited  with  much  greater  afflictions  than  they 
have  ever  experienced  since  they  became  a  free  government.  The 
Lord  is  about  to  vex  the  nation  as  He  has  declared  He  would  do 
twenty-eight  years  ago."  Speaking  of  the  prophetic  character  of 
Joseph  Smith  in  this  connection,  he  related  the  circumstance  of  a 
man  who  cursed  Joseph  Smith  and  also  the  God  who  called  him 
to  be  a  prophet.  The  man  was  seized  with  insanity  on  the  spot 
and  was  taken  home  and  died  insane. 

As  time  went  on,  in  the  memorable  year  of  1861,  the  news 
from  the  front  was  looked  for  with  intense  interest  by  the  Lat- 
ter-day Saints.  Those  were  days  of  the  pony  express,  and  the 
events  of  the  secession  were  naturally  greatly  delayed.  They 
looked  upon  the  movements  then  taking  place  in  fulfillment  of 
the  prophecy  uttered  by  Joseph  Smith  in  1832.  In  the  midst  of 
the  war  news,  Elder  Woodruff  recorded  the  current  events  on  all 
important  subjects. 

He  was  careful,  however,  to  write  down  the  teachings  of  Pres- 
ident Young.  He  recorded  a  sermon  delivered  by  him  at  the  funeral 
of  Charles  Little,  in  which  President  Young  is  quoted  as  say- 
ing: "Some  one  asks,  Where  is  the  spirit  world?  It  is  here 
on  the  earth  where  they  lived  and  where  we  live.  I  be- 
lieve all  spirits  live  here  after  death  and  nowhere  else.  At  least, 
those  who  have  tabernacled  in  the  flesh,  whether  they  be  good  or 
bad.  Satan  has  no  power  in  the  spirit  world  over  those  who  have 
overcome  him  in  the  flesh,  but  he  will  have  over  those  who  have 
served  him  all  their  lives  in  this  world. 

"When  Joseph  had  a  revelation,  he  had,  as  it  were,  the  eyes 
of  the  Lord.  He  saw  as  the  Lord  sees.  How  did  I  know  what 
was  going  on  in  Washington  ?  I  have  known  what  was  going  on 
there  all  the  time,  and  I  know  what  is  going  on  in  other  places. 
I  know  it  by  the  spirit  of  God.  It  is  revealed  to  me.  Spirits  ad- 
minister to  us  but  we  do  not  know  it.  Charles  Little  here,  will 
administer  to  his  mother,  but  she  will  not  know  it.  She  will  see 
in  the  spirit  world  the  wisdom  of  the  Lord  in  placing  a  veil  be- 
tween the  living  and  the  dead,  that  the  living  may  be  tried  and 
have  a  greater  glory  than  they  otherwise  would  have.  The  living 


416 


WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 


cannot  see  the  departed  spirits,  but  the  latter  can  see  and  admin- 
ister to  those  in  the  flesh,  even  though  the  latter  know  it  not.  My 
wife  awakened  the  morning  that  Charles  Little  died  and  said  to 
me:  1  think  Charles  Little  is  dead,  for  I  have  seen  him  with 
Joseph,  in  a  dream;  and  if  Brother  and  Sister  Little  could  see 
what  I  have  seen,  they  would  not  wish  him  back.  He  was  very  hap- 
py with  Joseph,  and  Joseph  said  he  wanted  him ;  that  he  had  a  par- 
ticular place  for  him.  He  looked  glorious.'  We  should  be  sat- 
isfied with  the  principle  that  our  children  will  be  restored  to  us  in 
their  glorified  bodies." 

Elder  Woodruff  recorded  that  on  the  8th  of  February,  Elder 
Taylor  and  he  went  on  a  mission  to  the  northern  settlements.  At 
South  Weber  they  found  a  number  of  the  Saints  in  a  condition  of 
apostasy.  Richard  Cook,  the  bishop,  and  fourteen  others  were 
cut  off  the  Church  for  rejecting  the  Prophet  Joseph  Smith  and 
Brigham  Young,  and  for  upholding  Joseph  Morris  as  the  man 
holding  the  keys  of  the  Kingdom. 

Elders  Woodruff  and  Taylor  went  on  to  Brigham  City, 
where  they  met  the  Saints,  and  where  Elder  Woodruff  recorded 
the  following  dream  related  by  Isaac  Laney,  who  received  seven- 
teen bullet  wounds  at  the  time  of  the  massacre  at  Haun's  Mill. 
Elder  Laney  said,  speaking  of  that  time:  "I  dreamed  that  a 
shower  of  serpents  were  all  around  me  in  the  air.  They  were  rat- 
tle-snakes and  many  of  them  bit  me  all  over  my  body.  I  was  told 
that  if  I  would  not  fall  down,  but  keep  on  running,  they  would 
not  hurt  me.  When  the  shower  of  bullets  came  and  they  pierced 
my  body,  they  did  not  hurt  me  any  more  than  a  scratch  of  a  pin, 
although  I  looked  at  the  mouth  like  an  ox  with  its  throat  cut. 
I  kept  on  my  feet  and  continued  to  run  until  beyond  the  reach  of 
the  mob.  A  man  came  to  me  and  said :  'Brother  Laney,  do  not 
deceive  yourself  by  expecting  to  live,  for  no  man  ever  lived  after 
being  shot  as  you  have  been.'  But  I  said :  'I  shall  live.'  And  so 
I  am  yet  alive  to  the  honor  and  glory  of  God,  for  it  was  by  His 
power  that  my  life  was  preserved." 

In  Brigham  City  they  also  found  a  number  of  Welsh  Saints 
who  had  become  disaffected.  They  were  labored  with,  and  many 
of  them  repented  and  renewed  their  covenants  with  God. 

On  March  4th  of  this  year  President  Lincoln  was  inaug- 


BEGINNING  OF  THE  REBELLION,  1861.  417 

urated.  Elder  Woodruff's  journal  contained  an  account  of  that  ex- 
citing period.  "President  Lincoln's  enemies  declared  that  he 
would  never  sleep  in  the  White  House."  During  these  trying 
days  of  the  nation,  the  Saints  were  loyal  to  the  Union.  In  ref- 
erence to  the  war,  President  Young  said:  "Many  of  the  people 
of  the  nation  have  persecuted  the  Saints  of  God,  and  they  now 
have  trouble  of  their  own.  The  rulers  in  the  nation  and  the  states 
did  nothing  for  us.  Governor  Cumming,  however,  has  done  us 
good.  He  stood  between  us  and  the  army,  although  at  first  he 
also  was  opposed  to  the  people  and  wrote  threatening  letters. 
However,  Col.  Kane  visited  him  and  greatly  changed  his  attitude 
toward  us.  He  and  Col.  Johnston  were  at  swords  points." 

President  Young  was  asked  if  the  President  of  the  United 
States  should  send  Secretary  Harris,  their  bitter  enemy,  here  as 
governor  if  we  would  not  also  secede.  He  answered  emphatically, 
"No.  We  will  sustain  the  government  and  keep  our  record  clean. 
We  shall  want  to  compare  records  by  and  by  and  show  that  we 
have  been  right  all  the  time.  The  banks  and  rich  men  North  and 
South  are  consecrating  their  wealth  to  prosecute  the  war.  Sev- 
eral times  we  have  been  called  to  consecrate  our  homes  at  the 
point  of  the  bayonet.  It  is  now  the  nation's  turn  to  consecrate, 
and  it  will  be  vexed  as  the  Prophet  foretold  some  twenty-eight 
years  ago." 

In  the  midst  of  the  excitement  of  the  war,  the  April  confer- 
ence was  held,  and  missionaries,  as  usual,  sent  to  the  nations  of  the 
earth. 

On  the  15th  of  May  that  year  Elder  Woodruff  was  a  member 
of  the  company  of  President  Young,  who  took  one  of  his  tours 
through  the  southern  settlements.  Elder  Woodruff  at  the  time 
traveled  in  company  with  Ezra  Clark  of  Farmington.  The  com- 
pany consisted  of  forty-eight  men,  fourteen  women,  and  two 
children.  There  were  twenty-three  carriages,  twenty-one  horses, 
and  forty  mules.  During  those  tours  to  the  settlements  the  com- 
pany was  frequently  met  by  the  mounted  militia,  and  escorted 
from  town  to  town.  It  was  an  occasion  of  general  interest  to  the 
people  and  they  were  always  enthusiastic  over  the  presence  of 
their  leaders.  During  this  visit  they  went  as  far  south  as  Santa 
Clara.  While  on  this  journey  Elder  Woodruff's  father,  Aphek 
Woodruff,  died.  The  father  was  eighty-two  years,  six  months  and 


418  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

seventeen  days  old.    He  was  baptized  by  his  son  into  the  Church  in 
1839. 

The  4th  of  July,  1861,  brought  with  it  again  one  of  those 
enthusiastic  celebrations  in  which  the  Saints  always  took  delight. 
President  Woodruff  declared  it  was  the  greatest  celebration  he 
ever  witnessed.  He  was  a  typical  American  of  the  old  New  Eng- 
land time,  and  no  one  was  more  ready  than  he  to  honor  the  day. 

Under  date  of  Sunday,  July  21st,  Elder  Woodruff  recorded 
one  of  those  characteristic  remarks  of  President  Young,  in  which 
the  latter  declared :  "The  Lord  will  not  permit  me  or  any  other 
man  to  lead  this  people  astray.  If  the  leaders  do  wrong,  the  Lord 
will  take  them  away.  If  an  Apostle  does  not  magnify  his  calling, 
the  Lord  will  remove  him  and  not  permit  him  to  lead  away  the 
people."  This  has  been  to  the  Latter-day  Saints  a  prophetic  as- 
surance, and  that  idea  has  been  fostered  in  their  hearts  to  the 
present  time. 

President  Young  was  severe  in  his  denunciation  of  the  liquor 
traffic.  "Any  man,"  he  said,  "who  will  make  whiskey  to  sell  would 
sell  the  Kingdom  of  God  for  a  picayune.  I  despise  the  whisky 
maker  more  than  I  do  the  thieves,  and  I  have  no  use  for  either. 
Harlots  and  publicans  will  enter  the  Kingdom  of  God  before  the 
whisky  dealer.  'Cursed  is  he  that  putteth  the  cup  to  his  broth- 
er's lips.' '  In  later  years  the  Council  of  the  Presidency  and 
Twelve  resolved  that  the  liquor  dealers  must  repent  and  forsake 
their  business  or  lose  their  standing  in  the  Church. 

The  conference  of  October  6th  was  characterized  by  the  plans 
then  discussed  for  the  development  of  the  cotton  industry  in 
southern  Utah.  Soon  after  it  closed,  quite  a  number  were  called 
South  to  make  preparations  whereby  the  cotton  industry  should  be 
self-sustaining. 

On  the  8th  of  the  following  November,  Elder  Woodruff  gave 
in  his  journal  some  statements  from  President  Young  relative  to 
the  order  of  the  Church  and  family  government.  "If  Brothers 
Kimball  and  Wells  wish  to  be  united  with  me,  they  should  go  with 
me  and  follow  me.  It  is  not  my  place  to  follow  them.  So  with 
the  Twelve,  they  must  follow  the  Presidency.  The  seventies  and 
high  priests  must  follow  the  Twelve  and  so  on  throughout  the 
Church.  If  this  is  not  done,  there  will  be  separation  and  con- 


BEGINNING  OF  THE  REBELLION,  1861.  419 

fusion.  The  same  principle  should  be  observed  by  a  man  whose 
duty  it  is  to  stand  at  the  head  of  his  family.  If  the  wife  and 
children  do  not  follow  the  husband  and  father,  there  will  be  an 
eternal  separation.  If  the  man  follows  his  wife  or  children  in- 
stead of  leading  them  himself,  there  will  be  confusion  and  the 
family  life  will  be  destroyed.  Men  should  not  interfere  with  and 
undertake  to  direct  their  file  leaders.  I  never  found  a  word  of 
fault  with  Joseph  in  my  life." 

Under  date  of  December  3rd  Elder  Woodruff  recorded  the 
arrival  of  Governor  Dawson,  who  succeeded  Governor  Gumming 
in  office.  On  the  8th  of  the  month  he  made  note  of  an  acci- 
dent which  befell  his  son,  David  Patten  Woodruff,  who  was 
kicked  in  the  head  by  a  mule,  and  carried  into  the  house  appar- 
ently dead.  The  child,  however,  was  restored  in  a  marvelous  man- 
ner through  the  blessings  of  the  Lord. 

When  the  end  of  that  year  approached,  Elder  Woodruff  made 
the  following  review :  "It  is  past.  It  has  borne  to  heaven  a 
report  of  the  deeds  of  all  men.  This  year  has  brought  to  pass  the 
fulfillment  of  many  prophecies  uttered  in  olden  and  in  modern 
times.  On  January  1st  of  this  year  I  declared,  as  a  prophetic 
historian,  that  this  would  be  the  most  distressing  year  the  gov- 
ernment had  ever  seen  since  it  became  an  independent  nation. 
Time  has  verified  the  statement.  Eleven  of  the  states  have  se- 
ceded. This  has  brought  a  terrible  war  upon  the  country,  bring- 
ing as  it  does  upon  the  battle  field  more  than  a  million  of  men  and 
a  debt  of  five  hundred  million  of  dollars,  and  this  is  only  the  be- 
ginning of  the  trouble.  The  state  of  Missouri,  from  which  the 
Saints  were  driven,  and  where  the  blood  of  many  was  shed,  is 
now  the  great  battle  field  of  the  West.  In  it  there  is  pitted  man 
against  man,  neighbor  against  neighbor.  Those  who  brought 
trouble  upon  the  Saints  are  themselves  in  distress.  Jackson  Coun- 
ty is  nearly  destroyed.  The  President  and  Senate  are  sending 
rulers  to  Utah  as  governors  and  judges.  Many  of  them  are  so 
corrupt  that  they  are  a  hiss  and  a  byword  to  all  who  know  them." 

John  W.  Dawson  arrived  early  in  December  and  delivered 
his  message  to  the  Legislature.  He  began  a  course  of  shameful 
debauchery.  He  insulted  women  until  the  widow  of  Thomas 
Williams  drove  him  from  her  house  with  a  fire  shovel  because  of 


420 


WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 


his  vulgar  abuse  of  her.  On  the  last  day  of  the  year  he  left  in 
the  stage  coach  for  the  East,  a  known  libertine  and  debauchee. 
"This  is  the  kind  of  rulers  the  nation  sent  to  rule  the  Latter-day 
Saints.  The  Lord  has  declared  that  the  measure  this  nation  metes 
out  to  others  shall  be  measured  unto  it." 

It  was  a  year  of  deep  anxiety,  and  the  Saints  felt  the  spirit 
of  oppression  which  their  political  rulers  manifested.  •  Elder 
Woodruff  exclaimed  in  a  prayerful  appeal :  "Take  away  the 
sceptre,  rule,  and  government  from  the  wicked  and  give  it  into 
the  hands  of  just  and  upright  men,  that  they  may  rule  in  right- 
eousness before  Thee.  Give  Thy  oppressed  people,  O  Lord,  the 
privilege  of  appointing  their  own  governors,  judges,  and  rulers, 
that  the  poor  and  oppressed  may  rejoice  in  the  Holy  One  of 
Israel !"  That  prayer  told  the  story  of  an  oppression  under  which 
the  Saints  suffered. 


CHAPTER  39. 

THE  YEARS   1862-'63. 

Killing  of  Thieves. — John  Baptiste,  the  Grave  Digger. — Value  of  a 
Daily  Journal. — Erection  of  the  Salt  Lake  Theatre. — State  of  Des- 
eret. — Foundation  Stones  of  Temple  Raised. — Indian  Troubles  on 
Bear  River. — Visit  of  the  Moquitches  to  Salt  Lake  City. — Their 
Customs. — Attempt  To  Arrest  President  Young. — Settlement  of  Bear 
Lake  Valley. — Mining. 

The  new  year,  1862,  found  Elder  Woodruff  in  both  a  remi- 
niscent and  prophetic  mood.  He  had  closed  his  journal  of  the 
previous  year  by  pointing  out  the  fulfillment  of  prophecy.  He  still 
felt  that  the  hand  of  God  was  in  the  affairs  of  this  nation,  even 
though  he  regretted  the  sorrow  and  suffering  the  war  was  bring- 
ing on.  He  wrote  his  predictions  of  still  greater  bloodshed,  of 
pestilence,  earthquake,  and  famine.  "This,"  he  said,  "is  a  wicked 
generation,  and  the  earth  groans  under  its  abominations,  and  be- 
cause of  these  things,  the  Lord  will  pour  out  his  judgments  upon 
the  wicked  of  the  earth  until  the  earth  is  cleansed  from  them." 
The  spirit  of  the  historian  was  upon  him.  His  New  Year's  day 
he  celebrated  in  the  Historian's  Office,  writing  the  events  of 
Church  history.  It  was  a  great  history.  It  would  be  greater  as 
time  went  on;  and  in  years  to  come,  men  would  want  to  know 
even  the  slightest  details  of  those  events,  which  in  their  day  seemed 
to  be  of  passing  consequence. 

He  speaks  of  Wood  Reynolds,  the  stage  driver,  who  gave  the 
retiring  Governor,  John  W.  Dawson,  "a  good  sound  thrashing" 
at  Ephraim  Hanks'  stage  station,  while  the  stage  driver's  horses 
were  being  changed.  This  he  did  because  Dawson  had  grossly 
insulted  the  widow  of  Thos.  Williams  and  other  women. 

January  6th  he  designated  as  one  of  the  most  important  days 
in  the  history  of  the  Church  since  its  location  in  the  Valleys 
That  day  a  mass-meeting  was  held,  and  nine  delegates  were 
elected  to  attend  a  Territoral  Convention  which  was  to  frame  a 
constitution,  organize  a  provisional  state  government,  and  ask  for 
admission  into  the  Union.  He  was  a  strong  advocate  of  the 
movement,  even  though  he  did  not  feel  quite  sure  that  the  Saints 


422  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

would  obtain  their  full  rights.  They  were  at  least  pursuing  a 
course  that  all  true  and  loyal  men  should  pursue  under  like  cir- 
cumstances. The  experience  of  the  people  with  federal  officials 
had  been  a  most  unhappy  one.  The  spirit  and  prejudice  which 
had  sent  the  army  to  Utah  also  sent  its  federal  officials.  They 
came  with  malice  in  their  hearts,  and  of  course  were  not  prepared 
to  do  justice  to  an  unpopular  people.  Elder  Woodruff  did  not 
believe  that  men  should  sit  supinely  by  and  allow  their  rights  to 
be  trampled  upon  without  a  protest.  He  thought  it  was  becoming 
in  free  men  to  assert  their  rights  and  demand  justice  that  they 
might  maintain  their  self-respect,  even  though  their  protestations 
were  unheeded. 

The  delegates  to  this  Convention  were  Daniel  H.  Wells,  Al- 
bert Carrington,  John  Taylor,  Wilford  Woodruff,  Abraham  O. 
Smoot,  James  Ferguson,  Reuben  Miller,  Archibald  Gardener,  and 
Elias  Smith, — all  men  of  strong  character  and  of  great  integrity. 

From  Elder  Woodruff's  journal,  the  people  were  tried,  even 
exasperated,  by  the  thefts  and  other  depredations  committed  by 
men  of  unscrupulous  character.  In  those  trying  times  the  people 
could  illy  afford  the  loss  that  came  to  them,  by  the  work  of  the 
cattle  thieves.  On  the  17th  of  January  he  reports  the  killing  of 
Lot  Huntingdon,  John  Smith,  and  Moroni  Clawson,  who  resisted 
the  officers  while  the  latter  were  attempting  to  arrest  the  former. 
The  first  named  was  killed  in  Rush  Valley,  the  latter  two  in  Salt 
Lake  City,  while  attempting  their  escape. 

On  the  27th  Elder  Woodruff's  journal  also  contains  an  ac- 
count of  John  Baptiste's  episode  in  the  cemetery.  This  grave 
digger,  after  finishing  his  official  duties  exhumed  the  bodies,  and 
robbed  the  dead  of  their  clothing.  The  discovery  of  this  grave 
digger's  crime  was  made  when  the  friends  of  Moroni  Clawson 
obtained  permission  to  remove  his  remains  from  the  city  cemetery 
to  that  of  Big  Cottonwood.  His  clothing  was  gone.  The  grave 
digger  was  at  once  suspected,  and  upon  arrest,  made  confession. 
He  had  practiced  his  crime  for  years. 

Baptiste  was  born  in  Venice,  in  1814.  He  followed  the  oc- 
cupation of  a  grave  digger  in  Australia,  where  he  also  robbed  the 
dead.  From  the  proceeds  of  his  criminal  practice  he  built  a 
house  of  worship  and  contributed  it  to  the  Methodist  church  in 
that  land. 


THE  YEARS  1862-'63.  423 

On  February  12th,  Elder  Woodruff  recorded  a  synopsis  of  a 
lecture  he  gave  in  the  Seventies'  Hall  upon  history  and  journaliz- 
ing. The  house  was  crowded.  Among  other  things,  he  said :  "I 
think  it  more  profitable  for  the  Saints  to  meet  to  hear  lectures  de- 
livered on  various  principles  than  to  spend  so  much  time  in  danc- 
ing and  light  amusement.  I  would  recommend  Rawlins'  Ancient 
History.  This  author  gives  a  history  of  the  ancient  nations,  de- 
scribes their  conditions,  literature,  and  laws,  and  especially  their 
wars.  I  also  recommend  the  reading  of  Josephus,  the  great  Jewish 
historian.  It  appears  to  me,  that  no  man  can  read  it  with  indif- 
ference. His  account  of  the  siege  of  Jerusalem  by  the  Romans, 
in  the  light  of  fulfillment  of  prophecy,  the  destruction  of  the  Jewish 
city  and  its  temple,  are  of  great  interest  to  those  who  enjoy  read- 
ing and  gaining  information  that  will  be  of  lasting  benefit.  In 
order  that  history  may  be  preserved  for  future  historians,  records 
and  journals  should  be  kept." 

He  went  on  to  refer  to  the  testimony  which  those  who  kept 
journals  in  ancient  dispensations  have  left  for  the  edification  and 
faith  of  succeeding  generations.  "Men  should  write  down  the 
things  which  God  has  made  known  to  them.  Whether  things  are 
important  or  not,  often  depends  upon  God's  purposes;  but  the 
testimony  of  the  goodness  of  God  and  the  things  He  has  wrought 
in  the  lives  of  men  will  always  be  important  as  a  testimony." 

In  those  days  the  Seventies'  Hall  was  the  centre  of  an  edu- 
cational effort  to  uplift  the  people  in  learning  relating  to  the  arts 
and  sciences.  It  was  largely  a  work  of  self-improvement,  of  mutual 
aid.  Elder  Woodruff  was  always  present  when  there  was  anything 
instructive  or  elevating  to  be  imparted.  He  loved  history.  His 
spirit  was  the  historian's  spirit,  and  passing  events,  to  his  mind, 
should  be  carefully  recorded  that  God  might,  if  He  would,  give 
them  importance  according  to  the  needs  and  history  of  His  people. 

The  spirit  of  the  leaders  in  those  days  was  to  be  educational 
whether  they  were  attending  lectures,  reading  history,  or  enjoying 
themselves  in  amusement.  Everything  should  be  to  the  honor  and 
glory  of  God.  Their  lives  were  strenuous,  and  there  was  need 
of  relaxation.  Anything  that  was  elevating,  or  that  could  be  made 
elevating,  was  to  be  for  the  glory  of  God  and  the  happiness  of 
His  people.  The  theatre  was  thought  to  be  desirable,  and  the 
Salt  Lake  Theatre  was  erected  in  1861  and  1862,  and  dedicated 


424  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

on  the  2nd  day  of  March  in  the  latter  year  with  the  same  fer- 
vent desire  to  recognize  God  in  all  things.  D.  H.  Wells  pro- 
nounced the  dedicatory  benediction.  President  Young  upon  that 
occasion  offered  remarks  instructing  the  people  upon  the  char- 
acter of  their  amusement.  One  of  the  first  plays  to  be  rendered 
in  the  new  theatre  was  "Pride  at  the  Market  of  Versailles." 

It  is  wonderful  how  Wilford  Woodruff  busied  himself  in  a 
multitude  of  occupations.  His  journal  furnishes  evidence  of  a 
remarkably  busy  life.  One  moment  he  was  recording  stirring 
events  in  the  history  of  the  world ;  then  he  is  writing  Church 
history;  the  next  moment  tells  something  of  a  correspondence 
received  from  those  who  desire  information  concerning  the  Lat- 
ter-day Saints.  The  next  page  contains  an  accounr  of  his  orchard 
and  the  work  of  planting  more  fruit  trees ;  later,  he  is  found  in 
the  irrigation  furrows ;  then  he  is  addressing  missionaries  upon 
their  duties  and  responsibilities ;  on  the  same  page  he  opens  a 
prophetic  inspiration  of  his  soul,  and  tells  of  things  to  come.  In 
all  he  sees  the  glory  and  goodness  of  God.  He  listens  to  the  words 
of  the  prophet  and  makes  a  careful  record  of  them.  Then  he 
discourses  upon  the  principles  of  a  free  government  and  the  rights 
of  the  people  under  a  constitution. 

The  State  of  Deseret  had  been  formed.  President  Young 
was  elected  the  first  Governor  of  the  State.  He  delivered  his 
message  to  the  legislature,  and  all  went  on  in  the  spirit  of  sin- 
cerity and  earnestness.  They  would  do  their  part,  even  though 
they  were  denied  admission  to  the  Union.  With  them,  the  fulfill- 
ment of  every  duty,  as  they  saw  it,  had  a  place  in  divine  economy ; 
and  their  acts,  though  apparently  unavailing,  were  like  bread  upon 
the  waters  to  return  after  many  days. 

Elder  Woodruff  records  on  January  8th,  1862,  the  follow- 
ing words  from  President  Young:  "Moses  took  the  children  of 
Israel  out  of  Egypt  into  the  wilderness,  and  there  taught  them  the 
principles  of  their  every-day  life.  It  is  the  same  with  the  Saints 
here.  They  gather  to  Zion  so  that  they  may  be  taught  how  to 
live.  We  cannot  teach  this  in  the  world,  for  there,  we  preach  the 
gospel  of  Christ;  but  when  they  come  here  to  Zion,  they  should 
be  taught  in  all  the  duties  of  every  day  life,  including  house- 
keeping, farming,  work  in  the  orchard,  and  on  the  farm." 

In  the  spring  of  1862,  there  was  considerable  destruction 


THE  YEARS   1862-'63.  .425 

through  high  water  and  floods,  whose  damage  was  witnessed  in 
the  destruction  of  mill-dams,  fences,  bridges,  and  grain  fields. 
Elder  Woodruff  in  these  trying  scenes  was  found  at  the  front 
with  his  shovel  in  his  hand,  working  strenuously  to  protect  the 
fields  from  damage.  He  drops  his  shovel  to  devote  himself  to  the 
ministry.  He  lays  his  hands  upon  the  head  of  his  sick  and  old- 
time  friend,  A.  O.  Smoot.  He  rebukes  the  disease  and  fever  and 
notes  an  immediate  change  that  takes  place  in  the  sick  man's 
condition,  and  acknowledges  the  hand  of  God  in  it.  He  attends 
the  funeral  of  Frederick  Gadd,  a  man  whose  integrity  and  char- 
acter won  his  admiration ;  for  no  matter  how  humble  a  man's 
position  in  the  Church,  Elder  Woodruff  loved  and  honored  him, 
if  convinced  that  he  loved  and  honored  God. 

On  June  the  9th,  Elder  Woodruff  wrote  that  the  foundation 
stones  of  the  Temple  were  raised  because  of  the  poor  work  done 
on  it  by  the  masons.  The  work  was  a  disappointment  to  Brigham 
Young  and  the  leading  men. 

Elder  Woodruff  recounts  the  trouble  with  the  Morrisites  in 
Weber  County,  an  account  of  which  is  fully  given  elsewhere.  He 
also  gives  a  description  of  the  grand  celebration  of  the  Fourth  of 
July  that  year.  There  was  a  program  consisting  of  speeches, 
songs,  recitations,  etc.,  and  in  the  evening  a  ball  was  given  at  the 
Social  Hall. 

Of  the  war  which  was  then  going  on,  and  which  was  watched 
by  him  with  the  utmost  attention,  he  said :  "There  has  been  more 
bloodshed  and  lives  lost  in  the  United  States  in  the  battles  between 
the  North  and  South  than  there  were  in  the  Revolutionary  War 
and  that  of  1812.  In  the  ten  principal  battles,  the  number  slain 
and  wounded  will  not  fall  far  short  of  half  a  million.  Many 
have  died  the  past  year  through  pestilence.  A  vast  amount  of 
property  has  been  destroyed  by  fire.  The  spirit  of  disunion  seems 
to  increase  among  the  people.  There  has  been  a  great  want  of 
breadstuff  in  England  and  France,  caused  in  a  great  measure  by 
closing  the  Southern  ports  against  the  exportation  of  cotton. 
France  has  opened  war  with  Mexico.  There  are  many  widows 
and  orphans  and  much  lamentation  and  mourning  throughout  the 
land,  but  the  end  is  not  yet.  While  these  troubles  are  going  on, 
the  Saints  are  gathering  home  to  Zion  to  build  up  the  Kingdom 
of  God,  that  the  Lord  may  rule  over  His  Saints.  Nearly  five 


426 


WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 


thousands  Saints  have  gathered  to  the  Valley  the  past  year.  Many 
improvements  have  been  made  and  the  blessings  of  God  have  been 
with  His  people." 

On  the  4th  of  January,  in  the  year  of  1863,  Elder  Woodruff 
records  the  news  of  the  Emancipation  Message  by  President  Lin- 
coln, and  the  results  of  some  of  the  great  battles.  His  history, 
during  those  times,  showed  him  to  be  a  close  student  of  current 
events  which  he  interpreted  in  the  light  of  God's  revelations  in 
this  dispensation. 

The  Saints  could  not  very  well  entertain  much  hope  of  ad- 
mission into  the  Union,  yet  the  Provisional  State  Government 
which  had  been  organized  continued,  and  met  in  its  opening 
session,  January  19th.  Elder  Woodruff  was  an  active  member, 
and  by  this  time  was  becoming  somewhat  familiar  with  the  duties 
of  a  legislator.  Governor  Young,  under  the  State  constitution, 
delivered  his  message,  and  two  thousand  copies  were  published 
for  circulation.  Not  much  work,  however,  was  accomplished. 
"Many,"  said  President  Young,  "may  not  be  able  to  tell  why  we 
are  in  this  capacity.  I  do  not  think  you  understand  this  matter  as 
it  is.  Our  constitution,  which  has  been  sent  to  Washington,  has 
been  closely  scrutinized  by  the  members  of  Congress.  If  we  do 
not  take  care  of  ourselves,  no  one  else  will  take  care  of  us." 

On  February  3rd,  1863,  Elder  Woodruff  recorded  the  birth  of 
his  son,  Ashael  Hart,  who  was  named  after  his  uncle.  He  was 
the  son  of.  his  wife  Emma,  and  is  now  bishop  of  the  Waterloo 
Ward  in  the  Granite  stake  of  Zion. 

•  On  the  same  date,  Elder  Woodruff  gave  an  extensive  ac- 
count of  the  trouble  with  the  Bannock  and  the  Snake  River  Indians 
north  of  Bear  River.  They  had  been  killing  miners  and  emigrants, 
who  were  on  their  way  to  Oregon.  He  says :  "Colonel  Connor 
sent  a  part  of  his  command  to  the  Indians  to  get  a  white  boy  that 
was  among  them.  They  got  the  boy  but  killed  a  number  of  the 
Indians  and  then  returned  to  Camp  Douglas,  near  the  city.  There- 
upon, the  Indians  began  killing  more  white  men.  Col.  Connor 
then  sent  against  them  sixty  infantry  and  fifteen  baggage  wagons. 
Later,  he  sent  three  hundred  cavalry.  They  found  the  Indians  en- 
camped near  Bear  River,  which  they  had  to  ford  in  order  to  get 
to  them.  The  Indians  were  camped  in  a  big  ravine.  The  cavalry 


THE  YEARS  1862-'63.  427 

made  a  charge  upon  them,  but  were  driven  back.  They  then  left 
the  horses  and  made  a  charge  on  foot,  and  were  again  repulsed. 
The  third  time,  they  made  a  charge  and  rushed  into  their  midst. 
They  used  their  revolvers  and  shot  as  long  as  they  could  find  any- 
thing to  shoot  at.  The  result  of  the  battle,  as  reported,  was  two 
hundred  and  twenty-five  Indians  killed,  four  hundred  horses  tak- 
en. The  loss  of  Col.  Connor's  command  was  seventeen  dead, 
forty  wounded,  and  seventy  badly  frozen.  Two  officers  were  also 
wounded,  and  it  is  reported  that  Lieutenant  D.  Chase,  once  a 
Mormon  elder,  was  mortally  wounded.  He  was  ordained  into 
the  Quorum  of  Seventies  on  the  corner-stone  of  the  Temple  in  Far 
West,  at  the  time  that  George  A.  Smith  and  myself  were  ordained 
into  the  Quorum  of  the  Twelve.  Chase  went  to  California  where 
he  apostatized  and  joined  the  army." 

About  the  same  time  he  recorded  a  visit  of  three  Moquitche 
Indians  with  Jacob  Hamblin  to  President  Young.  These  Indians 
were  entertained  part  of  the  time,  during  their  stay,  at  the  home 
of  Elder  Woodruff  who  made  them  very  welcome,  and  of  course 
learned  from  them  and  from  Elder  Hamblin  all  that  he  could 
about  their  lives  and  customs. 

"The  Moquitche  Indians  live  in  New  Mexico,  one  hundred 
and  twenty-five  miles  southeast  of  the  Colorado,  and  three  hundred 
and  thirty-five  miles  from  St.  George.  They  live  in  a  walled  city 
built  upon  top  of  the  rocks  as  a  protection  from  their  enemies. 
They  do  not  go  to  war  nor  fight  except  in  extreme  cases  of  self- 
defense.  They  never  scalp  an  enemy  and  do  not  like  to  shed  blood. 
They  cultivate  the  earth,  raise  corn,  beans,  melons,  pumpkin;--, 
squash,  red  pepper,  and  a  large  quantity  of  peaches.  They  also 
raise  cotton,  keep  sheep  and  goats,  and  spin  and  weave  their  own 
cloth.  They  have  seven  villages.  The  largest  town  has  about 
three  hundred  families.  All  told,  they  number  about  two  thousand 
souls.  They  are  very  intelligent  and  light  colored.  There  are 
some  with  blue  and  some  with  hazel  eyes.  They  have  never  mixed 
their  blood  with  any  white  man  or  other  Indian  tribes. 

"They  have  a  tradition  that  good  men  will  come  from  the 
West  and  bring  them  the  truth.  They  think  we  are  the  prophets, 
and  they  have  come  as  ambassadors  to  see  the  people  and  to  learn 
if  we  are  the  ones  they  have  been  looking  for.  They  seem  anxious 
that  we  should  instruct  and  direct  them  in  their  affairs.  Their  fore- 


428  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

fathers  formerly  lived  west  of  the  Colorado  but  their  enemies 
drove  them  east  of  the  river. 

"Twenty-four  men  now  went  as  a  company  to  visit  these  In- 
dians, and  found  them  quite  poor.  They  had  been  robbed  by  the 
Navajoes,  they  had  few  sheep,  but  a  good  crop  of  grain.  During 
one  of  their  drouths,  Elder  Woodruff  recounts  the  fact  that  in 
answer  to  their  prayers  the  snow  fell  to  a  depth  of  one  foot." 

Speaking  of  Elder  Hamblin's  efforts  to  bring  the  Indians 
North  he  wrote  that  when  the  Lamanites  reached  the  Colorado, 
they  were  afraid  to  cross  it ;  but  upon  being  urged  by  Elder 
Hamblin  to  make  the  effort,  they  offered  sacrifice  in  the  following 
manner:  "The  Indians  took  some  cotton  thread  of  their  own 
spinning,  about  eighteen  inches  long,  and  tied  in  each  end  a 
bunch  of  feathers  as  big  as  a  man's  thumb.  They  then  placed  it 
in  the  edge  of  the  water,  then  they  put  some  bread  called  'piek'  be- 
tween the  feathers.  They  also  had  some  dried  peaches  which 
they  put  into  the  water.  Afterwards,  they  sprinkled  consecrated 
white  cornmeal  upon  its  surface,  and  later  reached  the  opposite 
bank  safely.  They  then  proceeded  to  thank  the  Lord  for  bringing 
them  over  without  harm." 

On  the  13th  of  February  Elder  Woodruff  recorded  the  death 
of  N.  V.  Jones  of  whom  he  says:  "He  has  been  a  true  and 
valuable  man,  always  a  minute  man,  ready  to  go  at  the  call  of 
the  Presidency  of  the  Church.  From  the  time  he  was  taken  sick 
he  felt  that  his  hour  had  come." 

At  this  time  the  leaders  were  greatly  harassed  by  federal  offi- 
cers who  sought  to  bring  trouble  upon  President  Young  and  other 
leaders  of  the  Church.  Those  were  exciting  times  and  the  people 
were  often  aroused  to  a  spirit  of  determined  resistance.  On  No- 
vember 3rd  of  that  year,  Wilford  Woodruff  writes  that  a  great 
mass-meeting  was  held  in  the  Tabernacle  to  protest  against  the 
conduct  of  Governor  Stephen  S.  Harding,  and  Judges  Drake,  and 
Waite ,  and  to  ask  for  their  removal.  An  effort  was  then  made  to 
arrest  President  Young  by  military  force  on  a  charge  of  polygamy, 
but  he  opposed  such  an  unlawful  proceeding.  Hundreds  of  men 
turned  out  to  defend  him,  whereupon  Col.  Connor  and  his  soldiers 
returned  to  the  Fort.  Excitement  ran  high,  but  there  were  no 
serious  occurrences  at  the  time. 

As  these  events  took  place,  they  were  recorded  by  Elder 


THE  YEARS  1862-'63.  429 

Woodruff  in  the  dispassionate  manner  of  the  historian  who  seeks 
diligently  to  record  facts.  It  is  wonderful  how  quietly  and  ef- 
fectively he  could  turn  from  exciting  scenes  to  the  ordinances  in 
the  house  of  God,  and  then  to  his  labors  about  his  home.  His 
faith  was  a  constant  quality,  and  his  administration  was  sought 
by  the  sick  and  afflicted.  Orson  Pratt  at  this  time  was  in  a  critical 
condition.  In  administering  to  him  Elder  Woodruff  said :  "I  told 
him  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  that  he  should  live  and  not  die,  for 
he  had  not  finished  his  work  in  the  flesh."  He  began  at  once  to 
improve,  and  in  a  few  days  was  able  to  attend  meeting. 

That  Wilford  Woodruff  had  a  true  conception  of  the  message 
and  work  of  Mormonism,  is  evinced  by  the  great  pleasure  which 
he  took  in  the  call  of  his  son  Wilford  to  a  mission.  It  was  some- 
thing to  which  he  had  looked  forward  with  great  pleasure.  No 
greater  honor  can  come  to  a  man  than  the  privilege  of  carrying 
the  gospel  to  the  nations  of  the  earth.  To  have  sons  was,  of  course, 
a  great  joy;  but  to  meet  the  expectations  of  their  father,  they 
should  fill  honorable  missions  and  maintain  their  integrity  in 
the  Church. 

It  was  now  time  to  divert  his  work  from  the  Historian's  Office 
to  the  farm  and  to  the  care  of  his  sheep.  In  those  days  the  warm 
sulphur  springs  were  converted  into  a  sort  of  dipping  vat  in 
which  one  hundred  and  twenty-eight  sheep  could  be  washed  during 
the  day.  Whether  dipping  sheep,  or  sowing  grain,  or  writing 
history  there  was  the  same  enthusiastic  devotion  in  all  he  did. 

On  June  12th  he  recorded  the  killing  of  two  stage  drivers 
coming  from  Camp  Floyd;  and  on  the  12th  he  also  recorded  the 
drowning  of  Albert  Smith,  in  the  Jordan  River.  He  was  the 
first  male  child  born  in  the  Church  after  the  entrance  of  the  Lat- 
ter-day Saints  into  the  Valley.  He  was  a  good  youth,  dutiful  to 
his  parents,  and  died  in  the  faith. 

When  the  mid-summer  months  arrived,  and  his  fields  and 
orchards  could  be  left,  he  set  out  upon  a  journey  in  company  with 
President  Young  to  different  parts  of  the  Territory.  Fruit  grow- 
ing was  at  that  time  the  theme  of  many  discourses.  He  stated 
in  his  record  of  July  31st  that,  "With  J.  V.  Long,  Thos.  Bullock, 
Robert  Campbell,  and  John  Jacques,  I  visited  in  Provo  the  garden 
of  Brother  Hemingway.  He  has  the  best  orchard,  nursery,  and 
flower  garden  combined  in  the  Territory."  A  little  later  they  re- 


430  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

turned  from  the  South  and  went  on  a  visit  to  Logan.  There,  while 
addressing  the  Saints,  he  pointed  to  the  hill  east  of  the  town  and 
prophesied  that  a  temple  of  the  Lord  would  soon  be  built  upon  it. 
When  President  Young  arose  to  speak,  he  said  that  Apostle 
Woodruff  had  spoken  by  revelation  and  his  words  would  be  ful- 
filled. As  all  know,  President  Woodruff  lived  to  see  that  Temple 
completed  and  dedicated  to  the  Lord. 

It  was  on  this  visit  to  Cache  Valley,  in  the  latter  part  of 
August,  1863,  that  a  decision  was  reached  to  form  settlements  on 
Bear  River.  Apostle  Chas.  C.  Rich  was  placed  in  charge  of  those 
called  to  settle  the  valley  east  of  Cache,  which  was  subsequently 
known  as  Rich  County. 

On  the  return  of  President  Young  from  Logan,  a  meeting 
was  held  in  Ogden  where  the  Word  of  Wisdom  was  preached  with 
great  force,  and  where  President  Young  spoke  strongly  against 
the  practice  of  some  of  the  people  in  leaving  their  farms  to  become 
prospectors  for  gold  and  silver.  In  those  times,  the  mining  excite- 
ment in  California  was  running  high.  If  the  Saints  were  to  re- 
main in  the  Valleys  of  the  Mountains  where  they  were  to  build 
up  settlements  by  co-operative  effort,  they  must  not  yield  to  the 
temptation  of  the  mines  in  California.  If  they  began  mining  here, 
it  was  the  first  step  to  the  abandonment  of  the  farm  and  a  rush 
to  the  gold  fields  of  the  coast. 

Elder  Woodruff  related  in  his  journal  the  circumstance  of 
a  brother  who  went  three  times  to  President  Young  to  secure  his 
approval  of  a  trip  to  California  for  the  purpose  of  making  money. 
Each  time,  the'  President  counseled  him  to  remain  at  home,  but 
finally  yielding  to  the  man's  entreaties  he  said:  "Yes,  go  if  you 
will  against  counsel.  You  will  make  money  but  you  will  lose  it 
before  you  get  home." 

The  man  went.  After  remaining  about  a  year  and  accumu- 
lating several  bags  of  gold-dust,  he  was  greatly  elated  by  his 
success,  and  started  home  with  his  money ;  but  the  word  of  proph- 
ey  was  against  him,  and  when  a  few  days  out  from  San  Bernardi- 
no, he  was  held  up  by  a  gang  of  robbers  and  relieved  of  all  his 
gold-dust.  The  man  returned  to  Utah  with  some  remorse  of  con- 
science and  a  witness  to  the  folly  of  treating  lightly  the  counsel 
of  his  superior  in  a  wild  desire  to  obtain  wealth. 

In  September  of  that  year,  in  consequence  of  the  agitation 


THE  YEARS  1862- '63.  431 

that  was  going  on  against  the  leading  brethren,  and  the  efforts 
to  try  Presidents  Young  and  Wells  upon  false  charges,  the  breth- 
ren left  their  homes  for  a  place  of  safety  while  the  excitement 
lasted.  Elder  Woodruff  reported  at  some  length  the  circumstance 
of  the  death  and  funeral  of  Sister  Ivins,  the  grandmother  of 
Apostles  Heber  J.  Grant,  and  A.  W.  Ivins.  Her  funeral  sermon 
was  preached  by  President  Young  who  spoke  in  the  highest  terms 
of  love  and  esteem  for  the  deceased.  "She  was  a  woman,"  he 
said,  "of  faith  and  good  works,  worthy  of  the  confidence  and  re- 
spect of  all.  We  shall  meet  her  in  the  resurrection.  She  has 
been  well  treated  by  her  children  and  by  all  the  faimly,  and  I  feel 
to  bless  them  for  it." 

During  these  times  Elder  Woodruff's  journal  contained  fre- 
quent instances  of  the  healing  of  the  sick  by  the  laying  on  of  hands 
both  in  his  own  home  and  in  the  household  of  his  friends.  He 
often  dwelt  in  a  reminiscent  mood  upon  the  manifestation  of 
God's  power  in  the  healing  of  the  sick  throughout  the  early  his- 
tory of  the  Church  and  during  the  early  days  in  the  Valleys  of  the 
Mountains.  He  spoke  of  the  goodness  of  God,  of  His  wonderful 
mercy  and  of  His  divine  power  manifested  in  behalf  of  the  Saints. 
All  that  he  said  and  all  that  he  did  he  ascribed  to  the  glory  of  God. 
To  him,  death,  however,  is  nothing,  if  men  and  women  die  in  the 
faith  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  It  is  a  wonderful  faith  which  he  recorded 
through  every  year  of  his  life,  and  his  daily  record  shows  that  he 
never  abandoned  his  faith  or  felt  desolate  or  despondent  in  the 
midst  of  the  most  trying  scenes.  He  was  no  pessimist.  Every 
page  of  his  journal  threw  out  hope,  and  revealed  a  spirit  of 
grand  expectations. 

July  27th,  Elder  Woodruff  recorded  trouble  with  the  Indians 
in  Cache  Valley  in  which  Irwin  Merrill  was  killed,  and  his  brother 
seriously  wounded. 

He  also  recorded  on  a  subsequent  date  a  statement  by  Presi- 
dent Young  respecting  the  claim  of  Sidney  Rigdon,  in  1844.  Of 
those  times  President  Young  said :  "When  I  met  with  the  Saints 
in  Nauvoo  the  first  time  after  the  Prophet's  death  and  defended 
the  arguments  of  the  Twelve  against  the  claims  of  Sidney  Rig- 
don, I  had  in  mind  then  that  there  would  be  a  presidency  of  three 
appointed,  but  I  knew  the  people  were  not  prepared  for  it  at  the 
time;  and  on  our  return  with  the  pioneers  to  the  Valley,  I 


432  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

broached  the  subject,  first  to  Apostle  Woodruff  and  then  to  the 
rest  of  the  Quorum.    They  received  and  sustained  it." 

On  the  first  of  September,  a  large  company  of  Saints,  largely 
from  Germany  and  Switzerland,  reached  the  city.  They  were 
under  the  presidency  of  Elder  James  D.  Ross.  Elders  Woodruff, 
George  A.  Smith,  Lorenzo  Snow,  and  F.  D.  Richards  paid  them 
a  visit  and  gave  them  special  instructions  relating  to  their  new 
homes  and  their  duties  and  labors  in  Zion.  Elder  Bonnelli  acted 
as  their  interpreter.  Elder  Woodruff  recorded  the  following  words 
from  the  mouth  of  Elder  George  A.  Smith,  by  way  of  instructions 
to  the  Swiss  and  German  Saints :  "Be  faithful.  Repent  of  your 
sins  and  live  your  religion.  Don't  be  in  a  hurry  to  marry  men 
who  profess  to  save  women  by  the  wholesale.  Wait  until  you  get 
acquainted  and  find  out  that  men  are  worthy  to  be  saved  them- 
selves, before  you  marry  them.  Be  careful  not  to  be  cheated  by 
speculators.  Some  who  come  here  feel  that  everyone  should  be 
perfect.  When  they  see  the  failings  of  men,  they  become  dissat- 
isfied, without  looking  at  their  own  failings.  Don't  be  in  a  hurry 
to  get  rich.  Do  right,  and  all  will  be  well  with  you.  When  we 
first  came  here,  we  had  nothing  given  us  to  eat.  There  was  only 
that  which  we  brought  with  us.  You  should  turn  your  hand  to 
any  honorable  employment.  Don't  be  greedy  to  get  too  much 
land  to  begin  with;  what  you  get,  cultivate  well.  Learn  all  you 
can  of  the  work  of  God,  for  I  know  it  is  His  work,  and  Joseph 
Smith  was  a  true  prophet." 

Elder  Woodruff  recorded  at  this  time  a  visit  of  Captain  Burton 
of  the  British  Army,  whom  he  describes  as  a  free,  noble-minded 
man.  President  George  A.  Smith  gave  him  a  history  of  the 
troubles  of  the  Saints  for  the  past  five  years.  Captain  Bur- 
ton had  traveled  extensively  and  threw  off  the  yoke  of  prejudice 
and  superstition. 

September  9th,  that  year,  in  his  address  to  the  Saints  in 
the  Tabernacle,  President  Young  spoke  at  length  upon  the 
conduct  of  those  missionaries  who  accumulated  money  while 
on  their  mission  with  which  to  buy  goods  and  establish  them- 
selves as  merchants.  Some  of  the  money  used  for  this  purpose 
he  said  had  been  obtained  from  the  Saints  abroad.  Such  a  prac- 
tice was  severely  rebuked,  and  the  missionaries,  generally,  were 
instructed  thereafter  to  abstain  from  such  a  course. 


CHAPTER  40. 

THE  YEARS  1864-65. 

Some  Enjoyments. — He  Visits  a  Condemned  Man  in  Prison. — Trou- 
bles Made  by  Gibson  on  Hawaiian  Islands. — Lorenzo  Snow's  Es- 
cape from  Watery  Grave. — Visit  to  Bear  Lake  Valley. — Remark  of 
President  Young  in  Logan. — Ordination  to  Apostleship  of  Charles 
C.  Rich,  Lorenzo  Snow,  Erastus  Snow,  and  Franklin  D.  Richards. 
— Hot  Springs  at  Midway. — Second  Inauguration  of  President  Lin- 
coln.— Treaty  with  Indians. — Colfax  Visits  Utah. — Jane  Blackhurst. 

The  journal  of  Wilford  Woodruff  for  the  year  1864  opens 
with  the  following  statement :  "I  have  lived  to  see  fifty-six  new 
years,  and  I  have  kept  a  daily  journal  of  my  life  for  the  last 
thirty-five  years.  In  some  measure  it  is  also  a  life  of  others.  I 
have  written  many  sermons  and  teachings  of  the  Prophets  Joseph 
Smith  and  Brigham  Young,  and  sermons  of  apostles  and  elders 
of  the  Church.  I  have  watched  the  signs  of  the  times  for  many 
years  and  noted  the  fulfillment  of  prophecy."  The  new  year,  as 
usual,  awakened  within  him  a  prophetic  spirit.  The  future  was 
of  great  importance  in  his  expectations  of  the  fulfillment  of  God's 
purposes.  The  fulfillment  of  prophecy  was  so  certain  to  his  mind 
that  he  dwelt  upon  it  as  if  he  were  discussing  events  of  the  past. 

He  celebrated  his  New  Year's  day  by  visiting  his  wives  and 
children  at  their  homes  and  by  taking  them  for  a  sleigh  ride.  In 
those  early  days  the  snow  lay  longer  upon  the  ground  than  in 
recent  years.  The  jingle  of  the  sleigh  bell  made  the  hearts  of 
the  people  glad. 

Elder  Woodruff  was  a  many-sided  man.  While  he  was  pos- 
sessed of  the  acutest  spiritual  nature,  he  assumed  temporal  re- 
sponsibilities with  peculiar  satisfaction,  and  loved  to  work  on  the 
farm.  He  was,  perhaps,  the  highest  type  of  those  requirements 
laid  down  by  Alma  and  Amulek  relative  to  the  spiritual  and  tem- 
poral responsibilities  of  a  servant  of  God.  His  writings  show 
that  he  did  not  place  the  highest  value  upon  the  man  who  was 
fitted  for  only  one  class  of  labor,  as  preaching  or  professional 
work. 

29 


434  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

Early  in  January  he  took  up  again  his  legislative  work;  and 
when  not  occupied  there,  officiated  in  his  ministerial  calling.  On 
the  9th  of  the  month  he  records  the  fact  that  he  dedicated  the  new 
meeting-house  in  Farmington. 

If  he  was  interested  in  the  welfare  of  the  Saints,  he  was  no 
less  concerned  about  the  condition  of  the  sinner.  He  says  that  on 
the  llth  and  12th  he  paid  visits  to  Jason  Luce,  who  was  in  prison 
sentenced  to  death  for  murder.  Luce  was  one  of  the  notorious 
gang  in  those  days,  led  by  Hickman,  a  man  who  preyed  upon  his 
fellow-man  and  who  was  guilty  of  some  of  the  most  atrocious 
crimes,  which  he  undertook  to  lay  at  the  feet  of  the  leaders.  Elder 
Woodruff  recorded  his  conversation  with  Luce,  who  is  quoted  as 
saying  that  he  had  never  killed  any  person  or  had  a  hand  in  the 
death  of  any  one  except  Rhodes  and  Burting.  He  had  killed 
them  in  self-defense.  He  said  that  William  Hickman  had  advised 
him  to  do  many  things  that  made  his  flesh  crawl,  but  that  he 
had  not  followed  Hickman's  advice  in  these  things.  He  felt  that 
Hickman  had  betrayed  him  and  done  him  a  great  injury.  Luce 
said  that  Hickman  had  been  his  ruin  and  the  ruin  of  others,  and 
that  in  all  these  things  Hickman  had  carried  his  point  by  declar- 
ing that  President  Young  had  given  him  counsel  to  do  them. 
This  statement  Elder  Woodruff  characterized  in  his  journal  as 
"a  cursed  lie." 

"Luce  asked  me  to  pray  with  him  that  he  might  have  strength 
to  go  to  his  execution  and  pay  the  penalty  of  his  crimes.  I  prayed 
with  him  according  to  his  request,  and  then  bade  him  good-bye  as 
did  others  who  were  with  him."  There  was  no  request  in  that 
prayer  that  Luce  be  taken  to  the  bosom  of  Jesus.  There  was  no 
promise  of  a  glorious  exaltation  for  him.  He  had  committed  a 
crime,  he  had  to  pay  the  penalty,  and  Elder  Woodruff  left  him  to 
God's  mercy  as  he  felt  merciful  toward  him. 

The  interest  of  Apostle  Woodruff  in  Jason  Luce  arose  in  part 
from  the  fact  that  he  belonged  to  a  family  with  whom  Elder 
Woodruff  had  long  been  acquainted  and  with  whom  he  had  la- 
bored ;  but  Jason  had  fallen  into  bad  company  and  became  one  of 
a  gang  of  thieves,  and  disregarding  counsel,  went  finally  the  way 
of  the  wicked. 

From  the  drift  of  affairs  at  home,  the  attention  of  the  authori- 


THE  YEARS  1864,  '65.  435 

ties  was  called  to  the  condition  of  the  Church  in  foreign  lands,  es- 
pecially on  the  Hawaiian  Islands.  There,  Walter  M.  Gibson,  a 
missionary,  had  organized  a  church  of  his  own  and  for  some 
time  had  wielded  a  wonderful  influence  over  the  natives.  Elders 
Ezra  T.  Benson,  Lorenzo  Snow,  and  Joseph  F.  Smith  were  sent 
to  the  Islands  to  put  in  order  the  Church  there  and  to  restore  the 
natives  to  their  proper  relation  with  the  authorities  in  Salt  Lake 
City.  Gibson  was  promptly  excommunicated  and  went  the  way  of 
all  adventurers  and  deceivers  whose  motives  are  the  accumulation 
of  wealth  and  the  honors  of  men.  It  was  on  this  visit  to  the  Isl- 
ands that  Elder  Lorenzo  Snow  was  actually  drowned.  The  boat 
in  which  he  attempted  to  land  was  capsized.  President  Snow  was 
rescued  by  a  native,  but  to  all  appearances  was  dead.  It  was  some 
time  before  he  showed  any  signs  of  life. 

On  the  4th  of  April  following,  Elder  Woodruff  records  the 
fact  that  he  was  chosen  a  member  of  the  grand  jury.  The  work 
was  somewhat  new  to  him,  but  he  soon  adjusted  himself  to  his 
duties  and  gave  it  his  special  attention.  From  the  grand  jury 
room  he  went  to  the  Historian's  Office,  then  to  his  conferences, 
and  mingled  religious  and  secular  duties  in  such  a  manner  as  to 
show  the  responsibility  that  he  felt  himself  under  to  do  the  very 
best  he  could  in  every  calling  of  life. 

On  the  16th  of  the  following  May,  he  joined  President 
Young's  party  on  a  visit  to  the  northern  settlements,  especially  to 
those  in  Bear  Lake  Valley,  whither  Charles  C.  Rich  had  gone  to 
preside.  When  the  party  arrived  at  Franklin,  they  had  to  cross 
the  mountains.  "We  left  Franklin  at  six  o'clock  and  traveled  the 
first  twenty  miles  in  a  severe  rain  storm.  The  country  was  hilly 
and  the  road  very  crooked.  On  our  arrival  at  the  summit,  the 
animals  were  nearly  exhausted.  We  found  the  way  wet  and 
muddy.  After  proceeding  about  a  mile  we  entered  a  mud  hole 
six  miles  long,  the  worst  I  ever  saw  in  my  life.  I  could  not  com- 
pare it  with  anything  better  than  by  taking  all  the  mud  holes  I 
ever  saw  in  my  life  and  place  them  in  a  line.  What  made  it  worse 
than  Illinois  or  Indiana  mud  holes  was  that  they  were  nothing  but 
mud  while  this  was  full  of  tree  stumps  and  brush.  Both 
the  horses  and  mules  struggled  fearfully,  belly  deep,  in  the  mud 
to  make  headway.  Occasionally  a  pair  of  horses  or  mules  would 


436  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

fall  and  be  buried  all  over  except  their  heads.  Men  would  go 
and  pry  out  the  animals  and  pull  the  vehicles  out  with  ropes 
and  then  make  another  start.  Some  carriages  were  broken.  In 
this  way  we  wallowed  through  the  mud  until  eight  o'clock  in  the 
evening.  We  later  continued  our  journey  to  Bear  Lake  and 
reached  Paris  at  3  o'clock  in  the  morning  of  the  20th  of  May.  The 
distance  was  about  twenty  miles." 

Speaking  of  Bear  Lake  he  says :  "We  found  this  to  be  a 
large  valley.  The  soil  is  good  and  the  water  is  sufficient  to  ir- 
rigate it  all  and  there  is  abundant  timber.  It  is  a  great  stock 
range  and  the  lake  is  the  finest  in  Utah.  It  is  about  thirty  miles 
long  and  ten  miles  wide  through  the  middle.  It  is  said  that  in 
many  places  a  line  two  hundred  feet  long  fails  to  reach  the  bot- 
tom." 

Elder  Woodruff  was  a  fisher,  and  of  course  tells  the  story  of 
the  trout  in  that  region :  "Great  numbers  of  trout  ran  in  the 
streams  from  the  lake.  They  ranged  some  of  them  from  ten  to 
twelve  pounds  in  size.  The  boatmen  sometimes  killed  them  with 
clubs  and  sometimes  caught  them  with  nets." 

On  the  return  home,  he  said :  "An  accident  occurred  which 
came  near  costing  Geo.  A.  Smith  his  life.  A  man  by  the  name  of 
Merrill  put  a  loaded  rifle  in  the  carriage.  The  gun  rested  on  the 
seat  by  Brother  George  A.  While  he  was  thus  riding,  the  wheel 
struck  a  rock.  Brother  Smith  threw  his  body  on  the  upper  side  of 
the  carriage  to  balance  it,  and  at  that  instant  the  gun  went  off.  The 
ball  went  through  the  buffalo-robe  by  him,  passed  by  his  side  and 
went  through  the  wagon  behind  him.  It  was  a  providential  es- 
cape from  death." 

"On  May  the  24th  we  drove  to  Logan  where  President 
Young  spoke  on  the  doctrine  of  the  plurality  of  wives.  He  said 
that  there  were  but  few  elders  in  the  Church  that  would  receive 
the  exaltation  they  were  looking  for  in  that  order.  It  would 
be  given  to  many  more  women  than  men.  There  are  but  few 
men  that  enter  into  that  law  that  keep  it." 

On  date  of  June  5th  Elder  Woodruff  makes  record  -in  his 
journal  of  the  drowning  of  Matthias  Cowley.  Elder  Cowley  was 
a  nephew  by  marriage  to  Apostle  Woodruff,  and  had  come  from 
the  Isle  of  Man  to  Nauvoo  when  thirteen  years  of  age.  Later 


THE  YEARS  1864,  '65.  437 

he  emigrated  with  his  parents  to  Salt  Lake  Valley.  Elder  Wood- 
ruff secured  a  number  of  men  and  a  boat  and  went  in  search  of 
the  body,  which,  however,  was  not  recovered  until  a  week  later. 

Early  in  July  Elder  Woodruff  accompanied  President  Young 
on  a  trip  to  Provo,  where  they  preached  under  the  bowery  to 
a  congregation  of  some  three  thousand  persons.  While  there, 
Elder  Woodruff  records  that  a  messenger  came  from  Salt  Lake 
stating  that  the  Govenor  had  placed  a  provost  guard  in  the 
Church  storehouse  opposite  the  Temple  Block.  The  Governor  in- 
tended to  put  the  city  under  martial  law.  A  guard  of  one  hun- 
dred men  accompanied  the  President  and  party  home.  They 
found  his  home  guarded  by  two  hundred  and  fifty  men. 

This  annoyance  created  a  good  deal  of  agitation  among  the 
Saints,  and  Elder  Woodruff  says  that  on  the  12th  of  July  he  spent 
most  of  the  day  getting  signers  to  the  petition  to  remove  the  sol- 
diers to  the  outside  of  the  inhabited  portions  of  the  city.  The 
leaders  had  learned  during  their  early  experience  that  one  of  the 
means  that  the  enemy  had  used  to  drive  out  the  Saints  was  to 
create  some  sort  of  a  conflict  by  aggravating  the  leaders.  It  was 
hoped  that  some  kind  of  retaliation  would  be  resorted  to  that 
would  bring  them  into  conflict  with  the  civil  authorities.  It  was 
so  easy  to  style  such  a  conflict  a  rebellion.  The  next  step,  of 
course,  would  be  martial  law.  The  Saints  and  leaders,  however, 
were  on  their  guard  constantly,  and  took  every  precaution  to 
keep  down  disturbances. 

It  would  not  be  possible  in  a  biography  of  this  character  to 
follow  Elder  Woodruff  in  his  travels  to  the  various  counties 
throughout  the  Church.  Towns  were  multiplying  rapidly.  The 
Saints  were  coming  into  the  Valleys  by  the  thousands.  The  pio- 
neer work  of  extending  the  borders  of  the  Church  was  already 
beyond  the  personal  supervision  of  the  leaders.  On  his  return  from 
one  of  these  visits  he  said  that  he  had  budded  four  hundred  and 
nineteen  peach  trees  in  the  old  Fort  block,  where  the  pioneers 
had  early  located.  On  this  block  Charles  C  Rich,  Lorenzo  Snow, 
Erastus  Snow  and  Franklin  D.  Richards  were  ordained  apostles, 
on  Feb.  12,  1849.  The  block  is  now  owned  by  the  city,  and  held 
as  a  park. 

On  the  18th  of  August  a  visit  was  made  to  Heber  City.   Elder 


438  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

Woodruff  described  the  Hot  Springs,  located  at  Midway,  and  the 
peculiar  formation  around  them.  He  said  that  about  twenty 
of  them  were  filled  with  water.  In  some  instances  the  water  was 
running  over  the  top.  Some  were  about  fifteen  feet  in  depth,  and 
some  apparently  bottomless.  On  one  they  sank  a  weight  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty-five  feet  and  found  no  bottom.  He  spoke  of 
the  rattle-snake  den,  and  the  fact  that  between  four  and  five 
hundred  rattle-snakes  had  been  killed  in  a  single  day.  In  the 
spring  they  appear  on  the  outside  and  form  into  a  bunch  that 
would  almost  fill  a  bushel.  They  tie  themselves  together  in 
knots  with  their  heads  sticking  out  in  all  directions  for  defense. 
The  country  around  the  craters  is  apparently  hollow,  as  indi- 
cated by  the  sounds  caused  by  the  rumbling  of  wheels. 

Soon  after  their  return  from  Heber  City,  September  the  1st, 
a  tour  of  the  southern  part  of  the  Territory  was  made,  and  ex- 
tended as  far  as  St.  George  and  Santa  Clara.  These  visits  fired 
the  hearts  of  the  Saints  and  gave  rise  to  an  ambition  to  make  the 
desert  blossom  as  the  rose.  At  Fillmore  Elder  Woodruff  made 
a  careful  note  of  the  splendid  condition  of  the  apple  orchards.  He 
also  stated  they  held  a  party  there  that  evening  in  the  stake  house, 
but  President  Young  broke  it  up  because  of  the  confusion  and 
disorder  in  the  house. 

On  their  return  from  the  south,  Elder  Woodruff  made  record 
of  the  following :  "While  on  the  .road  from  Washington  to  Har- 
risburg,  we  stopped  on  the  edge  o.f  a  high  precipice  which  pre- 
sents very  interesting  scenery  of  the  valley  below.  While  stand- 
ing there,  Brother  Eddings  wished  me  to  help  him  lift  up  a  flat 
stone  that  he  wanted  to  throw  off  from  the  top  to  the  depth  below. 
As  I  took  hold  of  it,  I  caught  a  scorpion  between  my  fingers.  The 
sting  gave  a  shock  to  my  whole  system.  It  was  a  small  scorpion 
and  I  mashed  it  to  pieces  in  lifting  the  stone.  This  sting  alarmed 
me  somewhat,  as  the  sting  of  the  scorpion  is  considered  very  dan- 
gerous and  some  have  even  lost  their  lives  by  it.  I  soon  got  some 
tobacco  and  bound  it  on  my  finger.  This  seemed  to  take  the  poi- 
son out,  and  I  received  no  material  injury  from  the  bite."  Elder 
Woodruff,  however,  felt  the  blessings  of  the  Lord  in  his  escape 
from  poison  and  found  a  parallel  in  the  life  of  Paul,  who,  while 


THE  YEARS  1864,  '65.  439 

on  the  island  of  Malta,  shook  from  his  hand  a  scorpion  whose  bite 
did  him  no  harm. 

The  October  Conference  followed  their  return.  It  was  large- 
ly attended  and  characterized  by  the  interest  the  people  had  in 
those  semi-annual  gatherings.  It  is  remarkable  that  so  many 
came  together  when  we  note  the  difficulties  under  which  Salt  Lake 
City  was  reached  in  those  days. 

Immediately  after  the  conference,  on  October  10th,  the  sur- 
vivors of  Zion's  Camp  held  a  meeting.  It  was  the  first  gathering 
of  that  body  since  their  expedition  to  Missouri.  Elder  Woodruff 
recorded  the  fact  that  there  were  over  fifty  of  the  survivors  out 
of  the  two  hundred  and  five  that  belonged  originally  to  Zion's 
Camp.  In  the  evening  they  enjoyed  themselves  in  a  dancing 
party  in  the  Social  Hall.  "It  was  the  most  interesting  party  I 
had  ever  attended."  Bishop  Hunter  and  his  counselors  provided 
for  those  veterans  a  good  dinner  and  supper,  a  precedent  since 
observed  by  President  Joseph  F.  Smith.  At  this  date,  1909,  there 
remains  but  one  survivor  of  Zion's  Camp, — Nathan  Tanner. 

The  harvest  season  was  practically  closed,  yet  the  molasses 
mill  was  an  important  adjunct  to  the  farm.  Sugar  was  scarce  and 
the  price  high.  Molasses  was  a  necessity,  and  one  of  the  com- 
mon articles  of  diet  of  the  people.  Elder  Woodruff  had  erected 
a  molasses  mill,  which  was  kept  running  not  only  by  the  cane  that 
he  raised  on  his  own  farm,  but  by  the  patronage  of  his  neighbors. 
Almost  every  fall  and  winter,  therefore,  he  had  large  quanti- 
ties of  molasses  to  sell.  Bread,  molasses,  fruit,  milk,  and  butter 
were  the  products  of  his  own  farm,  and  were  the  chief  supply 
of  his  table.  He  raised  his  own  mutton  and  beef,  and  his  family 
made  clothing  from  the  wool  of  his  sheep.  He  took  a  special 
pride  in  the  fact  that  he  lived  by  the  labors  of  his  own  hands  and 
was  self-sustaining. 

Elder  Woodruff's  journal  of  November  9th,  that  year,  con- 
tained mentioned  of  his  visit  to  Kays  Ward,  where  he  met  a  Sister 
Mary  Phillips,  the  oldest  person  in  Utah.  In  three  weeks  she 
would  reach  her  ninety-first  year.  She  had  been  baptized  by  Elder 
Woodruff  in  Herefordshire  in  1840. 

On  his  return  home  he  encountered  one  of  the  old-time  east 
winds  which  swept  down  through  the  canyon  and  mountains  east 


440  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

of  Farmington.  It  was  so  severe  that  the  party  had  great  diffi- 
culty in  keeping  their  carriages  from  being  upset.  That  night 
Elder  Woodruff  enjoyed  the  hospitality  of  Ezra  Clark,  an  old- 
time  bosom  friend  of  Elder  Woodruff.  Here  the  roof  of  the 
house  of  Ezra  Clark  was  blown  off,  also  that  of  the  Bountiful 
meeting-house.  Hay  stacks  were  torn  down  and  scattered  over 
the  country.  These  winds  in  early  days  were  so  frequent  and 
severe  as  to  give  the  people  in  Farmington  and  vicinity  grave 
apprehension.  They  were  so  destructive  and  so  dreaded  that 
President  Young  rebuked  them  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  and  they 
immediately  became  less  frequent.  In  late  years  these  winds  have 
occurred  in  some  of  their  old-time  severity. 

The  year  1865  bore  witness  of  stirring  events  that  had  much 
to  do  in  shaping  the  sentiments  of  the  Latter-day  Saints  in  po- 
litical matters.  Petty  annoyances  and  officiousness  on  the  part  of 
federal  officers  gave  the  Saints  cause  for  complaint.  Between  re- 
ligious and  civil  opinions  there  had  always  existed,  and  perhaps 
will  always  exist,  more  or  less  jealousy  over  the  question  of  in- 
fluence. In  those  days  there  was  no  real  collision  in  the  matter  of 
authority.  The  influence  of  President  Young  and  leading  men  of 
the  Church  was  so  incomparably  much  greater  than  that  exercised 
by  judges  and  governors  that  there  would  naturally  arise  feelings 
of  suspicion  as  well  as  of  jealousy. 

The  Saints  were  anxious  to  avoid  disputations  and  collisions, 
and  yet  they  felt  at  times  resentful  when  subjected  to  what 
they  felt  unnecessary  indignities.  They  were  loyal  to  the  gov- 
ernment, honored  the  officers  of  the  law  in  their  place;  but  they 
were  also  religious.  With  them,  God  had  a  part  in  the  affairs  of 
this  nation,  and  they  foresaw  a  divine  purpose  in  what  was  going 
on  among  the  nations  of  the  earth.  Their  interpretation  of  events, 
even  though  they  were  loyal,  were  often  misunderstood  and  just 
as  often  wilfully  misconstrued. 

In  February,  1865,  Elder  Woodruff  records  the  purchase 
for  the  Church  of  a  large  tract  of  land  in  Oahu  on  the  Sandwich 
Islands.  This  purchase  was  brought  about  through  the  instru- 
mentality of  Francis  A.  Hammond. 

November,  the  preceding  year,  had  witnessed  the  re-election 
of  Abraham  Lincoln  as  President  of  the  United  States.  On  March 


THE  YEARS  1864,  '65,  441 

4th  he  was  to  be  inaugurated.  This  gave  the  Saints  an  oppor- 
tunity to  meet  the  officers  and  soldiers  of  the  Fort  in  a  friendly 
celebration.  There  was  fraternal  good  will  and  the  celebration 
did  much  to  mitigate  suspicion  and  illiberal  feelings.  At  the 
conclusion  of  the  celebration  George  A.  Smith  arose,  and  wav- 
ing the  stars  and  stripes  said :  "One  country,  an  undivided  coun- 
try, the  old  flag  forever!"  The  toast  awakened  enthusiasm,  and 
it  truthfully  expressed  the  unanimous  sentiment  of  the  Latter- 
day  Saints. 

At  the  close  of  the  services,  Elder  Woodruff  and  several  oth- 
er leading  men  repaired  to  the  City  Hall,  where  they  took  dinner 
with  Colonel  George  and  staff,  Colonel  George  having  succeeded 
General  Connor  in  the  command  of  Fort  Douglas.  Conditions 
in  Utah  now  seemed  improved.  The  war  was  over,  and  peace  was 
to  be  the  watchword  of  the  nation.  Why  should  the  people  of 
Utah  not  also  have  their  share  of  that  sacred  boon  ? 

The  country,  however,  was  aroused  almost  to  a  state  of 
frenzy  by  the  assassination  of  President  Lincoln.  The  Territory 
mourned  with  the  other  territories  and  states  of  the  Union.  On 
April  16th  Elder  Woodruff  preached  the  funeral  sermon  in  honor 
of  the  martyred  President  in  the  Tabernacle  at  Salt  Lake  City. 
In  the  afternoon  of  that  day  Franklin  D.  Richards  and  Geo.  Q. 
Cannon  also  spoke  upon  the  same  subject.  April  19th,  however, 
they  set  apart  as  a  day  of  general  mourning  throughout  the  land, 
and  in  Salt  Lake  City  thousands  assembled  in  the  Tabernacle  to 
take  part  in  the  services.  They  consisted  of  Mormons,  Jews  and 
Gentiles,  civil  and  military  authorities.  The  audience  was  ad- 
dressed by  Amasa  Lyman  and  the  Rev.  Norman  McLeod. 

Between  June  1st  and  15th  of  that  year,  Elder  Woodruff 
joined  President  Young's  company  on  a  visit  through  the  settle- 
ments as  far  south  as  Payson.  Near  that  town  they  visited  the 
Indian  camp,  where  they  found  Colonel  Irish,  who  was  persuad- 
ing the  Indians  to  enter  into  a  treaty  by  which  they  might  there- 
after occupy  a  reservation  in  Uintah.  Of  that  event  Elder  Wood- 
ruff said:  "President  Young  and  company  drove  to  the  Indian 
farm  and  held  a  meeting  with  the  Indians.  Colonel  Irish,  the 
agent,  had  called  upon  President  Young  to  assist  him  in  making 
a  treaty  which  he  could  not  bring  about  because  of  the  opposition 


442 


WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 


of  the  Indians  to  it.  Mr.  Irish  made  a  speech  and  the  Indian 
chiefs  made  speeches.  They  did  not  want  to  sell  their  lands  and 
go  away.  President  Young  then  made  a  talk  to  them,  explained 
that  it  would  be  best  for  them  to  sign  the  treaty,  and  the  advan- 
tages that  would  come  to  them  from  it.  They  finally  said  they 
would  do  as  he  said ;  but  they  wanted  to  think  it  over  until  the 
next  day.  When  they  met  again,  the  chiefs  came  forward  and 
signed  the  treaty,  except  one  by  the  name  of  Sanpitch,  who 
claimed  to  be  the  main  chief.  He  lay  in  his  tent  on  his  face  for 
about  two  days.  He  was  on  his  dignity.  The  other  chiefs  paid 
no  attention  to  him.  After  all  was  over,  Sanitch  came  forward 
and  wanted  his  presents  and  wanted  to  sign  the  treaty.  However, 
he  got  some  presents,  but  had  to  come  to  Salt  Lake  City  to 
sign  the  treaty.  Colonel  Johns  of  the  United  States  Army  was 
present  and  Colonel  Irish  informed  him  that  he  could  do  nothing 
with  the  Indians  except  through  the  influence  of  President 
Young." 

About  this  time  Schuyler  Colfax,  Governor  Bowles  and  oth- 
ers paid  the  Territory  a  visit.  "We  spent  about  two  hours  with 
them  and  had  a  free,  social  interview.  They  talked  about  a  vari- 
ety of  subjects,  among  the  rest  gold  digging.  President  Young 
showed  Mr.  Colfax  how  much  better  off  those  were  who  had 
stayed  at  home,  cultivated  the  earth  and  made  improvements  than 
those  who  had  gone  to  dig  gold.  Mr.  Colfax  thought  that  if  we 
did  not  open  the  mines  ourselves  that  others  would.  President 
Young  said  that,  'if  they  open  mines  in  this  territory,  it  will  be 
against  all  the  faith  that  I  can  exercise  with  my  God;  for  the 
people  have  spent  twenty  dollars  for  every  one  they  have  obtained 
from  the  mines.' ': 

President  Young  felt  that  it  was  not  wisdom  to  encourage 
the  mining  industry  at  that  time  when  so  much  depended  upon 
the  colonization  of  the  Territory,  in  the  construction  of  canals,  and 
in  bringing  the  land  under  cultivation.  Mr.  Colfax  and  party 
visited  the  Salt  Lake  Theater  and  pronounced  it,  according  to 
Elder  Woodruff's  journal,  the  best,  with  the  exception  of  two, 
west  of  New  York  City. 

While  Mr.  Colfax  and  party  were  here,  Gov.  Doty  died. 
Great  respect  was  shown  throughout  the  Territory  for  the  occa- 


THE  YEARS  1864,  '65.  443 

sion.  The  Latter-day  Saints,  wishing  to  secure  the  appointment 
of  some  one  who  understood  conditions  here,  and  who  would  not 
act  in  a  spirit  of  antagonism  towards  them,  sent  a  petition  to 
Washington,  asking  for  the  appointment  of  Colonel  Irish.  Their 
petition,  however,  was  not  granted. 

The   October   conference   of   that   year   was   well   attended 
President  Daniel  H.  Wells  had  just  returned  from  England,  and 
gave  an  interesting  address  to  the  Saints. 

On  December  22nd  the  President  and  Twelve  gathered  as 
usual  at  the  home  of  Sister  Jane  Blackhurst,  whose  devotion  to 
her  faith  and  humble,  God-fearing  life  endeared  her  to  all  with 
whom  she  came  in  contact.  Of  her  Elder  Woodruff  said:  "In 
the  history  of  the  whole  world  I  do  not  know  of  a  woman  occupy- 
ing a  position  like  that  of  Sister  Jane  Blackhurst.  A  woman  once 
fed  the  Prophet  Elisha  in  time  of  famine,  and  the  Lord  increased 
her  cruse  of  oil  and  measure  of  meal.  One  or  two  women  were 
last  at  the  cross  and  earliest  at  the  grave  of  Jesus.  Sister  Black- 
hurst has  made  a  feast  for  the  Presidency  and  the  Twelve,  annu- 
ally, for  the  last  fifteen  years,  although  she  is  a  poor,  crippled 
woman.''  He  then  proceeded  to  bless  her  in  an  inspired  manner. 

Elder  Woodruff  closed  his  journal  for  1865  by  recognizing 
the  hand  of  God  in  all  that  had  befallen  the  people.  In  the  midst 
of  political  turmoils  of  those  times,  and  the  enmities  that  existed 
against  the  Saints,  he  found  reason  to  praise  God,  the  giver  of  all 
good. 


CHAPTER  41. 

THE  YEARS  1866,  '67,  '68. 

New  Year's  Greetings. — Evil  Spirits  Rebuked. — Love  foi  Little  Ones. 
— Drawings  in  His  Journal. — Mrs.  Godbe's  Dream. — Brigham 
Young's  Remarks  on  the  Atonement. — Sept.  5,  1867,  Joseph  F. 
Smith  Selected  as  One  of  the  Twelve. — Amasa  Lyman  Dropped 
from  Twelve. — School  of  the  Prophets. — Move  to  Provo. — Grass- 
hopper War. — Advent  of  the  Railroad. — Remarkable  Prophetic 
Utterances  at  Logan. — Visit  to  Sanpete. — Call  to  First  Presidency 
of  Geo.  A.  Smith. — Accident  to  His  Son  Ashael — Summary  of  1868. 

New  Year's  Day,  1866,  found  nine  of  the  Twelve  Apostles 
at  home.  Elder  Woodruff  says  they  met  at  ten  o'clock  in  the 
Historian's  Office  in  a  body  and  went  across  the  street  to  the  home 
of  President  Young  where  they  greeted  him  with  the  compliments 
of  the  season,  and  in  return  received  his  best  wishes  and  blessings. 
They  then  called  upon  Heber  C.  Kimball  and  paid  him  their  com- 
pliments. He,  in  turn,  blessed  them  and  prophesied  respecting  the 
future  blessings  which  awaited  them.  To  Orson  Hyde  he  said : 
"You  shall  overcome  all  things,  conquer  in  the  end,  without  a 
spot  or  blemish,  and  shall  be  crowned  with  glory  in  the  presence 
of  God,  as  Joseph  saw  you  thirty  years  ago."  "Brother  Franklin 
has  passed  through  trials  and  will  also  be  vindicated  in  the  end." 
"I  will  say  concerning  Schuyler  Colfax,  who  aspires  to  the  Presi- 
dential chair  to  the  downfall  of  the  Latter-day  Saints,  that  he 
shall  go  down  as  Douglas  did  and  shall  be  a  disappointed  man." 
They  then  called  on  President  Wells,  to  whom  they  extended  a 
like  greeting.  After  this  they  called  upon  Apostles  George  A.  Smith 
and  John  Taylor.  Apostle  Taylor  provided  three  sleighs  and  they 
all  drove  to  Orson  Pratt's  home,  where  they  greeted  his  family, 
he' being  on  a  mission  at  that  time.  They  paid  their  respects  to 
Mayor  Smoot  and  Governor  Durkee.  These  New  Year  calls 
having  been  made,  they  made  their  way  to  the  home  of  John  Tay- 
lor, who  provided  the  company  with  a  New  Year's  dinner. 

After  giving  an  account  of  his  labors  in  the  Historian's  Office 
for  the  months  of  January  and  February,  Apostle  Woodruff's 
journal  of  March  17th  contains  the  narration  of  a  peculiar  cir- 


THE  YEARS  1866,  '67,  '68.  445 

cumstance  which  transpired  at  the  City  Hall.  The  police  had 
in  their  custody  a  man  possessed  of  evil  spirits.  He  was  a  raving 
maniac.  Elder  Woodruff  called  to  see  him,  and  being  alone  with 
him,  he  laid  his  hands  upon  the  man's  head  and  commanded  the 
devils  to  leave  him.  They  obeyed;  and  the  man  became  in- 
stantly sane  and  begged  Elder  Woodruff  to  take  him  to  his  home. 
The  latter  complied,  and  the  man  remained  in  a  sane  condition  of 
mind  until  about  one  o'clock  the  following  morning,  when  he  again 
became  possessed.  Again  Elder  Woodruff  rebuked  the  evil  spirit. 
The  man  was  relieved  and  remained  quiet  until  morning.  There 
were  some  subsequent  attacks  upon  this  unfortunate,  but  through 
the  power  of  faith,  he  was  healed. 

Elder  Woodruff's  journal  is  devoted  to  a  narration  of  family 
life  as  well  as  to  those  of  public  services.  His  heart  is  full  of 
love  for  his  wives  and  children,  and  he  felt  especially  tender  to- 
ward the  little  ones.  On  May  4th  he  said :  "My  grandson,  four 
years  old,  brought  wood  to  me  nearly  all  day.  I  told  him  I  would 
record  it  in  my  journal  so  that  he  could  read  it  when  he  became  a 
man."  This  was  a  little  thing,  but  that  is  one  of  those  little  things 
that  showed  the  appreciation  and  gratitude  of  Apostle  Woodruff 
toward  the  humblest  and  most  child-like  of  those  who  administered 
to  his  wants.  There  is  something  remarkable  about  the  apprecia- 
tion of  Elder  Woodruff  for  what  was  good  and  true  and  beautiful 
in  life.  Good  sermons  always  delighted  him  for  they  were  food  to 
a  hungry  soul. 

June  3rd,  1866,  Elder  Woodruff  recorded  a  synopsis  of  a 
sermon  delivered  by  President  Young,  who  took  as  a  text,  "If 
I  am  lifted  up,  I  will  draw  all  men  unto  me."  "I  considered 
it  in  some  respects  the  greatest  sermon  I  ever  heard  in  this  dis- 
pensation." He  also  referred  to  the  sermons  of  Orson  and  Parley 
P.  Pratt  and  of  President  Joseph  F.  Smith,  who  was  then  a  young 
man.  Elder  Woodruff  was  free  from  envy  and  was  not  swayed 
by  ambitious  motives.  In  his  journal  of  June  24th  he  says: 
"Joseph  F.  Smith  spoke  an  hour  and  fifteen  minutes,  and  the 
power  of  God  was  upon  him.  He  manifested  the  same  spirit 
that  was  upon  his  uncle,  Joseph  Smith,  the  Prophet,  and  upon  his 
father,  Hyrum  Smith." 

On  the 'first  of  July  following,  he  makes  this  record,  respect- 
ing the  words  of  President  Young  at  the  close  of  a  prayer  circle 


446  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

which  had  just  been  held  by  the  Presidency  and  some  of  the 
brethren.  As  they  were  about  to  leave,  President  Young  spoke  up : 
"  '  J  Told  on.  Shall  I  do  as  I  feel  led  to  do?  I  always  feel  well  when 
I  follow  the  promptings  of  the  spirit.  It  has  come  to  my  mind  to 
ordain  Brother  Joseph  F.  Smith  to  the  Apostleship,  and  to  be 
one  of  my  counselors.'  He  then  called  upon  each  one  of  us  for 
an  expression  of  our  feelings  and  we  responded  with  our  hearty 
approval.  Joseph  F.  Smith  was  then  ordained  under  the  hands 
of  Brigham  Young  and  the  brethren  present  to  be  an  Apostle  in 
the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints  and  to  be  a  special 
witness  to  the  nations  of  the  earth.  He  was  further  ordained 
to  be  a  counselor  in  the  First  Presidency  of  the  Church." 

As  the  summer  days  opened,  and  travel  was  facilitated  by  the 
warm  weather,  frequent  tours  were  made  to  the  various  towns 
and  stakes  of  the  Church.  On  these  visits  of  President  Young,  Wil- 
ford  Woodruff's  presence  was  almost  always  noticeable.  He  did 
not  delve  much  into  the  mysteries  of  the  kingdom,  but  was  a  safe 
counselor  in  matters  of  every-day  life.  His  own  example  afforded 
excellent  encouragement  to  the  Saints  in  the  development  of  every 
industry  required  in  those  times.  His  spiritual  nature  was  fed  by 
the  ordinances  in  which  he  officiated  in  the  house  of  God.  When 
ever  possible  he  went  there  to  officiate  and  to  take  part  with  his 
brethren  in  administering  both  to  the  living  and  to  the  dead. 

Wilford  Woodruff  had  a  curious  practice  in  keeping  his 
journal  of  making  some  peculiar  or  appropriate  drawing  at  the 
head  of  some  particular  event  of  which  he  wished  to  take  notice. 
These  drawings,  no  doubt,  helped  him  in  after  years  to  find  the  rec- 
ord of  these  events  in  lieu  of  an  index.  For  example,  there  may  be 
seen  at  one  place  the  drawing  of  a  number  of  coffins.  The  draw- 
ing suggests  Baptiste,  the  grave-robber.  The  drawings  are  more 
significant  than  artistic;  however,  they  were  no  doubt  helpful  in 
locating  certain  events  to  which  at  some  future  time  he  might  wish 
to  refer. 

Under  date  of  March  29th  Elder  Woodruff  said:  "My  at- 
tention was  called  to  a  dream  of  Mrs.  William  Godbe  published 
in  the  Deseret  News  of  1867.  The  dream  related  to  life  in  the 
spirit  world,  and  gave  the  experience  of  herself  and  others  there. 
It  awakened  much  interest  among  the  people  and  was  the  sub- 
ject of  general  conversation.  Elder  George  Davis,  who  drove 


THE  YEARS  1866,  '67,  '68.  447 

an  express  wagon,  asked  his  wife  if  she  thought  the  dream  was 
true;  and  when  she  replied  that  she  believed  it  was,  Elder  Davis 
said  that  he  felt  like  going  into  the  spirit  world  to  see  for  himself. 
Elder  Davis  read  the  dream  over  to  his  wife  three  times,  and 
finally  said  to  her :  'If  I  should  die  to-night  or  to-morrow  it  would 
be  alright.'  Early  in  the  morning  he  went  with  another  man  to 
get  a  load  of  gravel.  He  had  thrown  into  the  wagon  only  a  shovel- 
ful when  the  bank  caved  in  upon  him  and  he  was  buried  about 
three  feet.  His  companion  dug  him  out  as  quickly  as  possible, 
but  he  was  dead." 

Elder  Woodruff  preached  the  funeral  sermon,  and  regarded 
the  man's  death  as  an  evidence  that  there  are  times  set  for  our  de- 
parture from  this  life.  Such  circumstances  as  that  always  made 
a  deep  and  lasting  impression  on  Elder  Woodruff,  and  his 
thoughts,  feelings,  and  desires  seemed  close  to  the  world  beyond. 

Soon  after  the  April  conference  of  that  year,  President  Young 
set  out  upon  one  of  his  tours  through  the  southern  settlements 
of  the  Territory.  It  was  a  sort  of  triumphal  procession.  Every- 
where the  Church  leaders  were  received  with  manifestations  of  a 
heart-felt  welcome.  Sunday  school  children  lined  the  road  sides 
and  helped  make  the  occasion  in  the  different  settlements  one 
that  would  be  long  remembered.  Efforts  had  been  made  among 
many  non-Mormons  to  cast  discredit  upon  the  character  of  Brig- 
ham  Young  and  lessen  his  influence  over  the  people.  It  was 
that  influence  that  was  bitterly  contested.  The  people,  however, 
knew  the  voice  of  their  shepherd  and  gave  him  the  strongest  as- 
surance of  their  love  and  fellowship. 

At  Fillmore,  on  the  return  trip,  May  12th,  the  speakers,  in 
their  turn,  emphasized  the  subject,  "The  Necessity  of  the  Atone- 
ment." It  was  the  home  of  Amasa  Lyman,  who  was  breaking 
away  from  his  moorings  and  advocating  a  strange  doctrine  respect- 
ing the  atonement  of  Jesus  Christ.  In  his  remarks  at  that  time 
President  Young  said :  "There  never  was,  and  never  will  be,  a 
world  created  and  redeemed  except  by  the  shedding  of  the  blood 
of  the  Savior  of  that  world.  I  know  why  the  blood  of  Jesus  was 
shed,  and  I  know  why  the  blood  of  Joseph  and  Hyrum  was  shed, 
and  why  the  blood  of  others  will  be  shed  in  the  future.  It  is  all 
to  answer  a  purpose.  Adam  subjected  himself  to  the  conditions 
of  this  world  as  did  our  Lord  and  Master,  that  redemption  and  ex- 


448  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

altation  might  come  to  man.  Without  descending  below  all  things, 
we  cannot  rise  above  all  things.  The  gospel  of  salvation  will  never 
change.  It  is  the  same  in  all  ages  of  the  world  and  will  be  through 
all  ages  of  eternity." 

It  was  not  long  after  their  return  to  Salt  Lake  that  a  trip  of 
the  leaders  was  made  to  Provo,  where  a  new  meeting-house  had 
been  erected  and  was  to  be  dedicated.  Elder  Woodruff  made  the 
following  description  of  it:  "It  is  built  after  the  Presbyterian 
order.  It  has  a  pulpit  in  it,  a  very  narrow  one,  that  gives  but  little 
room  to  stand  in,  and  there  is  barely  room  for  three  or  four  on  the 
stand  behind  it.  The  house  has  been  twelve  years  in  building." 
In  his  discourse  to  the  people  from  the  pulpit  he  said:  "I  thank 
God  with  every  sentiment  of  my  heart  that  I  have  lived  to  see  a 
Presbyterian  meeting-house  filled  with  the  Saints  of  God,  and 
the  pulpit  occupied  by  the  Apostles  of  the  Lamb,  who  have  dedi- 
cated this  house  unto  the  Lord."  This  meeting-house  still  stands 
in  Provo,  but  is  now  superseded  by  one  much  larger  and  more 
commodiously  arranged. 

The  leaders  on  their  return  from  Provo  made  a  visit  to  Logan. 
Here,  President  Young  is  quoted  as  saying  that  the  ten  tribes  of 
Israel  are  on  a  portion  of  the  earth, — a  portion  separated  from  the 
main  land.  This  view  is  also  expressed  in  one  of  the  sacrificial 
hymns  written  by  Eliza  R.  Snow : 

"And  when  the  Lord  saw  fit  to  hide 
The  ten  lost  tribes  away, 
Thou,  earth,  was  severed  to  provide 

The  orb  on  which  they  stay." 

It  was  here  on  the  5th  of  September,  1867,  Elder  Joseph  F. 
Smith  was  selected  to  be  one  of  the  Twelve  Apostles,  he  having 
been  ordained  sometime  before  as  an  Apostle  without  having  been 
made  a  member  of  the  Quorum  of  the  Twelve.  He  was  sustained 
at  the  general  semi-annual  conference  which  took  place  between 
the  6th  and  9th  of  October. 

That  conference  was  one  of  unusual  interest  to  the  Saints. 
The  new  Tabernacle  was  then  completed  and  between  eight  and  ten 
thousand  people  met  to  honor  the  occasion  and  attend  conference. 
The  organ  was  not  quite  completed.  It  was  designed  to  have 


THE  YEARS  1866,  '67,  '68.  449 

two  thousand  pipes,  but  then  had  only  seven  hundred  and  fifty. 

At  this  conference  one  of  the  brethren  spoke  upon  the  God- 
head. The  discourse  met,  in  the  main,  the  views  of  President 
Young.  The  latter,  however,  said:  "When  any  man  publishes 
or  preaches  his  peculiar  views  he  should  not  say  they  are  the 
views  of  the  Church."  At  the  close  of  the  meeting  President 
Young  talked  very  plainly  with  him  about  saying  that  such  and 
such  were  the  doctrines  of  the  Church;  about  telling  what  would 
have  been  if  Christ  had  not  died;  if  Adam  had  not  fallen;  or  if 
there  had  been  no  Savior  prepared,  the  world  would  not  have 
been  created. 

The  conference  was  further  characterized  by  the  call  to  Dixie 
of  a  hundred  young  men.  Instructions  were  also  given  on  the 
laws  of  life  and  health.  A  simple  life  was  urged  upon  the  people. 
President  Young  further  impressed  upon  young  ladies  the  neces- 
sity of  some  sort  of  business  education.  He  thought  they  should 
study  telegraphy,  learn  to  keep  books,  and  prepare  themselves  for 
the  lighter  vocations  of  life. 

The  conference  had  its  shadows.  Much  that  was  taught  was 
no  doubt  a  result  of  peculiar  views  which  Amasa  Lyman  preached. 
This  Apostle  was  dropped  from  his  position  in  the  Quorum  of  the 
Twelve. 

Elder  Woodruff  recorded  the  marriage  on  October  12th  of  his 
son  Wilford  to  Emily  Jane  Smith.  To  the  father,  the  ordinance 
was  in  keeping  with  man's  express  duty  to  his  God  and  his  obli- 
gation to  the  Church.  He  thought  it  was  a  circumstance  in  a 
young  man's  life  which  called  forth  a  prayerful  desire  to  serve 
the  Lord.  Indeed,  such  sacred  obligations  as  marriage  should 
never  be  undertaken  without  resorting  to  prayer  for  God's  guid- 
ance. 

The  organization  of  the  School  of  the  Prophets  was  again 
taken  up  and  effected  on  the  16th  day  of  December,  1867.  Its 
members  met  in  the  City  Hall.  It  had  been  organized  in  earlier 
days  of  the  Church  by  the  Prophet  Joseph  through  revelation, 
and  was  designed  for  the  spiritual  growth  and  development  of 
the  Saints  of  God.  Of  this  school  Elder  Woodruff  was  a  devoted 
and  active  member. 

The  winter  of  1866  and  '67  was  an  open  one.    Up  to  January 
1st  the  ground  was  bare.    The  weather  was  warm  and  there  had 
so 


450 


WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 


been   a  considerable   fall  of   rain.     The  winter  months   of  that* 
spring  were  occupied  by  Elder  Woodruff  in  legislative  work. 

He  had  with  him  at  that  time  two  Indian  boys  whom  he  under- 
took to  educate.  One  was  called  Moroni,  the  other  Sarrowkeets. 
The  latter,  he  sent  to  a  private  school  taught  by  Elizabeth  Cowley 
in  her  home  in  the  Fourteenth  Ward.  These  Indian  boys,  in  one 
way  or  another,  caused  him  considerable  trouble,  yet  he  bore 
with  them  patiently  and  sought  to  educate  them  and  provide  for 
them  a  father's  care.  Moroni  died  as  a  boy.  Sarrowkeets  or 
"Keets,"  as  he  was  familiarly  called,  yielded  to  the  wandering 
spirit  of  his  ancestors  and  left  home.  It  is  supposed  that  he  was 
run  over  and  killed  by  a  Short  Line  train  four  miles  north  of 
Salt  Lake  City. 

In  his  journal  of  January  21st  he  recorded  some  instructions 
given  to  a  body  of  the  priesthood.  "Who  was  Michael,  the  Arch- 
angel?" "He  is  Adam,  who  was  Michael  in  the  creation  of  the 
world.  It  will  take  all  the  ordinances  of  the  gospel  to  save  one 
soul  as  much  as  it  will  take  to  save  another, — the  dead  as  well  as 
the  living.  Jesus  Christ  Himself  obeyed  all  the  ordinances  of  the 
gospel  that  He  might  fulfill  all  righteousness.  Therefore,  those 
who  have  died  without  the  gospel  will  have  to  receive  it  in  the 
spirit  world  from  those  who  preach  it  to  the  spirits  in  prison. 
Those  who  dwell  in  the  flesh  will  have  to  attend  to  all  the  ordi- 
nances of  the  gospel  for  and  in  behalf  of  the  dead." 

Continuing,  he  remarked:  "There  are  some  keys  which  the 
Prophet  Joseph  held  which  no  other  man  held  while  he  lived.  So 
it  is  with  Brigham  Young.  The  keys  of  the  sealing  power  are 
held  by  the  President  alone,  although  he  permits  others  to  ad- 
minister in  this  ordinance. 

"When  I  was  baptized  into  this  Church,  I  was  observing  the 
seventh  day  as  the  Sabbath  of  the  Lord,  and  not  the  first  day 
of  the  week ;  but  I  knew  that  the  Latter-day  Saints  were  the  peo- 
ple of  God,  and  had  the  true  Church  of  Christ ;  and  if  I  had  had 
a  hundred  traditions  I  would  have  laid  them  all  aside." 

Elder  Woodruff  observed  that  in  the  School  of  the  Prophets 
the  brethren  were  instructed  not  to  dabble  in  astrology,  or  any 
system  which  might  contain  a  mixture  of  truth  and  error.  Not 
o"he  ray  of  light  had  ever  been  thrown  upon  the  principle  of  sal- 
vation in  the  practice  of  clairvoyance  and  spiritualism.  These 


THE  YEARS  1866,  '67,  '68.  451 

subjects  are  not  such  as  men  can  act  upon  with  the  ordinary 
intelligence  God  has  given  them. 

In  the  early  part  of  the  year  1868,  Elder  Woodruff,  John 
Taylor,  and  Joseph  F.  Smith  with  others  were  called  to  Provo 
for  the  purpose  of  assisting  in  the  work  to  be  done  there.  Abram 
O.  Smoot  was  elected  as  mayor,  and  Elder  Woodruff  with  others, 
constituted  the  City  Council.  The  town  was  in  need  of  a  new 
spiritual  life.  It  also  needed  strong  men  to  guide  its  destinies 
and  make  it  a  center  of  one  of  the  leading  stakes  of  the  Church. 
Elder  Woodruff,  however,  did  not  long  remain  there,  and  upon 
receiving  his  release  returned  with  his  family  to  Salt  Lake  City. 

When  he  reached  Salt  Lake  City,  he  found  there  a  letter 
from  his  brother  Azmon,  who  had  embraced  the  gospel  when  he 
did  in  the  state  of  New  York.  The  brother,  however,  was  in  a 
dissatisfied  state  of  mind.  He  wrote  letters  occasionally  to  Wil- 
ford  in  which  he  set  forth  some  of  his  objections  to  the  work.  In 
reply  to  these  letters,  some  of  which  were  copied  in  Wilford  Wood- 
ruff's journal,  he  spoke  to  his  brother  with  great  plainness,  told 
him  about  his  wives  and  children,  and  gave  a  strong  defense  of 
the  principle  of  Plural  Marriage. 

This  was  the  year  of  the  grasshopper  war.  Swarms  of  them 
had  swept  over  the  country.  They  were  so  thick  at  times  as  to 
cloud  the  rays  of  the  sun.  The  struggle  with  these  insects  was 
rightly  characterized  as  a  war.  It  is  difficult  to  realize  at  this 
distance  of  time  what  it  meant  in  those  days  to  protect  the  crops 
against  the  ravages  of  the  grasshopper.  All  the  ingenuity  and 
device  that  men  could  bring  to  their  assistance  were  used  in  the 
effort  to  save  out  of  the  ruins  enough  bread  for  winter  use.  Fur- 
rows were  ploughed,  nets  were  devised,  and  by  these  different 
means  Elder  Woodruff  says  in  three  days  they  caught  and  de- 
stroyed one  hundred  and  seventy-five  bushels  of  grasshoppers. 
Elder  Woodruff  gave  to  that  war  all  his  strength  and  ingenuity. 

We  next  find  him,  according  to  his  journal,  grubbing  wil- 
lows, breaking  land,  building  bridges,  digging  ditches,  construct- 
ing roads,  erecting  fences,  barns,  and  houses.  He  was,  indeed, 
a  model  of  industry.  He  was  as  pliable  in  spirit  as  he  was  in 
body.  All  honorable  work  was  God's  work,  whether  he  dug  a 
ditch,  preached  a  sermon,  or  wrote  history, — with  him  it  was  all 
alike  for  the  glory  of  God. 


452  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

In  1868  Apostle  Woodruff  made  a  record  of  the  enthusiasm 
which  he,  in  common  with  others,  felt  over  the  advent  of  the  rail- 
road. It  was  approaching  the  Territory  from  both  the  east  and 
the  west.  There  was  considerable  agitation  about  its  location. 
President  Young  and  others  had  taken  contract  for  the  construc- 
tion of  the  road-bed.  Where  the  railroad  entered  Utah  was  of 
course  to  them  a  matter  of  great  importance,  as  Salt  Lake  City 
was  the  headquarters,  and  its  future  possibilities  seemed  wonder- 
ful to  them.  On  the  10th  of  June  Elder  Woodruff  walked  from  his 
farm  on  Canyon  Creek  to  Salt  Lake  that  he  might  take  part  in  a 
mass-meting  which  was  to  discuss  the  entrance  or  place  of  en- 
trance of  the  roads  into  the  Territory.  Should  these  trans-con- 
tinental lines  meet  in  Ogden  or  Salt  Lake  City?  To  their  minds 
Salt  Lake  City  was  the  place.  In  that  event,  the  road  would  go 
south  of  the  lake,  instead  of  north  of  it.  Those,  however,  whose 
word  was  final  in  the  matter  decided  to  make  Ogden  the  Junction 
City,  and  plans  were  at  once  entered  into  to  construct  from  that 
place  to  Salt  Lake  City  a  branch  line. 

With  the  advent  of  the  railroad,  the  interests  of  the  Territory 
became  so  diversified  that  there  were  subjects  to  interest  and  oc- 
cupy the  non-Mormon  and  Mormons  alike.  There  were  more 
public  platforms  on  which  all  might  stand  with  equal  interest. 

Heretofore,  the  Fourth  of  July  had  been  the  principal  occasion 
for  universal  celebration ;  this  year  it  was  observed  in  the  custom- 
ary manner.  All  the  Sunday  schools  of  the  city  marched  to  the 
Tabernacle,  with  them  were  enough  grown  people  to  make  an 
audience  of  some  ten  thousand.  Addresses  were  delivered  by 
Governor  Durkee,  George  A.  Smith,  General  A.  L.  Chattan,  and 
George  Q.  Cannon.  Colonel  E.  H.  Head  was  orator  of  the  day. 
The  Twenty-fourth  was  also  appropriately  celebrated  by  the 
Saints. 

In  August  the  leaders  visited  the  settlements  north  as  far  as 
Logan.  In  his  address  there  Elder  Woodruff  said :  "When  I  was 
a  youth,  I  felt  that  I  would  have  gone  hundreds  of  miles  to  see  a 
prophet  or  an  apostle  of  the  Lord,  or  any  other  man  called  of 
God  and  inspired  to  preach  the  gospel  of  Christ  in  its  fulness  and 
purity.  Now,  as  I  travel  through  the  country  I  see  thousands  of 
children,  also  men  and  women  who  behold  prophets,  apostles,  and 
elders.  They  greet  President  Young,  the  Twelve,  and  others  as 


THE  YEARS  1866,  '67,  '68.  453 

we  travel  through  the  country.  This  is  an  excellent  practice,  as 
it  will  make  a  lasting  impression  upon  the  minds  of  all,  especially 
the  children.  They  will  never  forget  it.  When  they  meet  in  the 
years  which  are  to  come  they  will  converse  upon  the  scene  of  this 
visit  something  as  follows :  'Oh !  what  a  great  change  has  taken 
place  since  the  Prophet  Brigham  Young  and  the  Apostles  vis- 
ited Logan  in  1868.  Then,  it  was  a  new  country.  There  were  a 
few  settlements  and  only  about  ten  thousand  people,  all  told,  in 
Cache  Valley.  Then,  we  had  no  tabernacle  in  which  to  worship — 
no  Temple  of  the  Lord  stood  upon  the  bench  to  the  east  of  the 
city.  Now,  we  have  a  great  tabernacle,  a  beautiful  Temple  of  the 
Lord,  from  whose  summit  we  may  view  the  glory  of  this  valley 
filled  with  cities  and  towns  from  north  to  south.  Then,  our 
fields  were  filled  one-half  with  sun  flowers  and  noxious  weeds. 
Now,  they  are  properly  tilled  and  no  man  occupies  more  land  than 
he  can  cultivate  properly.' ': 

On  the  return  from  this  trip,  a  journey  was  taken  by  the 
leaders  through  the  settlements  south  of  Sanpete.  The  disagree- 
ments between  the  authorities  and  many  non-Mormons  of  those 
times  had  created  an  enthusiastic  determination  on  the  part  of 
the  people  to  stand  by  their  leaders.  The  efforts  to  imprison 
Brigham  Young  and  to  bring  reproach  upon  his  name  only  awak- 
ened the  stronger  their  confidence  and  love.  When  the  company 
reached  Nephi  many  women  and  children  came  out  to  meet  and 
greet  him.  They  built  a  large  pyramid  of  evergreens  with  the 
word  "Welcome"  woven  into  it.  Their  enthusiasm  kindled  into 
a  heartfelt  expression,  "Blessed  are  they  that  come  in  the  name 
of  the  Lord."  There  was  a  grand  ovation  wherever  the  leaders 
went. 

President  Young,  however,  was  not  exalted  in  his  feelings 
because  of  these  attentions.  The  welfare  of  the  Saints  was  a 
matter  of  deep  concern  to  him.  The  Saints  were  admonished  to 
abandon  the  use  of  tea,  coffee,  and  tobacco ;  to  cease  to  use  liquor ; 
and  not  support  those  in  the  country  who  were  the  deadly  ene- 
mies of  the  Saints — those,  who,  enriching  themselves  by  their 
patronage,  were  sending  lies  abroad  against  the  people.  At  Nephi 
the  stake  of  Zion  was  organized  with  Elder  Jacob  Bigler  as  presi- 
dent. 

On  reaching  Mt.  Pleasant,  the  enthusiasm  of  the  people  ex- 


454 


WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 


ceeded  even  that  at  Nephi.  "It  was  the  greatest  display  and  the 
largest  procession  I  ever  saw  outside  of  Salt  Lake  City."  At 
Ephraim  there  was  a  torchlight  procession.  There,  President 
Canute  Peterson  was  selected  to  preside  over  the  priesthood  in 
that  place.  He  subsequently  became  president  of  the  Sanpete 
Stake.  At  Ephraim  Elder  Woodruff  recorded  in  his  journal  the 
following :  "I  had  an  interview  this  morning  with  a  Danish  broth- 
er by  the  name  of  Soren  Christensen,  a  man  seventy-five  years  of 
age.  He  had.  lived  under  five  reigning  kings  of  Denmark  and 
had  served  as  a  soldier  under  Napoleon.  He  was  a  very  strong 
man." 

The  leaders  returned  for  general  conference  which  convened 
that  fall  on  the  6th  of  October.  "It  was  the  first  time  for  thirty- 
two  years,"  said  Elder  Woodruff,  "that  all  the  Quorum  of  the 
Twelve  had  been  together.  The  last  time  before  this  was  at  the  home 
of  Elder  Heber  C.  Kimball  in  Kirtland.  They  were  then  contending 
one  against  the  other,  and  Brigham  Young  prayed  that  all  the  Quor- 
um might  never  meet  again  until  it  could  meet  in  peace  and  union. 
The  entire  Quorum  never  met  since  then  until  this  day."  Only 
three  of  the  original  Quorum  still  remained.  They  were  Brigham 
Young,  Orson  Hyde,  and  Orson  Pratt.  The  Quorum  at  this  time 
consisted  of  Orson  Hyde,  Orson  Pratt,  John  Taylor,  Wilford 
Woodruff,  George  A.  Smith,  Ezra  T.  Benson,  Chas.  C.  Rich, 
Lorenzo  Snow,  Franklin  D.  Richards,  George  Q.  Cannon,  and 
Joseph  F.  Smith.  At  this  conference  George  A.  Smith  was  called 
to  the  First  Presidency  of  the  Church  to  fill  the  vacancy  occasioned 
by  the  death  of  Heber  C.  Kimball,  and  Brigham  Young,  Jr.,  was 
called  to  fill  the  place  made  vacant  in  the  Quorum.  He  had,  how- 
ever, been  previously  ordained  as  an  apostle. 

On  October  26th  of  that  year,  Elder  Woodruff  recorded  a  cir- 
cumstance of  a  misfortune  that  befell  one  of  his  sons.  The  Indian 
boy  "Keets"  whom  he  had  taken  to  raise,  in  a  fit  of  surliness  left 
his  post  of  duty  at  the  molasses  mill  where  he  was  feeding  the 
rollers.  No  one  was  left  to  take  the  Indian  boy's  place  except 
Elder  Woodruff's  little  son,  Ashael,  then  only  five  years  old.  While 
the  child  was  feeding  the  mill,  his  right  hand  was  drawn  be- 
tween the  rollers  and  badlv  crushed.  The  father  and  mother 


THE  YEARS  1866,  '67,  '68.  455 

immediately  brought  him  to  the  city  where  the  thumb  and  two  of 
the  fingers  were  amputated  by  Dr.  Ormsby. 

December  8th  he  recorded  the  death  of  Daniel  Spencer,  presi- 
dent of  the  Salt  Lake  Stake ;  and  on  the  9th,  the  death  of  Leonora 
Cannon  Taylor,  wife  of  President  John  Taylor. 

In  closing  the  record  of  the  year.  1868,  he  made  a  summary 
of  his  labors  for  that  year.  He  traveled  one  thousand  three 
hundred  and  four  miles,  attended  one  hundred  and  seventy-six 
meetings,  preached  seventy-nine  discourses,  attended  thirty-two 
prayer  meetings  with  the  Presidency  and  Twelve,  twenty-six 
meetings  of  his  own  prayer  circle,  two  general  conferences.  He 
labored  twenty  days  in  the  Endowment  House,  gave  endowments 
to  two  thousand  and  twenty-five  persons,  married  four  hundred 
and  nine  couples,  out  of  a  total  of  one  thousand  one  hundred  and 
nine  for  that  year.  He  officiated  in  other  ordinances  for  eighteen 
persons,  met  with  the  School  of  the  Prophets  forty-seven  times, 
baptized  one,  confirmed  one,  blessed  one  child,  met  in  a  council 
with  the  body  of  the  priesthood  three  times,  met  with  an  Irriga- 
tion Company  twice,  and  while  in  Provo  met  four  times  with  the 
City  Council.  During  the  year  he  wrote  eighty  letters  and  re- 
ceived sixty.  He  attended  the  legislative  council  forty  days.  Be- 
sides all  this,  he  labored  on  his  farm  plowing,  planting,  reaping, 
and  irrigating.  He  killed  about  three  hundred  bushels  of  grass- 
hoppers. What  a  marvel  of  industry! 


CHAPTER  42. 

THE  YEARS,  1869,  70. 

Co-operative  Movement. — Cove  Fort. — Pronouncement  Against  Use 
of  Wine. — Organization  of  Bear  Lake  Stake. — Visit  of  Schuyler 
Colfax. — The  Godbe  Movement. — Descendants  of  Cain. — Utah  Cen- 
tral R.  R.  Completed. — Plural  Marriage. — Boston  Board  of  Trade 
Visits  Utah. — Sayings  of  Brigham  Young. — The  Newman-Pratt 
Discussion. — Martin  Harris  Rebaptized. 

January  1st,  1869,  Wilford  Woodruff  accompanied  Brigham 
Young  to  Ogden,  where  a  meeting  was  held  for  the  purpose  of 
discussing  a  grant  of  land  to  the  Union  Pacific  and  Central  Pa- 
cific Railroads  for  the  use  of  their  terminal  station.  On  the  2nd 
they  met  Governor  Stanford  of  California  and  Mr.  Durant,  both 
railroad  men.  The  former  rode  with  President  Young  to  view  the 
proposed  depot  site.  The  authorities  had  done  all  in  their  power 
to  make  Salt  Lake  City  the  terminal,  hoping  that  the  Central  Pa- 
cific would  come  by  way  of  the  south  end  of  the  lake.  They 
accepted  their  disappointment  gracefully  and  did  all  they  could 
to  expedite  the  construction  of  the  railroads  and  terminal  fa- 
cilities at  the  Junction  City. 

Much  of  the  month  of  January  was  devoted  by  Elder  Wood- 
ruff to  his  legislative  work.  Under  date  of  the  22nd,  however, 
he  recorded  the  testimony  of  Joseph  B.  Nobles  to  the  effect  that 
he  officiated  in  the  first  plural  marriage  of  this  dispensation,  by 
sealing  Eliza  Beman  to  the  Prophet  Joseph  Smith,  on  May  6th, 
1841. 

On  the  following  7th  of  February,  a  Presbyterian  minister, 
Rev.  Mr.  Stewart,  was  accorded  the  privilege  of  addressing  the 
Saints  in  the  Tabernacle,  and  in  the  evening  at  the  Fourteenth 
Ward  Assembly  Room.  From  the  earliest  times  in  Utah  there 
was  a  manifest  willingness  on  the  part  of  the  leaders  to  grant  the 
use  of  their  places  of  worship  to  ministers  of  the  various  denom- 
inations. The  teachings  of  these  ministers  afforded  the  Saints  an 
opportunity  of  contrasting  the  doctrines  of  the  Latter-day  Saints 
with  those  of  the  various  sects. 


THE  YEARS,  1869,  70.  457 

Elder  Woodruff,  in  his  journal,  said  that  the  year  1869  was 
characterized  by  the  great  co-operative  movement,  which  made 
rapid  headway  throughout  the  settlements  in  Utah.  The  early 
work  of  the  pioneers  had  been  the  redemption  of  the  land.  To 
their  mind,  however,  there  was  a  special  virtue  in  the  cultivation 
of  the  soil  and  the  manufacturing  of  those  things  needed  by  the 
pioneers.  Trade  and  speculation  were  somewhat  at  variance  with 
the  religious  spirit  and  tendencies  of  those  times,  but  the  move- 
ment was  hastened  by  the  advent  into  the  Territory  of  large  num- 
bers of  Gentiles  who  fed  and  fattened  upon  trade  and  speculation. 
The  wealth  acquired  by  these  parvenu  merchants  was  quite  nat- 
urally a  source  of  considerable  power.  They  had  the  money  to 
carry  on  almost  any  propoganda  which  they  saw  fit  to  inculcate 
in  the  minds  of  the  people  of  the  United  States ;  more  than  that, 
the  great  profit  to  them  often  became  a  heavy  burden  to  the  peo- 
ple. There  were  in  those  days  strong  antagonisms,  and  partisan 
spirit  ran  high.  Many  of  the  merchants  used  their  money  in  a 
manner  harmful  to  the  best  interests  of  the  Latter-day  Saints, 
and  in  such  a  way  as  to  engender  a  hatred  towards  them  by  the 
people  of  the  United  States. 

To  mitigate  these  unfortunate  conditions,  and  lessen  the 
power  of  certain  ones  of  their  enemies,  and  for  the  further  pur- 
pose of  permitting  the  Latter-day  Saints  themselves  to  reap  their 
share  of  business  profits,  the  co-operative  system  was  inaugurated. 
The  people  were  encouraged  to  take  stock  in  these  institutions 
which  were  organized  largely  under  the  direction  and  control  of 
the  religious  leaders  in  the  various  communities. 

In  traveling  through  the  settlements  of  the  Saints,  the  sub- 
ject of  co.-operation  was  one  of  the  chief  topics  of  discourse.  Every 
town,  where  the  Saints  had  settled,  organized  its  co-operative 
store.  In  early  days  these  stores  were  potent  factors,  and  the 
control  of  prices  was  often  regulated  by  them.  The  authorities 
urged  the  managers  of  those  institutions  to  practice  equity  in 
their  business  affairs.  The  first  wholesale  dry  goods  store  to  do 
a  wholesale  business,  was  organized  March  1st,  1869. 

The  non-Mormon  merchants  of  Salt  Lake  City  naturally 
felt  the  force  of  the  new  movement  and  made  a  proposition  to 
President  Young  to  the  effect  that  they  would  be  glad  to  sell  him 


458 


WILFORD   WOODRUFF. 


their  establishment  and  merchandise  at  cost,  he  to  collect  debts 
and  assume  their  liabilities.  Upon  his  doing  so,  they  promised  to 
quit  the  Territory.  They  based  their  grievance  largely  upon  the 
instructions  given  to  the  people,  in  which  they  were  admonished 
not  to  trade  with  their  enemies.  Brigham  Young,  who  was  equal 
to  the  occasion,  called  their  attention  to  the  fact  that  any  and 
every  man  had  a  perfect  right  to  engage  in  business  within  this 
Territory.  He  stated,  however,  that  his  objection  was  to  a  cer- 
tain class  of  merchants  who  took  advantage  of  the  wealth  which 
they  accumulated  from  the  people  to  spread  misinformation  about 
the  Latter-day  Saints. 

Of  course  the  offer  was  a  bluff.  These  men  might  have  left 
the  Territory  and  they  might  have  come  back  the  next  day.  There 
was  no  offer  on  their  part  to  put  themselves  under  obligations  not 
to  take  up  mercnandising  any  time  they  saw  fit,  after  disposing  of 
their  property;  and  even  if  they  had  entered  into  such  a  bond,  it 
would  have  been  illegal  in  restraint  of  trade.  It  was  a  bluff,  and 
used  for  outside  effect.  President  Young  thought  they  would 
make  a  most  excellent  bargain  if  they  could  sell  out  on  the  terms 
proposed, — terms  that  any  merchant  would  be  glad  to  accept. 

On  the  16th  of  April  Elder  Woodruff  took  up  another  of 
those  preaching  tours  with  President  Young  to  St.  George,  and 
settlements  lying  along  the  way.  He  stated  in  his  journal  that 
just  before  leaving  Salt  Lake  he  received  word  that  his  nephew 
by  marriage,  Franklin  B.  Woolley,  had  been  killed  by  the  Indians, 
near  the  Mohave  River  in  Southern  California.  Elder  Woolley 
was  at  the  time  in  charge  of  a  company  of  men  who  were  en- 
gaged in  freighting  goods  from  southern  California  to  the  St. 
George  co-operative  store.  He  was  the  son  of  Bishop  Edwin  D. 
Woolley  of  the  Thirteenth  Ward  of  Salt  Lake  City.  When  his 
remains  were  found,  it  was  discovered  that  his  body  had  been 
pierced  by  several  arrows.  The  mule  upon  which  he  rode  was 
tied  to  a  tree  with  its  throat  cut. 

Along  the  way  they  dedicated,  on  the  17th  of  April,  the  new 
meeting-house  in  Springville,  President  D.  H.  Wells  offering  the 
dedicatory  prayer.  On  reaching  Nephi  the  authorities  took  up 
the  Word  of  Wisdom  and  urged  it  most  strenuously  upon  the 
Saints.  The  trip  was  attended  by  severe  storms,  rain,  and  snow. 


THE  YEARS    1869,  70.  459 

Almost  all  the  way  the  roads  were  very  disagreeable.  When  they 
reached  Cove  Creek  Fort,  a  sort  of  half-way  station  between 
Kanosh  and  Beaver,  they  stopped  for  the  night.  The  distance  be- 
tween Beaver  and  Kanosh  was  so  great  that  it  afforded  the  Indians 
an  excellent  opportunity  to  attack  travelers  and  make  good  their 
escape. 

Elder  Woodruff's  journal  records  the  following  description 
of  it :  "This  Fort  is  a  very  substantial  building.  I  think  it  is  the 
best  in  the  Territory.  It  is  built  of  volcanic  rock  laid  in  with  mor- 
tar. Each  of  the  four  walls  is  one  hundred  feet  long  on  the  out- 
side, eighteen  feet  high  from  the  foundation.  On  the  east  side  is 
a  gate  way  fourteen  feet  wide  with  a  substantial  arch  six  feet 
deep  and  three  inches  thick,  set  inside.  Above  this,  preparations 
are  being  made  for  a  look-out  and  telegraph  office.  On  the  west 
side  is  a  gate  way  eight  by  four  feet,  with  projections  inside  ten 
and  one-half  feet  wide,  ten  feet  high.  The  front  contains  twelve 
rooms,  six  on  the  north  and  six  on  the  south  side,  ten  of  which 
are  sixteen  by  fourteen  feet,  and  two  are  sixteen  by  seventeen 
feet,  and  nine  feet  four  inches  high.  There  is  a  chimney  to  each 
room,  three  feet  wide  and  two  feet  thick.  The  chimneys  rise 
six  feet  above  the  top  of  the  wall.  The  rooms  are  well  lighted 
and  have  five  panel  doors.  The  roof  is  covered  with  good 
shaved  pine  shingles.  The  entire  building  contains  two  thousand 
two  hundred  and  fifty  perch  of  rock,  one  thousand  nine  hundred 
and  seventy-five  bushels  of  lime,  and  has  cost  to  the  present  $22,- 
690.00." 

The  Fort  was  a  great  protection  in  those  days.  It  stood  not 
far  from  the  mouth  of  the  canyon  which  ran  up  into  Sevier  Valley, 
and  was  a  great  necessity  to  all  travelers,  Mormon,  Jew,  or  Gentile, 
who  in  those  days  went  to  California  by  what  was  called  the 
Southern  Route. 

On  reaching  Toquerville,  the  company  turned  east  and  drove 
up  the  Virgin  River  as  far  as  Rockville.  "Here  we  found  a 
beautiful  place.  A  street  one-half  a  mile  long  with  rows  of  houses 
on  each  side  and  fine  gardens  and  orchards  running  through  the 
center  of  the  town.  The  beautiful  vineyards  and  the  high  moun- 
tains make  the  scene  somewhat  romantic." 

On  the  29th  of  April,  the  company  returned  to  Toquerville 


460  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

where  President  Young,  in  a  pronounced  manner,  depreciated  the 
use  of  wine.  "You  put  wine  on  your  table  morning  and  night 
and  it  will  be  an  injury  to  you.  Set  a  good  example  before  all, 
and  keep  the  Word  of  Wisdom;  if  you  do  not,  you  will  soon  be 
severed  from  the  Church." 

On  leaving  there  they  went  directly  to  St.  George.  The 
town  had  grown  wonderfully  in  those  days,  and  had  become  one 
of  the  most  flourishing  towns  in  Utah.  A  number  of  most  ex- 
cellent families  had  been  called  to  settle  the  place  under  the  leader- 
ship of  Erastus  Snow,  who  had  charge  of  the  work  in  the  south- 
ern part  of  the  Territory.  It  was  here  that  President  Young  recom- 
mended the  establishment  of  wholesale  stores  for  St.  George  and 
Parowan.  When  they  had  reached  the  latter  place  on  their  re- 
turn, President  Young  suggested  that  an  invitation  be  sent  the 
Moquitche  Indians  to  come  and  locate  with  the  Saints,  the  report 
having  reached  him  that  these  Indians  felt  desirous  of  so  doing. 

On  their  return,  Elder  Woodruff  said :  "On  May  16th 
Apostle  Cannon  and  myself  spoke  in  the  Tabernacle.  We  were 
followed  by  a  Methodist  minister,  a  Mr.  Allen,  a  descendant  of 
Col.  Ethan  Allen.  Mr.  Allen  had  also  spoken  in  the  morning. 
He  was  very  favorably  impressed  with  what  he  had  seen  and  with 
the  doctrines  of  the  people." 

On  the  10th  of  May  Elder  Woodruff  recorded  what  to  him 
was  a  very  sad  event.  His  daughter  Susan  and  children,  obedient 
to  the  wishes  of  their  husband  and  father,  left  Utah  for  the  States. 
The  husband  had  little  or  no  faith  and  did  not  care  to  remain 
longer  among  the  Saints.  However,  Elder  Woodruff  blessed  his 
daughter  and  children  and  prophesied  good  things  concerning 
them  and  lived  to  see  his  daughter  and  all  her  children  but  one 
return  unto  the  fold  and  come  back  to  Salt  Lake  City. 

In  the  month  of  June  Brigham  Young  and  party  started  on 
another  tour  to  the  North.  The  pioneer  work  in  the  outposts  of 
the  Territory  needed  the  watch  care  and  encouragement  of  Presi- 
dent Young,  who  gave  detailed  attention  to  everything  which  af- 
fected the  welfare  of  the  people.  The  Saints  who  located  in 
these  distant  places  were  not  permitted  to  settle  down,  by  reason 
of  their  isolation,  into  a  neglectful  and  indifferent  life.  They 
were  unlike  most  pioneers  on  the  outskirts  of  civilization,  as  their 


THE  YEARS    1869,  70.  461 

religious  duties  imposed  upon  them  public  obligations  which  were 
educational  in  their  effect.  In  Bear  Lake  on  this  journey,  a  new 
stake  organization  was  effected,  with  Elder  David  P.  Kimball  as 
president.  Apostle  Charles  C.  Rich  had  already  located  in  Paris, 
Bear  Lake,  and  was  the  general  supervisor  of  the  colonizing  work 
in  the  far  north. 

On  their  return  to  Salt  Lake  City,  Elder  Woodruff  took  up 
his  work  on  the  farm,  where  he  hoed  corn,  hauled  hay,  and  har- 
vested his  wheat.  On  Pioneer  Day,  which  was  celebrated  through- 
out the  cities  and  towns  of  Utah,  Elder  Woodruff  wrote  medi- 
tatively as  follows :  "Twenty-two  years  ago  today  I  drove  the 
team  which  brought  President  Brigham  Young  from  Emigration 
Canyon  into  this  City.  He  lay  upon  a  bed,  sick  in  my  carriage. 
As  soon  as  his  eyes  rested  upon  the  beautiful  yet  desert  scene 
of  the  valley  before  us  he  said :  This  is  the  place ;  for  the  Lord 
has  shown  it  to  me  in  a  vision.'  We  now  number  more  than  a 
hundred  thousand  souls.  See  what  God  hath  wrought !  Let  His 
name  be  honored  above  all  else !" 

On  the  25th  of  that  month  he  recorded  the  return  of  George 
Nebeker  from  a  mission  to  the  Hawaiian  Islands.  He  brought 
with  him  Napela,  a  native  Saint,  who  addressed  the  Saints  in  the 
Tabernacle. of  that  date.  Napela,  was  the  first  Hawiian  to  visit 
Utah. 

On  the  14th  of  September,  that  year,  Elder  Woodruff  recorded 
the  death  of  Ezra  T.  Benson,  who  died  suddenly  at  Ogden  City, 
at  the  home  of  Elder  Loren  Farr.  Trie  following  Sunday  Elder 
Woodruff  preached  a  discourse  in  the  Tabernacle,  in  honor  of 
Brother  Benson,  and  gave  a  brief  sketch  of  his  life.  He  said 
that  on  that  occasion  there  were  about  sixty  ladies  and  gentlemen 
from  Ohio,  who  occupied  the  front  benches  and  who  gave  strict 
attention  to  what  was  said. 

In  those  times  many  distinguished  visitors  passed  through 
Salt  Lake  City,  enroute  to  California.  They  naturally  remained 
over  to  visit  Salt  Lake  City  and  listen  to  the  discourses  of  the 
Mormon  authorities.  From  Elder  Woodruff's  journal  it  will  be 
observed  that  the  speakers  dwelt  extensively  upon  the  principle  of 
the  patriarchal  order  of  marriage.  They  explained  the  views 
of  the  Latter-day  Saints  and  defined  them  on  religious, 


462  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

moral,  and  scientific  grounds.  The  members  of  Congress  were 
frequently  in  the  audience,  and  had  the  opportunity  of  listening 
to  the  authorities,  and  therefore  obtained  their  information  on  that 
important  subject  first-hand. 

On  October  3rd  he  gave  an  account  of  the  visit  of  Schuyler 
Colfax,  Mr.  Ordway,  the  Sergeant-at-arms  of  the  House  of 
Representatives,  and  several  members  of  Congress.  These 
distinguished  visitors  attended  meeting  in  the  afternoon,  and 
the  14th  Ward  meeting-house  in  the  evening.  In  those  days 
there  was  a  great  deal  of  discussion  about  the  principle  of  Plural 
Marriage,  and  its  rightfulness  was  urged  with  great  force  by  the 
Church  leaders.  The  Territory  was  gaining  notoriety  throughout 
the  country,  and  the  practice  of  the  people  here  was  a  matter  of 
frequent  and  bitter  discussion.  The  leading  men  of  the  nation 
were  somewhat  puzzled  over  a  situation  that  was  indeed  peculiar 
to  them.  The  fruit  was  good,  the  tree  was  bad,  as  they  found  it. 
There  were  prosperous  and  happy  homes.  There  was  progress 
in  every  direction.  The  leaders  were  painstaking,  industrious, 
frugal,  God-fearing  men.  There  was  every  evidence  of  their 
integrity,  but  their  system  of  marriage  was  not  in  harmony  with 
the  traditions  of  the*  past,  and  the  religious  practices  of  Christen- 
dom. These  distinguished  visitors  felt  to  praise  and  also  to 
condemn.  They  were  listening  to  discourses  on  a  question  to 
which  they  could  not  give  their  assent. 

They  were  entertained  by  means  of  a  Territorial  Fair,  at 
which  there  were  seen  the  products  of  the  Territory.  Mr.  Colfax 
and  his  friends  expressed  their  surprise  at  what  they  saw.  The 
grain,  vegetables,  fruits,  horses,  cattle,  merchandise,  and  all  the 
evidences  of  industry  were  far  beyond  their  expectation.  Thou- 
sands of  people  thronged  the  fair  grounds,  and  the  occasion  was 
one  of  general  enthusiasm.  Apostle  Woodruff  did  not  conceal 
the  pride  which  he  felt  in  the  premiums  that  were  awarded  be- 
cause of  his  horses,  his  sheep,  and  a  cow. 

The  day  after  the  opening  of  the  Fair,  the  October  Con- 
ference convened.  The  attendance  was  unusually  large.  A 
large  measure  of  prosperity  was  enjoyed,  and  the  people  gathered 
by  the  thousands.  Albert  Carrington  was  chosen  a  member  of 
the  Twelve  in  consequence  of  the  death  of  Ezra  T.  Benson.  A 


THE  YEARS    1869,  70.  463 

Mr.  Coe  from  Jerusalem  was  in  attendance  and  addressed  the  con- 
gregation. 

The  Territory  now  had  organized  a  militia  which  was  called 
out  for  drill  in  the  various  counties.  At  this  time  these 
gatherings  of  the  militia  upon  the  large  drill  grounds,  in  dif- 
ferent parts  of  the  Territory,  was  a  source  of  military  pride,  which 
quite  generally  aroused  a  militant  spirit.  The  militia  of  Salt 
Lake  County  met  on  their  large  drill  ground  on  the  west  side  of 
the  Jordan.  Their  organization  was  complete.  The  difficulties 
with  the  Indians,  too,  had  much  to  do  with  this  new  organization. 
Patriotic  spirit  was  engendered,  and  there  was  generally  con- 
siderable excitement  on  those  occasions.  Elder  Woodruff  partici- 
pated in  these  drills  and  in  1870  acted  as  chaplain. 

Just  about  this  time  he  recorded  a  visit  which  he,  together 
with  Orson  Pratt  and  George  Q.  Cannon,  made  to  William  S. 
Godbe,  E.  L.  T.  Harrison,  and  T.  B.  H.  Stenhouse.  This  was 
popularly  known  as  the  Godbe  Movement.  These  men  were 
strong  characters,  and  men  of  a  set  determination  to  have  their 
own  way.  The  mercantile  movement  of  these  times,  by  which 
co-operative  stores  were  established,  afforded  them,  they  pretend- 
ed, an  opportunity  to  declare  against  President  Young  and  his 
policy.  His  leadership  was  a  source  of  jealousy  to  them.  These 
Church  leaders  hoped  to  persuade  them  not  to  yield  to  what  was 
their  evident  purpose,  to  oppose  the  Church.  Elder  Woodruff 
said  he  found  them  in  the  dark,  and  bitter.  He  pleaded  with  them 
to  repent  and  turn  from  their  wrongful  course.  Subsequently, 
however,  they  broke  away  entirely,  and  they  and  their  families 
left  the  Church. 

On  the  27th  of  October  the  leaders  took  up  one  of  their 
tours  of  the  south.  New  towns  were  springing  up,  and  new  con- 
ditions were  so  rapidly  arising  that  constant  vigilance  was  re- 
quired. 

This  closed  the  year  1869.  It  was  an  important  year  in  the 
history  of  Salt  Lake  because  of  the  completion  of  the  Utah  Cen- 
tral Railroad  branch  line  from  Ogden'to  Salt  Lake  City.  It  had 
been  a  year  of  considerable  anxiety  to  the  Saints  in  consequence 
of  the  efforts  of  Congress  to  legislate  against  the  practice  of 
plural  marriage  among  the  Latter-day  Saints.  Elder  Woodruff 


464  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

wrote  of  the  bill  as  "a  bill  to  deprive  the  Latter-day  Saints 
from  keeping  the  commandments  of  God.  The  Lord  has  revealed 
the  patriarchal  order  of  marriage,  and  we  shall  be  damned  if  we 
do  not  obey  it." 

In  order  to  counteract  the  influence  against  the  Latter-day 
Saints,  the  ladies  in  Salt  Lake  City  held  a  mass-meeting  in  the  Tab- 
ernacle to  protest  to  Congress  against  the  passage  of  the  Cullom 
Bill  or  any  other  bill  which  might  militate  against  the  practice  of 
plural  marriage.  The  meeting  was  one  of  great  enthusiasm.  Stir- 
ring speeches  were  made  and  resolutions  adopted  and  forwarded 
to  Congress. 

On  the  10th  of  January  Elder  Woodruff  wrote:  "This  is 
a  great  day  in  Utah.  Some  twelve  or  fifteen  thousand  people  of 
the  city  and  surrounding  country,  men,  women,  and  children,  as- 
sembled around  the  railroad  depot  to  celebrate  the  completion  of 
the  Utah  Central  Railway,  and  to  see  the  last  rail  laid  and  the 
last  spike  driven  by  President  Young.  This  railroad  was  built 
by  the  laboring  men  of  the  Latter-day  Saints.  There  were  present 
bands  of  music  from  the  City  and  Camp  Douglas.  On  the  stand 
were  the  First  Presidency,  the  Twelve  Apostles,  the  officers  of  the 
Union  and  Central  and  Pacific  Railroad,  including  the  officers  of 
Fort  Douglas. 

"A  large  steel  mallet  was  used  on  the  occasion.  It  was  made 
by  James  Lawson  and  elegantly  chased  on  the  top,  and  there  was 
engraved  upon  it  a  bee  hive  surmounted  by  the  inscription  "Holi- 
ness to  the  Lord."  Under  the  bee  hive  were  the  letters  "U.  C.  R. 
R."  The  spike  was  constructed  of  home  made  iron  and  manu- 
factured by  the  late  Elder  Nathaniel  V.  Jones.  It  was  ornamented 
like  the  mallet  and  the  ornamentation  was  also  the  work  of 
Brother  Lawson.  Before  the  ceremony  of  laying  the  last  rail 
commenced,  the  sun,  which  had  been  completely  concealed  by  the 
clouds  during  the  early  part  of  the  day,  burst  forth  with  great 
brilliancy  as  if  determined  to  enhance  the  general  joy  by  his 
genial  rays.  The  ceremony  took  place  about  nine  o'clock,  after 
which  a  salute  of  thirty-seven  guns  was  given, — a  salute  for  each 
mile  of  the  road.  Captain  Croxall's  band  enlivened  the  scene  by 
its  strains  of  sweet  music." 

The  following  prayer  was  then  offered  by  Elder  Woodruff : 


THE  YEARS    1869,  70.  465 

"O  God,  the  Eternal  Father,  we  have  assembled  on  this  occasion 
to  celebrate  one  of  the  grandest  events  of  the  generation  in  which 
we  live,  and  to  offer  up  the  gratitude  of  our  hearts  with  thanks- 
giving for  Thy  merciful  and  protecting  care  that  was  over  us  when 
we  were,  led  into  these  Valleys  by  Thy  servant  Brigham  Young 
twenty-two  years  ago.  We  found  then  a  complete  desert  inhabi- 
ted only  by  wild  beasts  and  a  few  red  men,  who  roamed  over  the 
plains.  To-day  we  behold  the  teeming  thousands  of  the  Anglo 
Saxon  race  assembled  here  to  celebrate  the  completion  of  a  line  of 
railroads  into  this  City,  which  has  opened  up  commerce  between 
us  and  all  the  world.  Thou  hast  enabled  the  Saints  who  have 
gathered  here  from  the  nations  of  the  earth,  to  fill  these  Valleys  of 
the  Mountains  with  six  hundred  miles  of  cities,  towns,  villages, 
gardens,  orchards,  vineyards,  and  fields ;  and  the  desert  has  been 
made  to  blossom  as  the  rose.  We  should  be  ungrateful  did  we  not 
acknowledge  Thy  hand  in  Thy  protecting  care,  which  has  been 
over  us  and  which  has  enabled  us  to  assist  in  leveling  these  moun- 
tains and  exalting  the  valleys  and  in  laying  an  iron  band  which 
has  bound  this  continent  together  from  ocean  to  ocean  and  made 
all  the  various  states  and  territories  of  this  mighty  nation  neigh- 
bors to  each  other.  For  all  these  blessings  we  render  the  grati- 
tude of  our  hearts  unto  Thee,  and  we  pray  that  Thy  blessings  may 
rest  upon  this  day.  We  dedicate  this  railroad  unto  Thee,  the  Lord 
our  God.  We  pray  that  Thy  blessings  may  rest  upon  it,  and  upon 
those  who  have  built  it  and  labored  on  it.  We  thank  Thee  for 
the  peace  and  quietude  we  have  enjoyed,  for  the  many  years  that 
we  have  dwelt  in  these  Valleys  of  the  Mountains.  Continue  Thy 
blessings,  O  God,  we  beseech  Thee,  unto  the  inhabitants  here  and 
throughout  the  nation.  These  favors  and  blessings  we  ask  in 
the  name  of  Jesus  Christ,  our  Redeemer,  Amen." 

"A  speech  was  then  read  by  George  Q.  Cannon  for  President 
Young.  Telegrams  from  Governor  Stanford  of  California  and 
others,  expressing  their  regrets  at  not  being  able  to  be  present, 
were  then  read,  after  which  addresses  were  made  by  Wm.  Jen- 
nings, Col.  B.  O.  Carr  of  the  Union  Pacific,  T.  B.  Morris,  chief 
engineer  of  the  Western  Division  of  the  U.  P.  R.  R.,  John  Taylor, 
and  Mr  Campbell,  superintendent  of  the  Utah  Division  of  the 
Central  Pacific  R.  R.  These  were  all  published  in  the  News  of 
January  llth,  1870,  with  the  exception  of  Mr.  Campbell's  which 


466  WILFORD  WODORUFF. 

the  recorders  could  not  hear.  The  benediction  was  pronounced 
by  Henry  W.  Naisbitt.  In  the  evening  the  streets  were  enlivened 
by  great  throngs  of  people.  The  illumination  of  the  City  began 
at  six  o'clock  p.  m.,  and  by  seven  o'clock  there  was  the  greatest 
brilliancy  throughout  the  streets  and  in  the  skies.  All  public 
buildings  and  stores  were  illuminated.  I  attended  a  grand  ball  in 
the  Theatre  where  two  hundred  persons  could  occupy  the  floor 
at  the  same  time  in  the  dance.  There  were  some  fifteen  hundred 
people  present,  including  the  military  officers  of  Camp  Douglas. 
All  the  federal  officials,  including  the  Judges,  were  there.  I  took 
with  me  three  of  my  wives,  Phoebe,  Emma,  and  Sarah.  We  ate 
supper  at  the  Townsend  House." 

On  the  16th  of  January  Elder  Woodruff  with  a  number  of 
others  started  by  train  to  Ogden  for  the  purpose  of  attending  the 
funeral  of  Bishop  C.  W.  West,  who  had  died  in  California.  On 
the  way  to  Ogden  the  train  was  delayed  by  an  accident  so  that 
those  aboard  reached  that  place  only  in  time  to  witness  the  burial 
service.  "Coming  back,  we  held  in  the  car  one  of  the  best  meet- 
ings I  ever  attended  in  my  life.  We  had  twenty-two  speeches  and 
about  the  same  number  of  songs.  Among  the  speakers  were 
Elders  John  Taylor,  Wilford  Woodruff,  Lorenzo  Snow,  George 
Q.  Cannon,  Joseph  F.  Smith,  and  Brigham  Young,  Jr.,  much  of 
the  spirit  of  God  rested  upon  us,  and  strong  testimonies  were 
borne.  We  reached  home  about  ten  o'clock." 

On  January  the  27th  he  recorded  the  death  of  his  Uncle  Ozem 
Woodruff,  who  had  died  the  preceding  December  at  the  advanced 
age  of  ninety-two.  About  the  same  time  he  was  industriously 
mailing  papers  to  his  friends  in  the  East  in  order  that  he  might 
circulate  the  speech  against  the  Saints  by  Vice-president  Schuyler 
Colfax  and  the  reply  thereto  by  Elder  John  Taylor. 

The  conference  of  April  6th,  that  year,  was  poorly  attended 
owing  to  the  inclemency  of  the  weather.  There  was  a  foot  of 
snow  at  the  time  on  the  ground.  Naturally,  some  excitement 
existed  at  the  time  in  consequence  of  the  legislation  by  Congress. 
Conference  was  held  but  one  day  and  then  adjourned  until  the  5th 
of  May,  when  it  reconvened  and  lasted  three  days. 

The  latter  part  of  May  was  made  interesting  to  the  people  of 
Salt  Lake  by  a  visit  of  the  Boston  Board  of  Trade.  The  company 


THE  YEARS  1869,  70.  467 

occupied  eleven  Pullman  cars,  and  consisted  of  one  hundred  and 
twenty  wealthy  merchants  and  business  men  from  the  City  of 
Boston.  They  attended  the  Tabernacle  meeting  and  were  addressed 
by  Elders  Woodruff  and  George  A.  Smith.  In  the  afternoon 
President  Young  spoke  to  about  three  hundred  strangers  and  a 
large  congregation  of  the  Saints.  After  the  service,  President 
Young,  George  A.  Smith,  D.  H.  Wells,  John  Taylor,  Orson  Pratt, 
Wilford  Woodruff,  and  George  Q.  Cannon  were  invited  to  dine 
in  the  palace  cars  with  the  noted  visitors. 

On  the  fourth  of  June  a  large  party  of  the  leading  men  of 
the  Church  started  on  one  of  their  tours  through  Malad  and  Bear 
Lake  Valleys.  President  Young  was  indefatigable  in  his  travels 
throughout  the  Church.  He  was  everywhere  present  with  counsel 
and  encouragement  to  build  up  the  Zion  of  God.  The  people  were 
not  allowed  to  sleep  upon  the  laurels  they  had  won.  They  were 
not  permitted  to  settle  down  to  an  indifferent  comfort.  On  that 
trip  they  were  received  everywhere  with  honor  and  enthusiasm. 

On  different  occasions  Elder  Woodruff  quoted  President 
Young  as  saying :  " We  are  surrounded  by  the  Lamanites  who  are 
degraded  and  cast  down,  yet  they  are  of  the  house  of  Israel  and  we 
should  set  them  a  good  example.  Let  us  not  get  down  to  their 
ways,  but  rather  seek  to  exalt  them."  Of  a  certain  class  he  said, 
"Elders  many  times  are  vain  and  trifling,  and  seem  to  forget  their 
calling  and  position  in  the  Church.  We  should  come  to  realize 
that  we  have  the  priesthood  and  are  set  as  an  example  to  all  men. 
We  should  magnify  our  calling  and  walk  with  dignity  before 
the  Lord."  In  reference  to  the  building  up  of  Zion  he  further 
said :  "It  is  our  duty  to  build  up  Zion.  We  cannot  do  it  by 
singing  and  praying  alone.  It  will  take  the  work  of  the  people. 
When  Zion  is  built  up,  it  will  be  beautiful  and  glorious.  All 
we  have  done  already  is  attracting  the  attention  of  the  world." 

On  that  journey  Elder  Woodruff  quotes  the  words  of  Lorenzo 
Snow,  who  gave  an  account  of  his  experience  when  drowned  in 
the  Pacific  Ocean.  He  was  under  many  feet  of  water  and  was 
restored  to  life  by  the  power  of  God.  He  said  that  for  many 
years  previous  to  this  event  he  had  suffered  from  sick  headache, 
but  afterwards  it  had  left  him  and  he  had  been  entirely  healed 
from  it. 


468  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

Following  the  account  given  by  Lorenzo  Snow,  he  quoted 
these  words  from  the  lips  of  President  Young :  "Mark  my  words, 
every  Latter-day  Saint  who  gets  rich  and  does  not  acknowledge 
the  hand  of  God  in  it  will  be  damned.  A  hypocrite  or  a  traitor 
cannot  gain  the  confidence  of  God  or  man.  We  must  obey  the 
Lord  and  keep  His  laws.  The  God  of  Heaven  has  kept  the  Celesti- 
al Law,  and  so  must  we  if  we  obtain  the  same  glory  with  Him. 
I  would  rather  have  slept  with  Joseph  Smith  in  death  than  to  live 
to  turn  one  honest  man  from  the  Church.  The  authorities  in.  these 
towns  and  cities  should  deal  kindly  and  justly  with  the  Saints." 

The  spirit  of  those  times  is  repeated  in  the  language  of 
Lorenzo  Snow  in  his  address  to  the  people  at  Logan  on  the  oc- 
casion of  that  tour:  "The  Lord  does  not  intend  that  the  Saints 
shall  live  always  in  dens  and  caves  of  the  earth,  but  that  they  shall 
build  fine  houses.  When  the  Lord  comes  he  will  not  expect  to 
meet  a  dirty  people,  but  a  people  of  refinement,  having  glory  as  the 
bride  to  the  Lamb  of  God.  When  we  were  called  to  go  south, 
I  continued  to  improve  my  property  up  to  the  last  moment;  at 
the  same  time  I  expected  to  burn  up  everything  except  what  we 
had  to  take  south  with  us.  When  we  were  called  to  go  south  we 
were  united  as  the  heart  of  one  man." 

After  the  return  of  the  President's  party  from  the  north, 
Elder  Woodruff  busied  himself  by  giving  encouragement  to  the 
silk  industry  which  the  people  were  then  endeavoring  to  establish 
in  the  Territory ;  and  in  company  with  Robert  T.  Burton  took  up 
the  work  of  selling  the  bonds  of  the  Central  Pacific  Railroad. 

On  the  12th,  13th,  and  14th  of  August  he  gave  an  account 
of  the  discussion  between  Orson  Pratt  and  Doctor  Newman  on 
the  subject  of  Polygamy,  an  account  of  which  has  been  issued 
as  a  separate  publication.  The  Sunday  following  the  discussion, 
William  H.  Seward,  former  Secretary  of  State,  attended  the 
services  in  the  Tabernacle.  He  was  then  on  his  way  to  China. 
He  was  deeply  impressed  by  the  growth  and  development  of  the 
Saints,  and  was 'led  to  say  that  America  had  "never  produced  a 
greater  statesman  than  President  Brigham  Young." 

On  the  4th  of  September,  Martin  Harris,  one  of  the  Witnesses 
to  the  Book  of  Mormon,  appeared  before  the  people  in  the  Tab- 
ernacle, he  having  been  brought  to  Utah  largely  through  the  in- 


THE  YEARS  1869,  70.  469 

terest  and  labors  of  Elder  Edward  Stevenson.  "Martin  Harris 
arose  and  bore  his  testimony  to  the  truth  of  the  Book  of  Mormon. 
He  was  eighty-eight  years  old,  and  he  finally  came  up  to  Zion  to 
lay  his  body  down  with  the  Saints.  He  has  been  separated  from 
the  Church  thirty-three  years  and  was  far  behind  the  times,  yet  he 
bore  a  strong  testimony  to  the  truth  of  the  Book  of  Mormon." 
On  the  17th  of  that  month  Elder  Stevenson  rebaptized  Martin 
Harris  and  he  was  confirmed  by  John  Taylor. 

In  closing  his  journal  for  that  year  he  says  that  he  traveled 
in  all,  seventeen  hundred  miles,  attended  one  hundred  and  sixty- 
six  meetings,  and  preached  seventy-five  discourses.  In  the  En- 
dowment House  he  sealed  over  five  hundred  couples.  In  addition 
to  his  religious  duties,  Elder  Woodruff  served  forty  days  in  the 
Territorial  Legislature.  He  also  took  pleasure  in  the  thought 
that  he  had  labored  upon  his  farm  considerable  time  in  plowing, 
harvesting,  planting,  and  hoeing.  He  speaks  of  his  potatoes,  of 
his  squash,  and  his  apples  and  his  hay.  These  were  the  products 
of  the  soil,  which  he  raised  for  the  support  of  himself  and  of  his 
wives  and  children.  No  public  man  upon  whom  weighed  heav- 
ily the  duties  of  both  church  and  state  more  perfectly  loved  and 
honored  that  divine  command,  "By  the  sweat  of  thy  brow  shalt 
thou  earn  thy  bread." 


CHAPTER  43. 
PIONEER  LIFE  IN  RICH  COUNTY,  1871. 

Arrest  of  President  Young  and  Others. —  Experiences  in  Randolph. — 
Caught  in  a  Snow  Storm. — Reaches  Salt  Lake  City. 

The  year  1871  found  the  anti-Mormon  element  entrenched 
behind  a  considerable  adverse  eastern  sentiment  against  the  Lat- 
ter-day Saints,  and  persecutions  therefore  took  on  a  renewed 
vigor. 

There  was  a  contest  on  between  the  Federal  and  the  Ter- 
ritorial officers  respecting  the  control  of  the  penitentiary,  which 
had  been  constructed  in  part  by  the  Territory,  and  in  part  by  the 
Federal  government.  As  all  such  questions  were  decided  by 
Federal  and  hostile  courts,  the  Mormon  people  were,  of  course, 
losers  at  every  step  in  the  controversy. 

Salt  Lake  City  was,  at  this  time,  visited  by  large  numbers  of 
strangers,  who  were  generally  en  route  for  California.  That  state 
was  the  eldorado  of  an  adventurous  and  speculative  class  of  citi- 
zens who  had  learned  how  to  take  advantage  of  new  conditions. 
They  were  naturally  quite  curious  to  attend  services  in  the  Taber- 
nacle, and  in  the  evening  they  usually  visited  the  Fourteenth  Ward 
meeting-house,  that  assembly  room  being  in  close  proximity  to 
the  Townsend  Hotel,  at  that  time  the  chief  hostlery  of  the  Terri- 
tory. 

In  October  of  that  year,  President  Young  was  arrested  by 
United  States  Marshal  Patrick,  on  the  charge  of  unlawful  con- 
duct with  his  plural  wives.  A  little  later  President  Wells  and 
George  Q.  Cannon  were  also  arrested  on  the  same  charge. 

Elder  Woodruff  said  in  his  journal  of  October  28th  that 
President  Wells,  Hosea  Stout,  and  William  Kimball  were  ar- 
rested on  a  false  charge,  made  by  William  A.  Hickman,  a  notori- 
our  murderer,  who  sought  an  opportunity  at  a  time  when  there  was 
great  excitement  against  the  leaders,  to  shield  himself  from  ac- 
cusations and  prosecution.  The  chief  purpose  of  these  arrests 
was  to  excite  the  public  indignation  throughout  the  United  States 
against  the  Mormon  leaders.  They  were  therefore  taken  to  Fort 
Douglas,  and  there  kept  under  military  guard.  The  one  excuse 


PIONEER  LIFE  IN  RICH  COUNTY,  1871.          471 

for  such  extraordinary  action,  was  that  there  might  be  an  up- 
rising among  the  people,  which  would  require  the  military  power 
to  overcome. 

While  these  brethren  were  thus  confined  at  the  Fort,  they 
were  visited  by  Apostle  Woodruff,  who  says  that  he  found  them 
cheerful  and  satisfied  that  they  would  be  delivered  from  the  power 
of  their  enemies.       One  General  Morrow  asked  President  Wells 
if  they  (the  Mormons)   would  give  up  polygamy  and  submit  to 
the  demands  of  the  government,  or  fight.    He  replied : 
"We  will  neither  submit  nor  obey, 
Neither  fight  nor  run  away." 

While  Elder  Woodruff  was  not  personally  selected  as  an  ob- 
ject of -the  enemies'  attack,  he  was  nevertheless  deeply  interested 
in  the  safety  of  his  brethren,  and  watched  over  them  with  a  broth- 
erly love.  He  was  ever  ready,  if  necessary,  to  lay  down  his  life 
for  his  brethren. 

When  President  Young  was  on  trial,  Elder  Woodruff  was 
in  the  court  taking  notes  of  the  proceedings,  and  listening  with 
eager  and  anxious  feelings.  At  that  time  President  Young  was 
prosecuted  by  Maxwell  and  Baskin,  and  defended  by  Major 
Hempstead  and  the  eloquent  Thomas  Fitch,  then  the  most  noted 
attorney  in  the  Territory. 

On  the  28th  of  June,  the  year  following,  he  reported  his  ser- 
mon in  honor  of  Mary  Philipps  of  Kaysville,  who  died  in  her 
ninety-eighth  year.  She  had  been  baptized  by  Elder  Woodruff  in 
England  in  1840.  He  always  manifested  a  strong  attachment 
for  those  who  had  been  the  fruit  of  the  gospel  in  his  early  labors. 

A  little  later  a  peculiar  experience  came  to  him  in  the  death 
of  a  Sister  Allen,  who  was  sorely  afflicted  at  the  home  of  one  of 
Abram  O.  Smoot's  wives.  She  had  suffered  severely  for  two 
years  and  very  much  desired  that  she  might  be  released  from  her 
sufferings  in  this  life.  She  therefore  called  upon  Elder  Woodruff 
to  bless  her  to  that  end.  He  prayerfully  asked  the  Lord  to  let 
her  go,  and  being  impressed  that  it  was  proper  that  she  should  go, 
he  dedicated  her  to  the  Lord,  and  in  one  hour  she  passed  peace- 
fully to  the  great  beyond. 

About  this  time,  Apostle  WToodruff  entered  on  some  new 
and  rather  extraordinary  experiences  in  an  effort  he  made  to 


472  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

assist  in  the  colonization  and  development  of  Rich  County,  Utah. 
He  therefore  made  a  home  at  Randolph  for  his  wife,  Sarah.  His 
son,  Wilford,  had  been  released  from  the  Muddy  Mission,  and  re- 
turned to  Randolph  to  assist  his  father,  and  to  establish  a  home 
for  himself  there. 

His  new  activities  in  the  early  settlement  of  Randolph 
brought  him  into  somewhat  close  relation  with  the  people  who 
were,  at  this  time,  busily  occupied  in  the  settlement  of  Bear  Lake. 

While  on  a  visit  to  Soda  Springs,  where  he  met  President 
Young  and  party,  there  died  a  Mrs.  Rose,  a  wife  of  Major  Rose, 
both  of  whom  he  had  baptized  thirty  years  before  in  England. 
The  Rose  family  were  then  and  have  since  been  somewhat  promi- 
nent in  the  affairs  of  that  part  of  the  country. 

Besides  visiting  people  for  their  spiritual  edification,  he  also 
occupied  a  part  of  his  time  in  hauling  wood  from  the  near-by 
canyons  to  his  family  in  Randolph. 

On  one  occasion  he  recorded  his  experience  as  follows : 

"David  and  myself  went  to  the  canyon  to  get  wood,  and  as  it 
was  all  the  way  down  hill,  we  put  on  about  two  and  one-half  cords 
of  dry  quaking  asp.  While  going  down  a  very  steep  hill,  the 
ring  of  the  neck-yoke  broke  and  the  wagon  pushed  on  at  great 
speed.  One  of  the  mules  fell  just  as  the  wagon  was  about  to 
stop.  The  front  wheel  run  over  it  and  pinioned  it  fast  to  the 
ground,  with  the  sway  bar  across  its  back,  while  the  tongue  of 
the  wagon  ran  into  the  ground  nearly  six  feet.  The  mule  had 
to  lie  there  until  we  unloaded  the  wood,  uncoupled  the  wagon, 
dug  the  tongue  out  of  the  ground  with  an  axe,  and  tipped  the 
wheels  over  to  release  it.  We  thought  it  would  be  almost  if  not 
quite  dead,  but  to  our  surprise,  the  mule  rose  up,  shook  itself  and 
began  to  eat. 

"The  neck-yoke  and  irons  of  both  whipple-trees  were  broken, 
yet  I  strapped  them  up  and  reached  home  with  one  cord  of  wood." 

Continuing  his  journal,  he  said:  "During  those  days  it  was 
very  stormy,  and  on  the  24th  of  November  it  rained  nearly  all  day. 
I  felt  impressed,  strongly  impressed,  that  I  should  return  to  Salt 
Lake  City.  This  feeling  had  been  upon  me  since  Monday,  though 
my  family  urged  me  to  remain.  On  the  15th  the  same  spirit 
again  rested  upon  me  and  I  told  Sarah  and  Wilford  that  I  must 


PIONEER  LIFE  IN  RICH  COUNTY,  1871.          473 

go;  so  after  I  ate  breakfast  I  prepared  my  team,  bade  my  family 
good-bye,  and  started  about  eight  o'clock  in  the  morning. 

"I  drove  to  Woodruff,  fed  my  horses  and  talked  a  while  with 
Bishop  Lee.  I  then  drove  on,  and  when  about  twelve  miles  from 
Wasatch,  a  great  snow-storm  struck  me.  It  was  terribly  blinding. 
However,  I  arrived  at  Wasatch  in  the  night  with  my  horses  and 
wagon  covered  with  snow  and  water.  I  called  upon  Brother 
George  Rowley,  who  was  the  one  Latter-day  Saint  in  the  place. 
He  received  me  kindly  and  assisted  me  to  get  my  horses  into 
the  store-house,  but  for  which  I  think  they  would  have  perished, 
there  being  no  stable  in  the  place. 

"I  traveled  thirty-five  miles  that  day  and  slept  little  through 
the  night.  I  rose  on  Sunday  morning,  the  26th,  and  found  the 
snow  about  two  feet  deep,  and  falling  thick  and  fast.  It  looked 
very  gloomy  and  I  did  not  know  what  course  to  pursue. 

"I  could  not  travel  the  road  so  I  went  to  Mr.  Haven,  an  op- 
erator and  U.  P.  agent,  and  asked  him  what  chance  there  was  to 
take  a  car.  He  had  no  baggage  car  he  said,  and  if  he  had,  he  did 
not  know  how  I  could  get  my  wagon  and  horses  on  board,  as  all 
the  appliances  for  loading  such  articles  were  moved  to  Evanston. 
I  could  not  buy  any  grain  in  the  place,  and  the  only  hay  there, 
was  in  the  hands  of  a  Mr.  Hammond,  an  apostate  Mormon,  and 
a  very  bitter  one.  I  brought  from  Randolph  about  a  hundred  Ibs. 
of  hay,  which  was  all  the  feed  I  had.  The  snow  was  rapidly 
covering  up  my  wagon.  In  that  dilemma  I  went  to  the  house 
and  fed  them  a  little  hay,  and  then  kneeled  down  and  prayed  the 
Lord  to  deliver  me. 

"I  could  get  no  water  to  my  horses  except  as  Brother  Rowley, 
who  had  charge  of  the  engine,  would  run  it  on  a  track  near  the 
horses,  and  turn  it  into  the  buckets  and  I  would  then  carry  it  to 
them. 

"The  night  of  that  day  I  went  to  bed  while  the  snow  was 
still  falling  and  everything  looked  gloomy.  The  27th  was  quite 
an  important  day  with  me.  I  rose  in  the  morning  and  found 
the  snow  three  feet  deep  on  the  level.  It  was  still  snowing  fur- 
iously. I  could  see  no  deliverance  for  myself  and  team  unless  the 
Lord  opened  the  way  for  us.  I  had  to  wallow  to  my  arm  pits  in 
snow  to  get  to  my  horses,  or  anywhere  else. 


474 


WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 


"Mr.  Haven  sent  to  Evanston  for  a  car  for  me,  the  night 
before  by  my  request,  but  how  to  get  my  wagon  and  team  into  it 
was  the  great  question.  Neither  did  the  agent  see  how  it  could 
be  done.  My  wagon  was  covered  with  snow  and  was  some  three 
hundred  feet  from  the  station.  There  was  no  help  except  the 
Chinamen  who  were  under  the  control  of  a  Mr.  Carpenter,  whose 
duty  it  was  to  keep  the  track  clear  of  snow.  I  spoke  to  him  but 
he  said  he  had  no  right  to  take  his  men  from  the  railroad  to  dig 
out  a  span  of  horses. 

"I  then  made  my  way  through  three  feet  of  snow  about  three 
hundred  yards  to  the  place  where  my  horses  were  housed.  I 
rubbed  them  down,  caressed  them,  but  only  had  a  morsel  to  feed 
them.  I  knelt  down  and  prayed  earnestly  to  the  Lord  to  deliver  me 
and  my  team.  It  might  be  thought  a  little  matter  to  allow  the 
horses  to  remain  and  starve  in  order  to  take  the  car  myself  and  save 
my  own  life.  But  my  team  had  wallowed  through  the  snow  some 
twelve  miles  to  save  my  life  and  I  felt  it  my  duty  to  do  all  in  my 
power  to  save  theirs.  I  prayed  earnestly  to  the  Lord  to  deliver  me 
and  save  my  animals  from  starvation.  The  spirit  of  the  Lord 
came  upon  me  while  praying  and  I  had  a  testimony  that  my 
prayers  would  be  answered  and  that  I  should  be  delivered. 

"I  rose  from  my  knees  and  wallowed  some  sixty  rods  through 
three  feet  of  snow  to  the  telegraph  office  and  talked  with  Mr. 
Haven,  the  operator  and  agent.  I  told  him  he  must  help  me. 
The  spirit  of  the  Lord  rested  upon  him  and  he  said  he  would  do 
all  in  his  power  for  my  deliverance.  He  went  with  me  to  see 
Mr.  Carpenter,  the  same  spirit  came  upon  him  and  he  said  he 
would  do  all  he  could.  He  then  told  the  ten  Chinamen  to  take 
their  shovels  and  follow  him.  We  all  went  to  where  the  horses 
and  wagon  were  and  it  took  us  nearly  five  hours  to  dig  out  the 
wagon  and  open  the  road  to  the  station. 

Then  we  had  to  build  a  staging  some  ten  feet  high  and  cover 
it  with  coal  cinders  to  get  the  horses  up,  but  they  would  not  walk 
up  the  planks.  I  then  went  to  Mr.  Hammond,  the  apostate  Mor- 
mon, who  had  the  only  hay  in  the  place,  and  asked  him  to  sell  me 
fifty  cents  worth.  He  got  the  same  spirit  as  the  others,  put  up 
the  hay  for  me  and  carried  it  to  the  depot.  I  laid  it  on  the  plat- 
form at  the  head  of  the  staging  and  both  of  my  horses  readily 


PIONEER  LIFE  IN  RICH  COUNTY,  1871.          475 

went  to  it.  I  then  put  them  inside.  We  then  took  the  wagon  to 
pieces  and  lifted  it, up,  piece  at  a  time,  and  placed  it  in  the  store- 
house. 

"When  the  freight  train  came  along,  Mr.  Haven  stopped  it 
and  had  the  engineer  bring  up  the  car  a  hundred  yards  to  the 
platform.  In  trying  to  get  my  box  in  with  the  bows  and  cover  on, 
it  became  fastened  with  one  end  on  the  platform  and  the  other 
against  the  side  of  the  car.  The  engineer  would  not  wait  any 
longer,  but  started  on  with  his  train  and  left  me. 

"Mr.  Haven  then  telegraphed  to  Evanston  to  send  him  an 
engine.  While  it  was  coming,  we  took  off  the  cover  and  bows 
to  the  wagon  box,  and  finally  succeeded  in  loading  my  outfit. 
It  was  in  order  when  the  engine  arrived.  Mr.  Haven  ordered 
the  engineer  to  hitch  on  to  the  car.  He  did  so  reluctantly  as  he 
had  to  travel  something  like  one  hundred  and  sixty  miles  to  get 
to  Ogden  and  back,  just  to  take  me  and  my  wagon  and  team. 

"  I  bade  my  friends  good-bye,  and  as  the  cars  started  I  knelt 
down  by  the  side  of  my  horses  and  returned  thanks  to  my  Heav- 
enly Father  for  the  deliverance  he  had  brought  to  me. 

"My  clothing  was  wet,  I  having  wallowed  in  the  snow  all  day, 
so  I  put  on  dry  ones. 

"We  arrived  in  Ogden  about  ten  o'clock,  when  I  went  to 
Bishop  Herrick  and  passed  the  night  with  him.  Brother  Her- 
rick  lent  me  money  to  pay  my  bill  to  the  railroad,  which,  strange 
to  say,  was  only  $26.00.  Had  they  charged  me  in  full,  their  usual 
rates  for  car  and  engine  and  all -that  was  done,  it  would  have  been 
about  $150.00. 

"On  the  28th  of  November  I  drove  my  team  from  Ogden  to 
Salt  Lake,  where  I  arrived  home  with  a  grateful  heart  to  be  de- 
livered from  my  perils  and  to  find  my  family  all  well." 


CHAPTER  44. 

THE  YEARS,  1872-74. 

Judge  McKean. — Journalizing. — Early  Church  Historians. — Holy  Ghost. 
— Visit  to  San  Francisco. — Funerals  of  Pitt  and  Player. — Thomas 
L.  Kane. — Garden  of  Eden. — Paralysis. — Earl  Rosebury. — Fall  from 
a  Tree. 

According  to  Elder  Woodruff's  journal,  the  year  1872  opened 
with  a  heavy  snow-storm.  The  year  also  found  the  Saints  consid- 
erably agitated  over  the  indictments  found  against  Brigham  Young 
and  leading  men  of  the  Church,  on  the  charge  of  murder.  These 
indictments  had  been  largely  the  result  of  Judge  McKean's  well- 
known  animosity  toward  the  Mormons,  and  especially  toward  the 
leaders  of  the  Church.  He  was  styled  "a  judge  with  a  mission." 
The  conduct  of  Judge  McKean  was  so  full  of  bias,  and  his  rulings 
so  unjust  in  all  matters  touching  the  Mormon  people,  that  he  made 
himself,  more  or  less,  a  terror  to  the  Latter-day  Saints. 

In  his  journal  at  the  opening  of  1872,  Elder  Woodruff  said: 
''Certain  men  in  the  nation,  high  in  authority,  have  set  themselves 
up  against  the  work  of  God  and  are  determined  to  destroy  it  if 
possible."  Elder  Woodruff  began  to  predict  the  failure  of  such 
men  as  McKean  to  accomplish  the  ends  they  had  in  view.  So  far 
as  McKean  was  concerned,  his  predictions  were  fulfilled.  On  the 
20th  he  gave  the  synopsis  in  his  journal  that  he  made  upon  the 
subject  of  keeping  a  record  of  events  in  the  affairs  of  the  Church 
by  those  who  had  responsibilities  resting  upon  them.  "There  is 
one  subject  I  wish  to  speak  upon  and  that  is  the  keeping  of  a 
journal  with  respect  to  the  dealings  of  God  with  us.  I  have  many 
times  thought  the  Quorum  of  the  Twelve  and  others  considered 
me  rather  enthusiastic  upon  this  subject;  but  when  the  Prophet 
Joseph  organized  the  Quorum  of  the  Twelve,  he  counseled  them 
to  keep  a  history  of  their  lives,  and  gave  his  reasons  why  they 
should  do  so.  I  have  had  this  spirit  and  calling  upon  me  since 
I  first  entered  this  Church.  I  made  a  record  from  the  first  sermon 
I  heard,  and  from  that  day  until  now  I  have  kept  a  daily  journal. 
Whenever  I  heard  Joseph  Smith  preach,  teach,  or  prophesy,  I  al- 


THE  YEARS    1872-74.  477 

ways  felt  it  my  duty  to  write  it;  I  felt  uneasy  and  could  not  eat, 
drink,  or  sleep  until  I  did  write ;  and  my  mind  has  been  so  exer- 
cised upon  this  subject  that  when  I  heard  Joseph  Smith  teach  and 
had  no  pencil  or  paper,  I  would  go  home  and  sit  down  and  write 
the  whole  sermon,  almost  word  for  word  and  sentence  by  sen- 
tence as  it  was  delivered,  and  when  I  had  written  it  it  was  taken 
from  me,  I  remembered  it  no  more.  This  was  the  gift  of  God  to 
me. 

"The  devil  has  sought  to  take  away  my  life  from  the  day  I 
was  born  until  now,  more  so  even  than  the  lives  of  other  men.  I 
seem  to  be  a  marked  victim  of  the  adversary.  I  can  find  but  one 
reason  for  this :  the  devil  knew  if  I  got  into  the  Church  of  Jesus 
Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints,  I  would  write  the  history  of  that 
Church  and  leave  on  record  the  works  and  teachings  of  the  proph- 
ets, of  the  apostles  and  elders.  I  have  recorded  nearly  all  the  ser- 
mons and  teachings  that  I  ever  heard  from  the  Prophet  Joseph,  I 
have  in  my  journal  many  of  the  sermons  of  President  Brigham 
Young,  and  such  men  as  Orson  Hyde,  Parley  P.  Pratt  and  others. 
Another  reason  I  was  moved  upon  to  write  in  the  early  days  was 
that  nearly  all  the  historians  appointed  in  those  times  apostatized 
and  took  the  journals  away  with  them." 

"Another  subject  I  wish  to  say  a  few  words  upon  here  is  the 
spirit  of  God  to  men,  the  Holy  Ghost  which  is  given  the  Saints,  the 
inspiration  of  the  Almighty  which  giveth  the  spirit  of  men  under- 
standing. That  spirit  is  the  greatest  testimony  man  can  possess. 
His  eyes  and  ears  may  be  deceived  in  seeing  the  miracles  such  as 
the  magicians  wrought  in  the  days  of  Moses,  and  such  as  false 
prophets  will  work  in  the  last  days,  but  when  men  receive  the  Holy 
Ghost  they  can  not  be  deceived.  It  is  not  in  the  thunder  or  in  the 
whirl-wind  that  we  should  look  for  the  spirit  of  God,  but  in  the  still 
small  voice. 

"I  give  one  instance  in  which  I  profited  by  the  spirit.  When 
I  was  bringing  the  eastern  Saints  to  this  Valley,  I  arrived  in  Pitts- 
burg,  and  there  I  chartered  a  steamboat  to  take  the  Saints  to  St. 
Louis.  As  soon  as  I  had  done  it  the  spirit  said  to  me,  'Don't  go 
on  board  of  that  boat.'  The  captain  relieved  me  and  I  chartered 
another.  The  steamer  that  I  first  chartered,  after  starting  down 
the  river,  soon  took  fire,  burned  the  wheels  and  ropes  in  two,  and 


478  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

nearly  all  the  passengers  either  burned  to  death  or  were  drowned. 
Such  an  experience  is  given  to  many  elders  in  this  Church." 

This  year's  journal  also  contains  the  accounts  of  the  custom- 
ary journeys,  north  and  south,  to  the  various  communities  of  the 
Saints.  In  Payson,  on  the  20th  day  of  July,  he  dedicated  the  new 
meeting-house.  He  was  also  busy  that  year  on  his  farm  and  in 
his  efforts  to  build  up  a  home  at  Randolph,  in  Rich  County. 

On  the  9th  of  September,  in  company  with  George  A.  Smith, 
George  Q.  Cannon,  and  A.  M.  Musser,  he  paid  a  visit  to  the  Pa- 
cific Coast.  His  purpose  was  to  attend  the  state  fair  of  California, 
as  he  was  President  of  the  Deseret  Agricultural  and  Manufactur- 
ing Society  of  Utah.  His  journal  contains  a  long  account  of  the 
things  he  saw  and  the  things  which  greatly  interested  him. 

The  following  excerpts  are  taken  from  it : 

"This  morning  found  us  at  Truckee,  at  the  foot  of  the  Sierra 
Nevada  Mountains.  We  had  a  view  of  the  lake  where  the  com- 
pany of  emigrants  perished  in  1847. 

"San  Francisco  is  a  very  fine  place.  The  city  looks  as  though 
it  were  a  hundred  years  old  instead  of  twenty.  It  contains  175,000 
inhabitants  and  a  vast  amount  of  wealth.  We  visited  China's  part 
of  the  city,  saw  the  Chinese  god  and  the  temples  where  fires  were 
continually  burning.  They  are  very  numerous  in  that  city.  We 
visited  Mr.  Alston's  princely  palace  and  were  received  with  all  the 
attention  that  princes  could  expect.  He  had  a  telegraph  line  from 
his  bank  in  San  Francisco  to  his  dwelling,  twenty  miles  distant. 
He  had  telegraphed  to  the  family  to  receive  us  kindly  and  make 
us  happy,  and  they  did  so.  His  princely  mansion  did  not  cost  less 
than  a  million  dollars,  and  his  wife  spent  a  quarter  of  a  million  in 
furnishing  it.  The  chairs  were  made  of  the  finest  ebony  in  China. 
Even  the  spitoons  were  carved  out  of  the  finest  Parisian  marble. 
The  rooms  were  decorated  with  marble  statuary  and  bronze.  The 
chandeliers  cost  many  thousands  of  dollars,  in  fact,  the  whole  pal- 
ace had  more  the  appearance  of  a  museum  than  of  a  private  dwell- 
ing. It  had  its  Turkish  and  Russian  baths.  There  were  scores  of 
bath  rooms,  of  baths  connected  with  the  bedrooms.  He  had  a  re- 
tort and  made  his  own  gas  for  the  purpose  of  lighting  his  dwelling 
and  barns.  There  were  many  mirrors,  large  and  costly.  ,  The  sur- 
rounding grounds  of  100  acres  were  cultivated  at  great  expense.  I 
almost  felt  like  spending  the  night  in  visiting  the  house  and  sur- 


THE  YEARS    1872-74.  479 

roundings  intsead  of  going  to  sleep.  I  became  so  dazed  and  be- 
wildered with  the  scenery  and  attention  of  the  last  twenty-four 
hours,  since  our  arrival  in  California,  that  I  felt  like  asking  myself 
the  question :  'Am  I  an  elder  of  the  Church  of  Christ  of  Latter- 
day  Saints?  If  so,  what  is  coming  over  the  world  that  such  a 
great  change  is  manifest  towards  us  ?'  " 

During  this  visit,  Elder  Wodruff  and  his  companions  received 
great  attention  from  the  leading  men  of  San  Francisco,  and  were 
given  every  opportunity  of  witnessing  the  growth  of  California  as 
set  forth  in  the  exhibits  of  the  State  Fair.  Elder  Woodruff  took 
a  great  deal  of  pleasure  in  the  wonderful  showing  of  fine  animals, 
and  witnessed  the  races  with  great  pleasure. 

Continuing  the  description  of  his  visit,  he  said :  "The  Gover- 
nor showed  us  on  this  visit  to  Sacramento  every  attention.  We 
were  escorted  through  the  State  House  that  had  cost  $2,500,000. 
We  went  to  the  top  of  it,  280  feet  high.  On  the  22nd,  a  Sunday, 
we  attended  the  Catholic  Church  and  heard  Father  Calcham 
preach.  His  discourse  was  a  very  good,  practical  sermon.  We  at- 
tended the  Methodist  Sunday  school  in  the  afternoon.  We  en- 
deavored also  to  attend  the  Baptist  Church  in  the  evening,  but  in 
consequence  of  the  street  cars,  which  delayed  us,  we  were  disap- 
pointed in  that  part  of  our  program." 

Apostle  Woodruff  was  painstaking  in  recording  all  that  in- 
terested and  delighted  him  during  this  his  first  visit  to  the  western 
coast.  In  later  life,  he  paid  several  visits  to  California,  and  some- 
thing like  twenty-six  years  from  that  time  laid  down  his  life  on  the 
shore  of  the  Golden  Gate.  He  returned  in  time  to  attend  the 
semi-annual  conference  of  that  year,  and  he  recorded  the  fact  that 
the  mission  of  President  George  A.  Smith  and  others  to  the  Holy 
Land  was  considered  at  this  time.  The  purpose  of  the  mission  was 
to  dedicate  the  land  of  Palestine  again  for  the  return  of  Judah  and 
of  the  Twelve  Tribes. 

The  close  of  the  year  1872  and  the  first  of  the  year  1873 
again  found  Elder  Woodruff  at  his  home  in  Randolph.  He  and  his 
wife,  Sarah,  her  children,  and  his  son,  Wilford  and  family,  were 
among  the  earliest  pioneers  of  Rich  County.  New  Year's  day 
1873,  found  him  busily  engaged  in  putting  floors  in  his  house. 
That  part  of  the  state  is  a  higher  altitude,  and  being  located  well 
to  the  north,  the  climate  there  is  more  severe  than  in  Salt  Lake 


480  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

Valley.  Notwithstanding  he  was  now  sixty-five  years  of  age,  he 
faced  the  storms  and  severe  winds  and  flying  snow  with  as  much 
pluck  as  a  man  of  twenty-five.  At  intervals  he  enjoyed  a  hunt 
very  much,  from  which  he  rarely  ever  returned  empty-handed. 

He  spoke  in  the  journal  at  this  time  of  the  special  interest  he 
felt  in  the  Deseret  News  as  a  medium  of  instruction  and  of  correct 
information  to  the  Latter-day  Saints.  He  felt  that  it  was  a  proper 
guide  to  the  people,  if  well  edited,  and  would  keep  them  in  har- 
mony with  the  elders.  At  one  time  he  was  appointed  editor  of  the 
News,  but  being  overburdened,  he  could  not  do  justice  to  the  call 
and  was  honorably  released. 

After  his  return  to  Salt  Lake  City  on  the  3rd  of  February 
that  year,  he,  with  others,  started  on  a  visit  to  Cache  Valley  by  the 
Utah  Central  and  Utah  Northern  Railroads.  Although  two  engines 
were  used  to  draw  the  one  car  in  which  the  party  rode,  they  were 
unable  to  plow  their  way  through  the  snow-drifts,  through  Box 
Elder  and  Cache. 

February  23rd  found  him  again  in  Salt  Lake  City,  where  he 
attended  the  funeral  of  William  Pitt,  a  man  who  had  received  the 
gospel  from  his  teachings  in  Herefordshire,  in  the  year  1840.  His 
funeral  was  attended  by  hundreds  of  people  and  there  were  several 
bands  of  music  in  attendance.  Elder  Woodruff  was  one  of  the 
speakers  on  that  occasion.  He  mentions  a  peculiar  circumstance 
which  took  place  at  that  time.  Brother  William  Player,  then 
eighty  years  old,  was  one  of  the  pall-bearers.  The  handle  broke  in 
his  hand,  and  turning  aside  he  leaned  up  against  a  post.  His  son, 
who  was  anxious  about  his  father's  condition,  went  immediately  to 
his  assistance,  and  when  asked  what  the  trouble  was,  said :  "My 
breath  has  given  out,  but  I  would  like  to  follow  my  old  friend  to 
the  grave,  for  I  shall  soon  be  in  a  similar  condition  myself.  I 
wonder  if  as  many  will  attend  my  funeral  when  I  die  ?"  The  father 
was  taken  home  in  a  wagon,  and  in  about  four  hours  was  dead. 
Elder  Woodruff  also  preached  at  his  funeral. 

On  the  4th  of  March  he  gave  an  account  of  a  visit  of  Thomas 
L.  Kane  and  wife  to  Utah ;  and  on  that  day,  with  President  Young 
and  party,  he  accompanied  this  old-time  friend  and  wife  as  far  as 
Ogden  on  their  return  home  to  the  East.  Colonel  Kane  had  done 
much  to  defend  the  Latter-day  Saints  against  their  foes  and  to  al- 
leviate their  sufferings  in  times  of  trial.  Colonel  Kane  was  also 


THE  YEARS    1872-74.  481 

pleased  at  that  time  at  the  failure  of  Congress  to  pass  bills  affect- 
ing the  Latter-day  Saints. 

At  a  conference  of  the  Sunday  school  children  in  the  old  Tab- 
ernacle, on  the  30th  of  March,  Elder  Woodruff  reported  President 
Young  as  saying,  "I  thought  while  I  was  looking  at  the  school 
children  to-day  that  I  should  see  a  larger  assembly  of  them  in  the 
spirit  world,  and  I  wondered  if  there  I  should  see  as  large  a  per- 
centage of  grown  people  with  them,  that  is,  of  teachers  to  direct 
their  minds  there  as  they  are  doing  here.  Joseph,  the  Prophet,  told 
me  that  the  Garden  of  Eden  was  in  Jackson  County,  Missouri. 
When  Adam  was  driven  out  he  went  to  the  place  we  now  call 
Adam-ondi-Ahman,  Daviess  County,  Missouri.  There  he  built  an 
altar  and  offered  sacrifices." 

At  the  April  conference  President  Young  chose  five  addi- 
tional counselors  because  of  the  heavy  labors  devolving  upon  him. 
These  were  Lorenzo  Snow,  George  Q.  Cannon,  Brigham  Young, 
Jr.,  Albert  Carrington,  and  John  W.  Young.  President  George 
A.  Smith  at  that  time  was  made  trustee-in-trust  with  twelve  other 
brethren  as  his  assistants. 

On  the  12th  of  May  twelve  high  counselors  were  selected  for 
the  Salt  Lake  Stake  of  Zion,  and  about  that  time  William  Hyde, 
William  Budge,  Elias  Smith,  and  fifty  others  were  selected  to  re- 
ceive ordination  to  the  office  of  patriarch. 

June  1st  he  visited  Provo  in  company  with  President  Young. 
The  latter,  in  speaking  there  of  another  temple,  said  that  he  had 
once  asked  the  Lord  what  kind  of  temple  we  should  build.  The 
answer  was  that  He  did  not  make  any  two  things  alike,  and  we 
need  not  build  two  temples  alike.  On  the  18th  of  the  same  month 
he  went  as  far  east  as  Evanston  to  meet  George  A.  Smith  and  his 
party  on  their  return  from  Palestine.  The  description  of  that 
country  greatly  interested  Apostle  Woodruff,  whose  familiarity 
with  the  Scriptures  made  those  ancient  scenes  of  prophets  and 
apostles  very  sacred  to  him. 

On  the  9th  and  10th  of  August  meetings  were  held  in  the  new 
Tabernacle,  where  President  Young,  Elder  Woodruff  said,  chided 
the  Saints  for  the  too  frequent  claim  on  their  part  for  the  sacri- 
fices which  they  made  for  the  gospel's  sake.  Instead  of  making- 
sacrifices,  he  said,  they  were  only  exchanging  dross  for  gold. 
Apostle  Joseph  F.  Smith  at  the  time  further  remarked  on  the  same 

32 


482  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

subject  that  it  was  almost  a  libel  on  the  Lord  the  way  some  people 
talked  about  making  sacrifices  for  the  gospel's  sake.  He  then 
pointed  out  to  them  the  blessings  they  had  received  temporally, 
spiritually,  and  socially.  Their  circumstances  were  in  every  way 
more  favorable  than  those  which  surrounded  them  in  the  land  they 
had  left. 

About  this  time  a  party  of  editors  from  the  East  came  to  Salt 
Lake  City,  and  in  August  Elder  Woodruff  escorted  them  to  places 
of  interest,  including  the  Temple  Quarry,  at  Granite,  and  Provo. 
The  party  also  visited  Lehi,  American  Fork  Canyon,  and  on  their 
return  to  Salt  Lake  City  a  feast  was  given  them  and  they  were 
treated  in  a  most  hospitable  manner. 

Elder  Woodruff  recorded  in  his  journal  that  on  the  25th  of 
September,  1873,  he  was  stricken  apparently  with  paralysis ;  his 
condition  was  alarming  to  both  himself  and  members  of  his  fam- 
ily. To  him  it  seemed  that  he  could  live  but  a  short  time.  "A 
strange  feeling  came  over  me,  I  turned  out  my  horses  and  went  to 
bed.  I  felt  as  though  I  was  stricken  with  death  and  should  live 
but  a  short  time.  My  blood,  spirit,  and  life  all  seemed  to  be  leav- 
ing my  limbs,  and  death  to  be  closing  around  my  heart  and  vitals. 
I  sent  for  my  wife,  Phoebe,  and  Brother  George  Q.  Cannon.  I 
also  sent  for  my  neighbor,  Brother  William  Wagstaff,  who  came 
and  administered  to  me.  I  suppose  he  came  quickly,  but  it  seemed 
to  me  it  was  an  hour  before  he  reached  the  bedside.  When  he 
came  I  felt  as  though  I  was  about  to  give  up  the  ghost.  He  laid 
his  hands  upon  me  and  rebuked  the  affliction  and  I  was  instantly 
liberated.  Soon,  Mrs,  Woodruff,  George  Q.  Cannon,  and  Brig- 
ham  Young,  Jr.,  arrived.  These  brethren  also  blessed  me,  and 
returned  home."  For  a  time  his  limbs  were  affected  with  numb- 
ness and  he  was  generally  feeble ;  however,  he  lived,  subsequent  to 
this,  twenty-five  years  and  three  days.  Speaking  of  his  condition 
at  the  time  he  wrote:  "I  feel  the  effects  of  the  paralytic  stroke, 
and  unless  there  is  a  change  in  me,  my  journal  writing  in  this 
life  is  about  done ;  but  should  I  not  live  to  finish  my  biography,  it 
is  my  desire  that  the  historians  of  the  Church  or  some  friends  do 
it  for  me." 

It  was  only  a  short  time  after  this  that  he  found  himself  again 
active  in  his  ministerial  duties.  On  the  14th  of  October  he  visited 
Provo,  where  he  took  part  in  the  dedication  of  the  Utah  County 


THE  YEARS    1872-74. 


483 


Court  House.  It  was  an  occasion  of  special  public  interest  and  at- 
tended by  prominent  men  in  the  County  as  well  as  in  the  Territory. 
Elder  Woodruff  mentioned  the  visit  of  a  distinguished  Scotch  earl 
who  subsequently  became  Lord  Rosebery,  at  one  time  Prime  Min- 
ister of  England.  "He  was  a  young  man  then,  quite  unassuming, 
free,  easy  and  sociable,"  said  Elder  Woodruff.  He  had  come  from 
England  to  Salt  Lake  City  to  see  President  Young  and  the  Lat- 
ter-day Saints.  The  young  earl  conversed  about  an  hour  with 
the  Church  leaders  and  after  taking  supper  with  them  went  to 
the  ball  in  President  Young's  party.  The  next  day  the  party  vis- 
ited the  seminary,  factory,  Z.  C.  M.  I.,  and  other  places  of  interest 
about  the  town. 

President  Woodruff  was  again  taken  to  Provo  on  the  25th  of 
November  to  celebrate  with  the  citizens  there  the  beginning  of  the 
Utah  Southern  Railroad.  It  was  perhaps  the  greatest  assemblage 
of  people  the  town  had  ever  known.  The  progress  of  the  railroad 
was  always  a  source  of  special  pride  to  Elder  Woodruff,  who  re- 
alized how  much  the  development  of  the  Territory  depended  upon 
improved  means  of  transportation. 

It  was  a  practice  of  Elder  Woodruff  to  record  the  death  of  his 
friends,  especially  those  who  had  been  devoted  to  the  cause  which 
he  represented  and  who  were  faithful  to  the  end.  He  gives  in  a 
general  way  the  characters  of  the  men  and  the  work  they  per- 
formed, when  he  pays  tribute  to  them  at  the  time  of  their  death. 
On  the  2nd  of  March  he  made  special  record  of  the  death  of 
Bishop  William  Hyde  of  Hyde  Park,  Cache  County.  Bishop 
Hyde  was  a  brother  of  his  old  missionary  friend,  Heman  Hyde. 
William,  he  speaks  of  as  a  member  of  the  Mormon  Battalion  and 
refers  to  him  as  a  leading  spirit  in  building  up  Cache  Valley ;  men- 
tions the  fact  that  he  was  probate  judge  and  prominent  in  the  Ter- 
ritorial militia.  He  also  mentions  on  the  llth  of  April,  1874,  the 
death  of  an  old  associate,  Robert  L.  Campbell,  a  man,  in  his  esti- 
mation, who  was  tried  and  true.  A  summary  from  his  journal 
of  many  of  the  grand  characters  in  Church  history,  who  bore  the 
burden  in  the  heat  of  the  day,  would  be  interesting  were  it  not 
beyond  the  scope  of  this  biography.  Elder  Woodruff  had  a  high 
sense  of  appreciation  for  those  honored  Saints  of  God,  who  were 
true  to  themselves  and  true  to  the  Church. 

Conference  of  that  year  was  postponed  until  May  7th,  in  con- 


484 


WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 


sequence  of  the  prolonged  stay  of  President  Young  that  winter  in 
St.  George.  On  his  return,  President  Young  gave  out  as  a  key- 
note of  the  conference,  the  subject  of  the  United  Order,  a  subject 
that  had  evidently  weighed  upon  his  mind  during  that  winter. 
When  free  from  all  strife,  from  his  struggles  and  contentions,  he 
enjoyed  the  communion  of  the  spirit,  which  opened  to  him  the 
great  duty  that  rested  upon  the  Saints  to  put  in  operation  God's 
purposes  with  regard  to  the  United  Order,  by  the  consecration  of 
the  private  wealth  to  the  common  good  of  the  people.  The  under- 
lying principle  of  the  United  Order  was  that  there  should  be  no 
rich  and  no  poor,  that  men's  talents  should  be  used  for  the  com- 
mon good,  and  that  selfish  interests  should  make  way  for  a  more 
benevolent  and  generous  spirit  among  the  Saints. 

Wilford  Woodruff,  before  closing  his  biography  for  the  year 
1874,  recorded  one  of  those  accidents  with  which  his  life  was  pecul- 
iarly beset.  He  fell  from  a  tree,  a  distance  of  about  ten  feet,  and 
was  quite  seriously  hurt,  especially  in  his  side  and  hip.  One 
naturally  wonders  what  a  man  at  his  time  of  life  was  doing  up  a 
tree.  In  the  first  place,  with  Elder  Woodruff  it  was  never  a  ques- 
tion of  age  when  he  saw  something  he  thought  ought  to  be  done, 
provided  it  was  possible  for  him  to  do  it.  He  was  everywhere.  It 
never  required  any  length  of  time  for  him  to  change  his  surround- 
ings or  labors,  he  was  ready  for  any  emergency  at  any  time.  If 
he  saw  a  limb  in  the  top  of  an  apple  tree  that  should  be  sawed  off; 
the  thought  barely  took  possession  of  him  before  he  was  in  the 
top  of  the  tree,  and  it  was  always  hard  for  him  to  ask  anybody  else 
to  do  a  thing  that  he  could  do  himself. 


CHAPTER  45. 

ST.   GEORGE  TEMPLE  DEDICATED. 

Visit  to  Randolph. — Governor  Axtell. — Visit  of  President  Grant. — 
Vis't  of  Dom  Pedro,  Emperor  of  Brazil. — Dedication  of  St.  George 
Temple. — A  Grand  Birthday  Celebration. 

On  January  6th,  1875,  Elder  Woodruff  accompanied  by  his 
son-in-law,  Jesse  Moses,  left  for  Randolph,  Rich  County.  Al- 
though the  winter  there  was  very  cold  he  hauled  wood  from  the 
mountains  for  the  use  of  his  family.  He  records  that  on  the  17th 
of  the  month  three  men,  while  on  their  way  from  Evanston  to 
Woodruff,  had  their  feet  badly  frozen.  With  Bishop  Lee  he  went 
to  visit  them  and  did  all  he  could  to  save  the  unfortunate  per- 
sons from  the  necessity  of  having  their  feet  amputated.  While 
in  that  section  of  the  country  he  visited  the  Saints  in  Bear  Lake 
as  far  north  as  Paris.  On  his  return  to  Salt  Lake  City  he  met 
on  the  train,  and  became  acquainted  with  the  new  Governor  of 
Utah,  Samuel  B.  Axtell.  "I  was  much  pleased  with  his  sentiment 
and  spirit,"  writes  Elc1er  Woodruff  in  his  journal.  Axtell  was  so 
honest  and  fair  with  all  parties  that  the  anti-Mormon  element, 
whose  tool  he  refused  to  become,  by  their  opposition  succeeded 
in  obtaining  his  removal  in  about  one  month  after  he  reached 
Utah.  He  was  tr^ri  made  Governor  of  one  of  the  southern  ter- 
ritories. While  in  (Jtah,  he  spoke  one  night  in  the  Liberal  Insti- 
tute, and  related  some  of  the  iron-clad  laws  of  the  Medes  and 
Persians.  "God  grant,"  he  said,  "that  such  a  rule  may  never  come 
to  Utah."  He  was  a  man  of  good  education  and  of  refinement, 
and  was  fairly  opposed  to  the  corrupt  methods  of  Judge  McKean, 
as  well  as  to  those  of  other  Federal  officials. 

On  the  19th  of  February  he  went  to  York,  terminus  of  the 
Utah  Southern,  where  he  met  President  Young  and  George  A. 
Smith  on  their  return  from  St.  George.  On  the  anniversary  of 
Washington's  birthday,  February  22,  that  year,  he  records  the 
fact  that  he  sealed  for  time  and  eternity  the  first  Lamanite  re- 
ceiving the  celestial  marriage  ceremony  in  this  dispensation. 

It  was  during  this  year  that  President  Young  was  subjected 


486  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 


by  Judge  McKean  to  the  latter's  court  indignities  in  consequence 
of  Ann  Eliza's  divorce  suit;  and  on  the  eleventh  day  of  March, 
1875,  President  Young  was  sent  to  the  penitentiary  for  contempt 
of  court  for  one  day  because  of  his  refusal  to  pay  her  alimony. 
Elder  Woodruff  went  to  the  penitentiary  with  President  Young 
and  asked  the  privilege  of  spending  the  night  with  him,  but  was 
denied  his  request.  However,  D.  H.  Wells  and  Doctor  S.  B. 
Young  were  allowed  to  remain  with  the  President.  'This  was  the 
first  time,"  says  Elder  Woodruff,  "that  President  Young  was 
ever  confined  in  prison  by  order  of  any  court."  A  few  days  later, 
March  17th,  word  came  that  Judge  McKean  had  been  removed 
and  his  successor  appointed.  "Glory  Hallelujah,  the  Lord  has 
answered  our  prayers  and  Judge  McKean  is  removed  out  of  his 
place!"  Elder  Woodruff  wrote.  Some  time  before  this  Elder 
Woodruff  had  written  in  his  journal  a  prophecy  of  his  in  the 
name  of  the  Lord,  that  Judge  McKean  would  have  his  downfall 
and  his  disgrace.  His  words  were  literally  fulfilled ;  the  Judge 
became  almost  a  cipher  in  the  community.  His  health  was  shat- 
tered and  he  died  of  typhoid  fever  a  little  less  than  four  years  later 
in  Salt  Lake  City.  There  is,  perhaps,  no  more  interesting  study  in 
Mormonism  than  the  fate  of  those  who  have  been  conspicuous 
in  the  oppression  of  the  Saints.  Since  the  days  of  Joseph  Smith 
men  have  sought  popularity  and  honors  by  their  bigoted  efforts  to 
solve  the  Mormon  problem.  To  one  of  these  so-called  reformers 
has  come  obscurity,  to  another  misfortune,  to  another  disgrace, 
some  have  been  handed  over  to  the  bufferings  of  Satan,  and  others 
have  died  in  obscurity  and  unmourned. 

Going  back  in  the  early  history  of  the  Church  we  find  such 
names  as  Boggs,  Hinckle,  Bennett,  Law,  Foster.  They  are  re- 
membered only  in  association  with  Church  history.  To  more 
than  three  hundred  thousand  people  they  have  become  a  hiss  and 
a  by-word.  Those  not  of  the  Mormon  faith  have  no  reason  as 
they  have  no  desire  to  do  them  honor.  They  are  therefore  left 
to  the  judgment  of  the  Mormon  people. 

On  the  6th  of  April,  conference  convened  in  the  midst  of  a 
heavy  snow-storm.  The  Church  had  grown  from  its  membership 
of  six  to  something  like  one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  souls. 
This  conference  was  full  of  interest  and  lasted  six  days.  At  one 
of  these  sessions  a  Hawaiian  brother  spoke.  After  conference 


ST.  GEORGE  TEMPLE  DEDICATED.       487 

Elder  Woodruff  and  Erastus  Snow  went  to  Provo,  where  they 
held  meetings  and  visited  Provo  Woolen  Mills. 

On  his  return  from  Provo  he  took  up  his  work  again  on  the 
farm  ;and  on  the  31st  of  May  he  recorded  the  return  of  his  brother, 
Azmon,  and  wife  to  the  body  of  the  Church.  The  two  brothers  had 
not  met  for  thirty-eight  years,  they  therefore  hardly  knew  each  oth- 
er. The  light  so  long  dimmed  within  him  left  "him  blind  to  the 
most  important  progress  of  the  Church ;  although  he  had  returned 
to  the  fold,  there  was  a  striking  difference  in  the  character  of  the 
two  brothers.  However,  Wilford  Woodruff  was  happy  to  receive 
Azmon  and  cheerfully  assisted  him  in  building  a  house  in  his 
own  field,  where  now,  Waterloo  is  located.  In  his  journal  of  June 
25th  that  year  he  wrote,  that  with  Orson  Pratt,  Charles  C.  Rich, 
and  Albert  Carrington  he  assisted  in  laying  the  corner-stone  of  the 
new  Z.  C.  M.  I.  building,  and  offered  the  dedicatory  prayer.  The 
co-operative  movement,  then  inaugurated  throughout  the  Church, 
received  a  great  impetus  from  the  establishment  of  this  wholesale 
mercantile  house,  which  has  given  a  large  measure  of  stability  to 
all  the  mercantile  institutions  of  the  state. 

On  the  10th  of  July  he  went  to  Ogden  and  escorted  some 
seventy  eastern  editors  to  Salt  Lake  City.  Elder  Woodruff's  fre- 
quent selection  by  President  Young  to  receive  the  strangers  was 
largely  due  to  the  fact  that  he  was  a  man  of  social  instincts  and 
friendly  feelings  towards  all.  Again,  he  was  so  sincere  and  so 
devoted  to  his  faith  that  his  words  always  created  a  strong  im- 
pression of  his  integrity.  Strangers  liked  him.  There  was  noth- 
ing affected  in  his  demeanor,  or  unnatural  in  his  address. 

The  party  on  this  occasion  was  escorted  to  the  Tabernacle, 
where  about  three  thousand  children  were  assembled  in  a  singing 
practice,  preparatory  to  Pioneer  Day  of  that  year.  He  also  es- 
corted the  editors  to  Clinton's  Hotel  on  Salt  Lake.  Here  a  steam- 
boat ride  was  given  them. 

On  the  13th  of  July,  in  the  evening,  according  to  his  journal, 
there  was  a  priesthood  meeting  held  in  the  old  Tabernacle,  where 
the  subject  of  renewing  covenants  by  baptism  was  discussed.  The 
whole  assembly  voted  to  renew  their  covenants,  and  later  the 
Presidency,  the  Twelve,  the  Seventies,  and  the  Presiding  Bishop- 
ric were  baptized  and  entered  into  a  special  covenant  to  observe 
the  rules  of  the  United  Order.  Among  them  was  this :  "We  will 


488  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

sustain  home  industry  and  patronize  our  brethren  who  are  in  the 
Order,  as  far  as  possible."  This  movement  became  general 
throughout  the  Church. 

On  the  24th  of  the  month  there  was  a  celebration  in  which 
twelve  thousand  people,  mostly  children,  took  part  in  the  Taber- 
nacle. "It  was  the  grandest  sight  I  ever  witnessed  in  my  life. 
The  Tabernacle  was  adorned  with  one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand 
artificial  flowers,  and  roses  strung  upon  some  three  miles  of  cord. 
Mr.  McCornick,  late  member  of  Congress,  and  wife,  and  other 
strangers  were  present.  They  were  much  astonished  at  what  they 
saw."  The  Saturday  and  Sunday  following,  Elder  Woodruff  vis- 
ited Provo,  where  a  two  days  conference  was  held.  At  that  time, 
August  1st,  L.  John  Nuttall  was  ordained  the  bishop  of  Kanab; 
George  Halliday-,  bishop  of  Santaquin ;  Harvey  H.  duff,  of  the 
fourth  ward,  Provo;  and  John  B.  Maiben,  of  Manti,  Sanpete. 

On  September  1st,  1875,  Elder  Woodruff  recorded  at  some 
length  the  death  of  President  George  A.  Smith.  Concerning  this 
counselor  of  President  Young,  Elder  Woodruff,  in  his  journal, 
wrote :  "Time  and  death  are  thinning  the  ranks  of  the  First 
Presidency,  and  the  Twelve  Apostles,  and  first  elders  of  the 
Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints.  No  man  has  ever 
lived  in  this  Church  who  has  left  a  cleaner  and  brighter  record 
for  both  time  and  eternity  than  the  Apostle  George  A.  Smith.  No 
man  has  been  more  diligent,  virtuous  or  valiant  in  the  testimony 
of  Jesus  Christ  than  he  has  been.  He  was  an  apostle  foreordained 
before  the  foundation  of  the  world  to  come  forth  in  the  last  dis- 
pensation and  fullness  of  times.  He  has  well  and  faithfully  filled 
his  mission.  He  drew  the  first  load  of  stone  for  the  erection  of 
the  first  Temple  ever  built  by  command  of  God  in  the  last  days, 
the  one  in  Kirtland,  Ohio.  In  all  the  trials  of  life,  like  Caleb  and 
Joshua,  he  never  murmured,  he  labored  diligently  to  build  up  the 
work  of  the  Lord  to  the  day  of  his  death.  We  were  together 
in  Zion's  Camp ;  we  traveled  together  on  missions  in  the  United 
States;  we  were  ordained  apostles  on  the  same  occasion  on  the 
corner-stone  of  the  temple  in  Far  West,  Caldwell  County,  Mis- 
souri, in  1839.  We  traveled  together  in  England,  built  up  a 
church  in  London  with  Brother  Heber  C.  Kimball.  We  returned 
together  in  the  same  ship,  sleeping  in  the  same  berth.  We  have 
labored  together  for  fifteen  years  as  historians  of  the  Church  in 


ST.  GEORGE  TElMPLE  DEDICATED.  489 

the  same  office.  For  many  years  we  labored  as  members  of  the 
legislature.  I  can  bear  testimony  that  in  all  these  labors  and  as- 
sociations with  Brother  George  A.  Smith,  under  all  these  cir- 
cumstances, an  unpleasant  word  never  passed  between  us." 

On  the  3rd  of  October  that  year  he  wrote :  "President  Grant 
is  expected  in  this  city,  at  10  a.  m.  to-day.  The  city  council  ap- 
pointed a  committee  to  meet  him.  President  Young  and  several 
of  the  Twelve  Apostles  went  to  Ogden  in  President  Young's 
car  to  meet  President  Grant.  Governor  Emery  and  several  non- 
Mormons  went  ahead  as  far  as  Echo  to  meet  the  President.  When 
he  arrived  in  Ogden  the  Utah  Central  Engine  was  attached  to 
President  Grant's  cars.  At  this  place  President  Young  was  in- 
troduced to  President  Grant  by  George  Q.  Cannon.  As  they  shook 
hands  Brigham  Young  said:  'President  Grant,  this  is  the  first 
time  in  my  life  that  I  ever  had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  a  President 
of  the  United  States  and  of  shaking  hands  with  him.' ''  This  was 
also  the  first  time  Apostle  Woodruff  had  ever  seen  a  President  of 
the  United  States. 

"Upon  reaching  Salt  Lake  City,  the  distinguished  visitors 
were  taken  to  the  Walker  House.  Thousands  of  people  lined  the 
streets.  Among  them  were  several  thousands  of  children.  As 
they  rode  up  the  street,  President  Grant  said  to  Governor  Emery : 
'Whose  children  are  these?'  The  Governor  replied:  'They  are 
Mormon  children.'  The  President,  in  a  tone  of  serious  medita- 
tion, said :  'Then  I  have  been  deceived  respecting  these  people.' 
On  the  4th  President  Grant,  wife,  and  son  visitd  the  Temple 
Block  where  they  went  through  the  Tabernacle.  Mrs.  Grant  and 
son  remained  in  the  building  and  listened  to  the  organ  while  Presi- 
dent Grant  rode  on  to  the  hill  above  the  City  where  he  could 
view  the  valley.  While  the  organ  was  playing,  Mrs.  Grant  prayed 
for  the  people." 

At  the  October  conference  that  year,  President  Young  pre- 
sented in  printed  form  his  sermon  on  the  resurrection,  which  was 
read  by  Elder  George  Q.  Cannon.  On  the  9th  of  the  month  Elder 
Taylor  offered  the  dedicatory  prayer  for  the  new  Tabernacle. 
On  the  evening  of  that  day  twenty-five  hundred  men  bearing  the 
priesthood  met  in  the  old  Tabernacle,  where  there  was  read  to 
them  the  rules  of  the  United  Order.  On  this  occasion  Elder 
Woodruff  in  his  talk  to  the  priesthood  said:  "I  see  in  my  mind's 


490  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

eye  forty  thousand  men  in  these  mountains  bearing  the  Holy 
Priesthood,  foreordained  to  come  forth  in  this  dispensation.  Then 
I  see  in  the  vision  of  my  mind's  eye  forty  million  devils  gathered 
to  make  war  against  these  forty  thousand  priests  of  the  Lord. 
We  have  many  bishops  and  elders  who  have  but  one  wife.  They 
are  abundantly  qualified  to  enter  the  higher  law  and  take 
more,  but  their  wives  will  not  let  them.  Any  man  who  will  per- 
mit a  woman  to  lead  him  and  bind  him  down  is  but  little  account 
in  the  Church  and  Kingdom  of  God.  The  law  of  Patriarchal 
marriage  and  plurality  of  wives  is  a  revelation  and  commandment 
of  God  to  us,  and  we  should  obey  it ;  but  one  says,  'If  you  do  Judge 
McKean  will  be  after  you.'  What  has  given  us  a  future  in  these 
Valleys  of  the  Mountains  ?  It  is  because  we  have  obeyed  this  part 
of  the  Celestial  Law  of  God." 

On  the  llth  of  October  Elder  Woodruff  assisted  in  setting 
upart  seventy-five  missionaries.  At  that  time  eleven  Lamanites 
ivere  ordained  to  the  priesthood.  Closing  his  journal  for  that 
year,  he  said :  "The  future  is  before  us  and  great  events  await  us 
in  this  generation.  The  redemption  and  establishment  of  Zion, 
die  fall  of  Babylon,  the  gathering  of  Judea  and  all  the  tribes  of 
Israel,  and  the  second  coming  of  Christ,  are  all  near  at  hand. 

''This  is  the  commencement  of  the  Centennial  year  of  the 
American  Independence.  One  hundred  years  ago  the  nation  was 
composed  of  an  honest,  industrious,  Christian  people,  and  the  chief 
men  of  the  nation  were  poor,  honest  statesmen,  who  lived  to  pro- 
mote the  welfare  of  the  whole  people.  They  established  a  con- 
stitution and  laws,  which  were  a  glorious  legacy  to  their  descend- 
ants. By  January  1st,  1876,  a  great  change  has  come  over  the 
\merican  government.  To  a  great  extent,  virtue  has  departed  from 
the  land,  and  honesty  has  been  driven  from  the  various  depart- 
ments of  government.  Men  seek  office  to  aggrandize  themselves 
rather  than  to  serve  the  interests  of  the  people.  Death  and  de- 
struction are  sown  in  the  land  which  is  ripening  for  the  harvest." 

On  the  22nd  of  April,  Emperor  Dom  Pedro  of  Brazil  arrived 
in  Salt  Lake  City.  He  was  the  first  emperor  to  visit  the  Saints. 
In  the  evening  he  went  to  the  theatre,  and  on  the  23rd  attended 
a  meeting  in  the  14th  ward  meeting-house,  but  left  before  the 
close  of  the  services  to  take  the  train. 

During  the  summer  of  the  year  1876,  Elder  Woodruff  traveled 


ST.  GEORGE  TEMPLE  DEDICATED.  491 

through  the  various  stakes  of  the  Church.  In  Provo  he  wrote 
that  he  blessed  Father  Samuel  Vincent,  one  hundred  and  one  years 
old,  and  his  wife  ninety-nine.  He  also  assisted  in  blessing  Vienna 
Jacques,  who  is  spoken  of  in  the  Doctrine  and  Covenants.  At  that 
time  she  was  ninety  years  old.  Much  of  the  summer  was  also 
occupied  in  Temple  work,  a  work  in  which  Elder  Woodruff  al- 
ways took  a  supreme  delight,  it  was  so  in  harmony  with  his  spir- 
itual nature. 

In  the  early  part  of  November  that  year,  President  Young  and 
a  large  number  of  elders  of  the  Church  left  for  Saint  George, 
whither  they  went  to  dedicate  the  Temple.  This  was  the  first 
Temple  erected  in  Utah.  During  their  stay  in  Saint  George, 
preparatory  to  the  completion  of  the  Temple,  President  Young 
was  in  poor  health,  as  he  was  nearing  the  last  months  of  his  life. 
The  completion  and  dedication  of  the  House  of  God  in  Saint 
George  was  to  Wilford  Woodruff  a  most  joyful  event.  He  saw 
in  it  opportunities  which  the  Saints  in  earlier  days  had  not  been 
permitted  to  enjoy.  In  later  days  it  became  to  him  a  haven  of 
rest  and  spiritual  strength. 

There  was  perhaps  no  duty  or  labor  in  the  Church  more 
pleasing  to  him  than  the  ordinances  performed  in  the  Temple  of 
God.  Its  completion  was  a  matter  not  only  of  special  pleasure 
but  of  great  pride  to  him.  He  had  looked  forward  to  its  dedi- 
cation and  prepared  his  mind  to  participate,  on  that  solemn  oc- 
casion. He  writes :  "This  is  a  very  important  day  to  the  Church 
and  Kingdom  of  God  on  the  earth.  President  Brigham  Young 
and  members  of  the  Twelve,  with  some  two  thousand  Saints  as- 
sembled within  the  walls  of  the  Temple  in  St.  George  to  dedi- 
cate certain  portions  thereof,  that  we  might  commence  to  admin- 
ister the  ordinances  ordained  of  the  Lord  for  the  salvation  of  the 
living  and  the  dead.  President  Young  was  ill  and  could  not 
stand  upon  his  feet." 

At  12 :  30  on  the  1st  of  January,  1877,  Wilford  Woodruff 
stood  upon  the  upper  step  of  the  font  and  called  the  attention  of 
the  people  to  whom  he  spoke  as  follows :  "We  are  this  day 
blessed  with  the  privilege  which  very  few  since  the  days  of  Adam 
have  enjoyed.  We  assemble  in  a  Temple  built  by  the  command- 
ment of  the  Lord  for  the  salvation  of  the  human  family.  We  have 
met  to  dedicate  certain  portions  of  this  building.  I  realize  that 


492  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

this  assembly  is  too  large  and  too  crowded  to  bow  upon  their 
knees,  but  all  are  asked  to  bow  their  heads  and  hearts  unto  God. 
All  who  are  here  are  Saints,  or  should  be,  for  none  others  ought 
to  be  in  this  holy  Temple.  I  want  the  Saints  assembled  to  repeat 
the  words  in  secret  that  our  prayers  may  ascend  to  the  Lord  of 
Sabbaoth,  that  they  may  be  answered  upon  our  heads." 

Mrs.  Susa  Young  Gates,  daughter  of  President  Young,  was 
requested  to  take  in  short-hand  the  proceedings  of  the  dedi- 
cation. The  room  was  so  thickly  packed  that  there  was  no  place 
for  a  table.  She,  therefore,  laid  her  book  upon  the  back  of  one 
standing  in  front  of  her  while  she  made  a  stenographic  report  of 
the  proceedings,  which  included  the  dedicatory  prayer  that  was 
offered  by  Apostle  Wilford  Woodruff.  After  placing  in  remem- 
brance before  the  Lord  the  Temple  grounds,  the  building  with  its 
furnishings,  and  the  organization  of  the  Church,  he  concluded  his 
prayer  as  follows  :  "May  the  blessings  of  God  rest  upon  all  the  el- 
ders of  Israel  in  all  the  world.  We  pray  Thee  to  remember  in  mercy 
the  Aaronic  Priesthood,  with  its  bishops,  priests,  teachers,  and  dea- 
cons, who  are  appointed  to  be  standing  ministers  unto  the  Church. 
Bless  their  wives  and  their  children.  Bless,  we  ask  Thee,  Thy 
aged  servant,  Edward  Hunter,  who  is  called  to  preside  over  the 
Bishopric  of  Thy  Church.  Thou  hast  seen  his  labors  and  Thou 
knowest  the  integrity  of  his  heart.  Clothe  him  with  Thy  Holy 
Spirit ;  fill  him  with  the  spirit  of  counsel  and  with  consolation  for 
his  brethren.  Preserve  him  in  the  flesh,  as  long  as  he  shall  desire 
life;  and  when  he  shall  sleep  with  his  fathers,  may  he  rest  in 
peace  and  may  the  works  of  righteousness  follow  him.  Bless  all 
the  organizations  of  Thy  Church  and  Kingdom.  May  Thy 
people  accomplish  the  work  unto  which  they  are  ordained,  build 
up  the  Zion  of  God,  and  prepare  the  earth  for  the  second  coming 
of  the  Son  of  Man.  Bless  the  female  Relief  Society  throughout 
the  land  of  Zion.  May  that  organization  accomplish  fully  the 
object  of  its  organization,  which  was  effected  through  the  Proph- 
et Joseph.  May  the  society  influence  the  daughters  of  Zion  to 
deeds  of  virtue,  .holiness,  righteousness,  and  truth.  May  the 
blessings  of  Sarah,  Huldah,  Hannah,  Anna,  and  Mary,  the  an- 
cient prophetess,  and  of  the  holy  women  rest  upon  them.  O  God 
of  Abraham,  Isaac  and  Jacob,  remember,  we  pray  Thee,  the 
covenants  which  Thou  hast  made  with  all  the  house  of  Israel: 


ST.  GEORGE  TEMPLE  DEDICATED.  493 

remember  them  in  their  abidings  in  these  last  days.  We  pray  that 
in  this  Temple  of  our  Lord  Thou  wilt  make  bare  Thine  arm  in 
the  preservation  and  salvation  of  the  small  remnants  of  the  La- 
manites  that  are  left  in  the  land.  Deliver  them,  we  pray  Thee, 
from  the  hands  of  the  Gentiles  who  are  bringing  about  their  threat- 
ened anihilation  from  off  the  earth.  Inspire  their  hearts  with  Thy 
spirit,  that  they  may  receive  the  Gospel  of  the  Son  of  God,  that 
they  may  be  prepared  to  build  up  Zion,  and  to  fulfill  the  covenants 
and  promises  made  to  them  by  their  forefathers  who  inherited  this 
land.  Remember,  O  Lord,  Thy  covenant  people  in  the  north 
country;  hasten  the  day  when  they  shall  come  in  remembrance 
before  Thee,  when  their  prophets  shall  smite  the  rocks  and  the 
mountains  of  ice  shall  flow  down  before  them.  May  the  highways 
speedily  be  cast  up  in  the  midst  of  the  great  deep,  that  they  may 
come  over  dry  shod.  May  the  everlasting  hills  tremble  at  their 
presence  and  their  enemies  disappear  before  them.  May  they 
come  forth  unto  Zion  and  bow  the  knee,  that  they  may  be  crowned 
under  the  hands  of  Ephraim,  Thy  servant.  We  hold  in  remem- 
brance before  Thee  the  sons  of  Judah ;  wilt  thou  show  unto  them 
mercy,  since  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  has  rested  upon  them  for 
more  than  eighteen  hundred  years.  They  have  been  trampled 
under  foot  of  the  Gentiles  and  have  been  made  a  hiss  and  a  by- 
word in  the  fulfillment  of  the  words  of  Moses,  their  law  giver, 
and  of  Jesus  of  Nazareth.  We  pray  Thee,  O  Thou  great  Eloheim, 
that  their  past  sufferings  may  suffice.  Inspire  their  hearts  to  re- 
turn home  to  Jerusalem,  the  land  of  their  fathers,  and  to  rebuild 
their  city  and  temple.  Prepare  them  for  the  coming  of  Shiloh, 
their  king. 

"O  hear,  O  hear  us  Lord  in  these  our  petitions  and  answer 
us  from  heaven,  Thy  holy  habitation,  and  we  will  ascribe  all 
honor,  glory,  and  thanksgiving  unto  God  and  the  Lamb  both 
now  and  forever,  amen  and  amen." 

After  this  a  dedicatory  hymn,  composed  by  Elder  Charles 
L.  Walker,  was  sung.  The  vast  audience  then  moved  on  to  the 
main  room  above  the  font,  where  a  prayer  of  dedication  was  of- 
fered by  Apostle  Erastus  Snow.  The  sealing  room  was  dedicated  by 
Apostle  Brigham  Youngjr.  In  the  assembly  room  President  Young, 
who  had  been  carried  from  one  apartment  to  another  because  of 
rheumatism,  now  arose  before  the  vast  assembly  and  spoke  in  part 


494  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

as  follows :  "I  cannot  consent  in  my  feelings  to  retire  from  this 
house  without  speaking  to  this  people.  Perhaps  it  would  not  be 
prudent  to  say  all  I  have  it  in  my  heart  to  say  to  those  assembled. 
I  will  say  a  few  encouraging  things  to  the  Latter-day  Saints. 
We  are  enjoying  to-day  a  privilege  which  but  few  have  enjoyed 
since  the  days  of  Adam.  Solomon  built  a  temple  for  the  perfor- 
mance of  certain  ordinances,  but  through  apostasy  little  was  ac- 
complished therein.  I  will  not  say  that  Enoch  had  not  temples 
in  which  he  officiated.  His  people  became  so  perfect  that  the  Lord 
took  them  to  another  place  that  removed  them  from  the  presence 
of  the  wicked. 

'The  Latter-day  Saints  have  been  laboring  for  over  forty 
years  in  accordance  with  the  revelations  of  the  Lord  to  Joseph 
Smith,  who  was  commanded  to  establish  the  kingdom  by  gather- 
ing the  Saints,  by  building  temples,  by  organizing  the  people  as  a 
heavenly  family  upon  the  earth.  We  built  a  temple  at  Kirtland 
and  one  in  Nauvoo.  Joseph  located  the  site  for  one  in  Jackson 
County  and  for  another  in  Far  West,  Missouri.  From  these  we 
were  driven  by  ruthless  mobs ;  now  we  have  a  Temple  which  will 
be  completely  finished  in  a  few  days.  There  is  enough  now  com- 
pleted to  commence  work.  Those  who  can  see  the  spiritual  at- 
mosphere can  see  that  many  are  still  glued  to  the  earth.  They 
are  lusting  and  longing  for  the  things  of  this  world,  in  which 
there  is  no  profit.  While  we  ought  to  look  after  temporal  things, 
we  should  devote  them  all  to  the  Kingdom  of  God.  Where  are 
the  hearts  of  this  people ;  where  are  their  forefathers  ?  What  are 
they  doing  for  their  own  salvation  and  for  that  of  their  fore- 
fathers? If  we  were  awake  to  this  great  truth,  this  house  would 
be  crowded  from  Monday  morning  until  Saturday  night.  This 
Temple  has  been  built  in  a  warm  climate,  where  the  people,  includ- 
ing the  Lamanites,  can  come  in  the  winter  and  labor  for  their  sal- 
vation and  that  of  their  progenitors.  What  do  you  suppose  the 
fathers  would  say  if  they  could  speak  from  the  dead?  Would 
they  not  say :  'We  have  lain  here  thousands  of  years  in  this  pris- 
on house,  bound  and  fettered  in  the  association  of  the  filthy  and 
corrupt.'  If  they  had  the  power  the  very  thunders  of  heaven 
would  resound  in  our  ears.  All  the  angels  in  heaven  are  looking 
to  this  little  handful  of  people.  When  I  think  upon  this  subject 


ST.  GEORGE  TEMPLE  DEDICATED.      495 

I  want  the  tongue  of  seven  thunders  to  awaken  the  people  to  ac- 
tion. When  we  closed  the  Endowment  House  many  of  the  people 
of  the  north  came  to  us  crying.  They  begged  the  privilege  to  be 
baptized  for  their  dead.  They  can  now  come  here,  do  the  work 
and  bid  the  prisoners  go  free.  I  shall  never  be  satisfied  until 
Satan  is  conquered  and  driven  from  the  face  of  the  earth."  When 
he  made  this  last  remark,  he  struck  the  pulpit  with  a  hickory  cane 
and  drove  the  knots  of  it  into  the  wood.  The  indentations  of  the 
cane  still  remain  upon  the  pulpit. 

Upon  the  close  of  the  dedication,  Wilford  Woodruff  was 
appointed  to  preside  over  the  work  in  the  Temple.  This  appoint- 
ment was  a  most  fitting  one  in  view  of  the  spirit  of  Elijah  which 
had  always  rested  upon  him.  He  worked  for  many  years  in  the 
Endowment  House  in  Salt  Lake.  He  was  familiar  with  the  ordi- 
nances and  instructions  which  belong  to  the  House  of  God.  His 
whole  soul  was  wrapped  up  in  the  temple  work  for  both  the  living 
and  the  dead.  Within  the  walls  of  a  sacred  edifice,  such  as  a 
temple,  he  found  comfort,  joy,  and  consolation.  Such  work  was 
more  important  in  his  mind  than  public  honors,  and  the  station 
and  honors  that  come  from  the  world.  The  first  to  be  baptized 
and  confirmed  in  the  new  Temple  was  Sister  Susa  Young  Gates, 
who  preserved  for  the  pages  of  history  in  stenographic  report  a 
voluminous  record  of  the  dedication. 

The  opening  day,  two  hundred  and  twenty-four  baptisms 
were  performed.  Those  whose  services  as  administrators  in  the 
Temple  were  given,  were  Elders  John  D.  T.  McAllister,  Alonzo 
Raleigh,  and  Henry  W.  Bigler. 

March  1st  of  that  year  witnessed  his  seventieth  anniversary. 
On  that  occasion  one  hundred  and  fifty-four  maidens  and  mothers 
in  Israel  assembled  in  the  Temple  to  receive  endowments  for  the 
dead  female  relatives  of  Wilford  Woodruff.  The  address  de- 
livered to  those  gathered  on  that  occasion  is  given  in  his  journal 
as  follows :  "My  beloved  sisters,  I  present  myself  before  you  this 
morning,  not  only  with  prayer  and  fasting,  but  with  a  heart 
filled  with  praise  and  thanksgiving  to  my  Heavenly  Father,  for 
His  many  mercies  and  for  His  kindness  to  me  this  day.  I  am 
thankful  to  you  also,  my  sisters,  for  a  blessing  of  such  magni- 
tude as  you  are  bestowing  upon  me.  I  do  not  suppose  such  a 


496  WILFORD  WOODRUFF, 

scene  as  this  was  ever  before  enacted  upon  the  earth.  Ever  since 
I  have  been  working  in  this  Temple,  my  mind  has  been  exer- 
cised in  behalf  of  the  dead.  I  have  a  great  desire  to  see  my  dead 
redeemed  before  I  pass  away. 

"A  few  days  ago  I  went  before  the  Lord  in  this  holy  Temple, 
where  I  often  go  to  pray.  There  is  no  more  acceptable  spot  on 
this  earth  to  the  Lord  than  this  Temple.  While  in  humble  prayer, 
with  the  subject  of  temple  ordinances  resting  upon  my  mind, 
I  prayed  the  Lord  to  open  the  way  for  the  redemption  of  my 
dead.  The  spirit  of  the  Lord  rested  upon  me  and  gave  me  the 
following  testimony:  'Let  My  servant  Wilford  call  upon  the 
daughters  and  mothers  in  Zion,  and  let  them  enter  into  My  holy 
Temple  on  the  1st  day  of  March,  the  day  that  My  servant  Wilford 
shall  see  the  time  allotted  to  man,  three  score  years  and  ten. 
There  let  them  receive  their  endowments  for  his  dead  kindred, 
and  this  shall  be  acceptable  unto  me,  saith  the  Lord.  The 
dead  relatives  of  My  servant  shall  be  redeemed  in  the  spirit  world 
and  be  prepared  to  meet  My  servant  at  the  time  of  his  coming, 
which  shall  be  at  the  time  appointed  unto  him,  yet  not  revealed 
to  man  in  the  flesh.  Now,  go  to  and  perform  this  work  and  all 
shall  be  accomplished  according  to  the  desires  of  thy  heart.' 

"This  was  merely  a  key  to  me,  a  light  burst  upon  my  under- 
standing, and  I  saw  an  effectual  door  opened  to  me  for  the  re- 
demption of  my  dead.  When  I  beheld  this  I  felt  like  shouting, 
'Glory  hallelujah  to  God  and  the  Lamb.'  I  did  not  pursue  this 
course,  however,  without  first  making  known  my  testimony  to 
President  Young.  Upon  consulting  him,  he  said  that  my  course 
was  proper ;  what  I  did  was  right ;  and  what  I  received  came  from 
the  Lord.  He  offered  to  provide  several  persons  himself.  In 
the  assembly  on  this  occasion  were  three  of  his  wives  and  five 
of  his  daughters.  I  feel  thankful  to  you,  my  sisters,  for  this  mani- 
festation of  your  kindness  to  me.  Had  you  sought  the  world 
over  you  could  not  have  found  a  birthday  present  so  precious  to 
me  as  this.  If  I  can  redeem  my  dead  and  save  myself  and  family 
I  shall  be  highly  gratified.  I  feel  that  when  we  get  into  the  spirit 
world,  we  shall  see  the  importance  of  this  day.  I  pray  that  we 
may  meet  with  our  kindred  dead  in  the  Celestial  Kingdom  of 
our  God." 


ST.  GEORGE  TEMPLE  DEDICATED.  497 

Late  in  the  afternoon,  at  the  close  of  the  Temple  services, 
Apostle  Woodruff  was  escorted  to  St.  George  Hall,  where  he 
was  greeted  by  the  large .  assembly  of  more  than  one  hundred, 
who  were  to  join  with  him  around  the  tables  spread  with  the 
luxuries  of  life.  The  chief  ornament  of  the  tables  was  a  three 
story  cake  adorned  with  suitable  trimmings.  On  it  were  pieces 
of  satin,  containing  poems  composed  for  the  occasion  by  home 
talent,  Mrs.  A.  Randall,  and  Mrs.  Emily  B.  Spencer. 

Those  were  truly  his  brothers  and  sisters  who  in  common 
with  him  enjoyed  the  spiritual  life  within  the  sacred  precincts  of 
God's  house.  Such  manifestations  of  their  love  and  confidence 
naturally  touched  him  deeply  and  awakened  within  him  the  joys 
and  satisfactions  of  the  sincerest  friendship. 

Henceforth  his  temple  work  took  on  new  pleasures  and 
brighter  hopes.  He  gave  to  the  work  his  undiminished  and  un- 
divided love.  He  felt  the  honor  of  his  new  calling  and  nothing 
that  ever  came  to  him  in  life  gave  him  more  supreme  satisfac- 
tion. 

During  his  life  time  three  other  temples  were  finished,  in  the 
dedication  of  which  he  took  a  leading  part.  As  the  April  con- 
ference of  1877  approached,  he  looked  forward  to  the  occasion  as 
something  out  of  the  usual.  It  was  convened  that  year  in  the  St. 
George  Temple.  There  were  present,  President  Young,  Daniel 
H.  Wells,  John  Taylor,  Wilford  Woodruff,  Charles  C.  Rich,  Eras- 
tus  Snow,  F.  D.  Richards,  and  Brigham  Young,  Jr.  Following 
this  conference  April  6th,  President  Young  left  for  Salt  Lake 
City.  Elder  Woodruff  recorded  in  his  journal  that  this  was  the 
last  time  that  he  and  President  Young  ever  met  in  the  flesh.  They 
had  long  been  closely  associated  in  the  minstry.  They  had  trav- 
eled thousands  of  miles ;  they  had  rejoiced  and  had  suffered  per- 
secution together.  President  Woodruff,  after  the  parting,  con- 
tinued his  labors  in  the  Temple.  President  Young  and  party, 
on  their  way  home,  stopped  at  Manti,  on  the  25th  of  April,  where 
they  dedicated  the  ground  for  another  Temple.  On  the  18th  of 
the  following  month,  ground  in  Logan  was  dedicated  for  a  sim- 
ilar purpose.  There  was  thus  brought,  about  the  fulfillment  of 
God's  purposes  wherein  He  declared,  "I  always  command  My 
people  to  build  a  temple." 


33 


498 


WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 


On  the  first  day  of  June,  that  year,  Brigham  Young  reached 
his  76th  birthday.  Apostle  Woodruff,  in  behalf  of  himself  and  as- 
sociate Temple  workers,  wired  President  Young,  as  follows : 
"Dear  Brother :  All  officiating  in  the  Temple  join  with  me  on 
this  your  76th  birthday,  in  wishing  you  health  and  happiness,  and 
that  you  may  live  to  see  wickedness  swept  from  the  earth  and 
righteousness  triumph.  Wilford  Woodruff." 

President  Young's  response  read  as  follows :  "Salt  Lake 
City,  June  1st,  1877.  Wilford  Woodruff.  My  thanks  and  bless- 
ing for  the  words  of  kindly  greeting  contained  in  your  dispatch. 
I  desire  nothing  more  anxiously  than  to  see  wickedness  swept 
away  and  righteousness  prevail.  My  health  is  good.  I  leave 
at  six  o'clock  for  Provo,  where  we  hold  a  local  conference,  com- 
mencing to-morrow.  May  peace,  abundant  blessings,  and  great 
joy  attend  your  lives  and  labors.  Brigham  Young." 


CHAPTER  46. 
DEATH  OF  BRIGHAM  YOUNG,  AUG.  29,  1877. 

Death  of  His  Son,  Brigham  Young  Woodruff. — Prophetic  Utterances. 
— Baptisms  for  the  Signers  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence. — 
Death  of  Brigham  Young  Changes  His  Plans. — Funeral. — Visit  to 
Logan. — Visit  to  St.  George. — A  Vision. — Old  Folks'  Excursion. — 
Zion's  Board  of  Trade. 

On  the  16th  of  June,  1877,  while  on  a  visit  to  Pine  Valley, 
southern  Utah,  Elder  Woodruff  received  the  sad  news  of  the  death 
of  his  son,  Brigham  Young  Woodruff,  who  was  drowned  in  Bear 
River.  The  young  man  was  in  point  of  spirituality  very  much  like 
his  father,  and  his  devotion,  therefore,  to  the  Church  was  a  matter 
of  both  joy  and  pride  to  Elder  Woodruff,  who  looked  forward  to 
his  son's  labors  in  the  Church  with  great  pleasure.  The  young 
man  was  also  ambitious  in  an  effort  to  obtain  an  education,  and 
devoted  himself  at  home  and  in  the  university  to  diligent  study.  At 
this  time  Elder  Woodruff  had  changed  the  location  of  his  family 
in  Randolph,  Rich  County,  to  Smithfield,  Cache. 

"We  cannot  always  comprehend  the  ways  and  means  of  Prov- 
idence," the  father  said.  "There  is  a  mystery  hanging  over  this  af- 
fair. I  never  saw  a  person  more  anxious  to  obtain  an  education 
than  he,  as  he  often  studied  until  midnight  during  the  past  two 
years.  I  now  feel  calm  and  composed  and  reconciled  in  this  be- 
reavement. I  have  done,  and  am  doing  a  great  deal  of  work  for 
the  dead.  It  may  be  necessary  that  one  of  my  family  be  in  the 
spirit  world  to  labor  among  those  for  whom  we  are  officiating  in 
the  Temple  of  the  Lord." 

Upon  the  return  of  Elder  Woodruff  to  St.  George,  he  re- 
sumed his  work  in  the  Temple  there.  During  this  and  the  imme- 
diate subsequent  years  Elder  Woodruff  devoted  himself  with  great 
diligence  to  the  work  for  the  dead  in  the  Temple  at  St.  George. 
Work-day  parties  were  gotten  up  for  him.  Hundreds  of  people 
gave  him  a  day  or  two  days  or  more  in  the  Temple  in  the  ordi- 
nances for  his  kindred  dead. 

If  it  can  be  truthfully  said  of  any  man  that  he  followed  the 


500  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

injunction  of  the  Savior,  "Seek  ye  first  the  Kingdom  of  God  and 
His  righteousness,  and  all  else  shall  be  added  thereto,"  it  may  be 
truthfully  said  of  Wilford  Woodruff.  In  his  journal  he  wrote  at 
that  time :  "I  have  passed  through  the  whole  history  of  the  Church 
from  the  day  I  embraced  the  gospel  until  now ;  and  after  so  long  a 
time  and  such  experience,  I  wish  to  bear  my  testimony  that  Joseph 
Smith  was  a  Prophet  of  God,  ordained  from  before  the  foundation 
of  the  world  to  come  forth  in  the  last  dispensation  of  the  fullness  of 
times  to  lay  the  foundation  of  the  Church  and  Kingdom  of  God 
on  the  earth,  and  his  life  was  preserved  against  every  foe  by  the 
power  of  God  until  he  accomplished  all  that  his  Maker  ordained 
him  to  do,  then  he  sealed  his  testimony  with  his  blood,  and  that 
testimony  is  in  force  upon  all  the  world. 

"I  am  now  called  to  preside  over  the  only  Temple  there  is  on 
the  earth,  built  for  the  salvation  of  the  living  and  the  dead. 
There  are  but  a  few  of  us  living  who  were  in  Zion's  Camp.  I  will 
here  say  that  God  has  inspired  me  to  keep  a  journal  and  write  the 
history  of  this  Church,  and  I  warn  the  future  historians  to  give 
credence  to  my  history ;  for  my  testimony  is  true,  and  the  truth  of 
its  record  will  be  manifest  in  the  world  to  come.  All  the  words  of 
the  Lord  will  be  fulfilled  upon  the  nations,  which  are  written  in 
this  book.  The  American  nation  will  be  broken  in  pieces  like  a 
potter's  vessel,  and  will  be  cast  down  to  hell  if  it  does  not  repent, 
— and  this,  because  of  murders,  whoredoms,  wickedness,  and  all 
manner  of  abominations,  for  the  Lord  has  spoken  it.  Awake, 
therefore,  O  Zion,  to  the  coming  of  the  Son  of  Man.  Let  the  peo- 
ple sanctify  and  purify  themselves  before  the  Lord,  and  be  pre- 
pared for  the  redemption  of  Zion  and  the  coming  of  the  Son  of 
God,  for  His  coming  is  at  the  door,  and  will  overtake  the  world 
like  a  thief  in  the  night." 

There  is  throughout  the  journal  of  Wilford  Woodruff  that 
continuous  spirit  which  manifests  itself  in  the  revelations  and 
head-dealings  of  God.  His  spirit  is  like  that  of  the  prophets  and 
patriarchs  of  old,  and  what  he  has  written  day  by  day  represents 
the  spirit  of  the  times  and  is  in  response  to  the  needs  of  the  hour. 
He  was  always  in  close  touch  with  the  Prophet  and  was  always  in 
harmony  with  his  divine  calling.  There  may  be  traced  through- 
out the  journal  of  this  remarkable  man  a  certain  devotion  to  those 
fundamental  principles  which  God  revealed  in  the  establishment 


DEATH  OF  BRIGHAM  YOUNG,  1877.  561 

of  the  Church  in  this  dispensation.  These  principles  gave  him  his 
guiding  star,  and  by  them  he  interpreted  the  history  of  the  world 
and  its  destinies.  He  was  not  overtaken  by  vagaries,  and  he  never 
had  a  thought  of  stamping  his  own  personality  on  anything  that  he 
did  or  said.  He  was  always  impressionable  to  the  spirit.  His 
journal,  therefore,  is  a  storehouse  of  beautiful  and  convincing  tes- 
timonies ;  for  his  testimonies  beget  faith  and  lead  to  a  better  and 
more  exalted  life.  Elder  Woodruff  lays  bare  his  spirit  in  his  jour- 
nal day  by  day,  and  it  is  the  same  humble  devoted  childlike  faith 
from  the  first  to  the  last  page. 

Leaving  St.  George,  Elder  Woodruff  made  a  tour  of  the  set- 
tlements in  southern  Utah.  He  celebrated  the  24th  of  July  in  the 
State  House  at  Fillmore.  On  this  tour,  he,  for  the  first  time,  vis- 
ited the  beautiful  Panguitch  Lake.  He  was  a  great  lover  of  scenic 
beauty.  The  work  of  God  was  no  less  precious  to  him  than  the 
word  of  God.  At  that  lake  he  also  enjoyed  the  opportunity  of  his 
favorite  pastime,  fishing  for  trout.  He  was  a  great  fisher  and 
hunter,  both  of  game  and  men. 

After  his  return  to  St.  George  on  the  21st  of  August,  that 
year,  he  was  baptized  for  the  signers  of  the  Declaration  of  Inde- 
pendence and  other  notable  patriots  in  the  history  of  his  country. 
It  was  a  part  of  his  loyalty  to  the  United  States  to  crave  God's 
blessing  upon  the  men  and  women  who  had  laid  the  foundation  of 
free  institutions.  To  his  mind  they  were  all  the  instruments  of  a 
divine  purpose,  and  he  sought  their  welfare  according  to  the  light 
and  intelligence  which  God  had  given  him. 

His  work  in  the  Temple  was  suddenly  disturbed  by  a  tele- 
gram stating  that  President  Young  had  died  at  four  o'clock  p.  m. 
August  29th,  1877.  He,  therefore,  in  company  with  Erastus  Snow, 
hastened  by  private  conveyance  and  stage  to  York,  the  railroad 
terminus,  that  they  might  reach  Salt  Lake  City  as  soon  as  possible. 
A  distance  of  three  hundred  and  forty  miles  was  covered  in  two 
and  a  half  days,  though  Elder  Woodruff  at  that  time  was  over  sev- 
enty years  old.  On  reaching  Salt  Lake  they  immediately  went  to 
the  Tabernacle  where  the  remains  of  President  Young  lay  in 
state  From  his  journal  we  learn  that  something  like  twenty-five 
thousand  people  took  a  parting  look  at  the  remains  of  the  dead 
Prophet.  At  his  funeral  Elder  Woodruff  spoke.  Perhaps  no  man 
in  the  Church  knew  Brigham  Young  better  than  he  knew  him. 


502  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

1  ney  were  pioneers  together,  and  spent  months  and  years  togeth^r 
preaching  the  gospel  and  compiling  Church  history. 

This  change  brought  the  quorum  of  the  Twelve  Apostles, 
with  John  Taylor  at  the  head,  in  control  of  Church  affairs.  The 
following  September,  Elder  Woodruff  visited  Logan,  where  he 
took  part  in  laying  the  corner-stones  of  the  Temple,  concern- 
whose  erection  he  had  prophesied  many  years  before.  Temple 
work  was  now  the  burden  of  his  thought  and  discourse;  and  at 
the  following  October  Conference  he  talked  at  great  length  of  his 
labors  in  the  St.  George  Temple,  where,  he  said,  between  the  first 
of  June  and  the  first  of  September  twenty-three  thousand  nine 
hundred  and  eighty-nine  baptisms  for  the  dead  had  been  per- 
formed. He  was  now  also  joyful  in  anticipation  of  the  Temple 
which  was  to  be  built  in  Manti.  This  location  on  the  hill  over- 
looking the  country  made  him  feel,  when  its  erection  was  com- 
pleted, that  it  was  truly  the  mountain  of  the  Lord's  House. 

During  this  year  repeated  mention  of  his  work  on  the  farm  is 
made  in  his  journal,  though  at  the  time  he  had  passed  three  score 
and  ten  years  of  life.  He  loved  farm  work  and  devoted  to  it  much 
thought.  With  him  it  was  all  in  the  purpose  of  God  and  his  devo- 
tion never  flagged  whether  he  was  on  the  farm,  in  the  canyon,  or 
in  the  pulpit.  His  Church  duties,  however,  as  time  went  on, 
weighed  more  heavily  upon  him,  and  on  the  15th  of  December,  that 
year,  he  resigned  his  position  as  President  of  the  Deseret  Agri- 
cultural and  Manufacturing  Society,  a  place  he  had  occupied  with 
zeal,  interest,  and  honor,  as  well  as  with  ability,  for  fifteen  years. 

On  Christmas  of  that  year  he  made  note  of  the  joy  he  found 
over  the  privilege  of  being  at  home  with  his  wives  and  children, 
whose  happiness  and  welfare  were  matters  of  great  satisfaction  to 
him.  He  watches  them  take  their  presents  from  the  Christmas 
tree,  and  he  enters  into  the  childish  joy  of  his  little  children  with  a 
tender  and  fatherly  love.  It  would  swell  beyond  due  proportions 
his  biography  to  recount  his  movements  to  the  different  parts  of 
the  Church,  and  the  daily  duties  of  his  life.  Elder  Woodruff  was 
an  excessively  busy  man.  He  was  always  looking  for  something 
to  do,  and  he  never  had  any  difficulty  in  finding  it.  His  constant 
travels  and  administrations  among  the  Saints  made  him  to  them 
one  of  the  most  familiar  figures  among  their  leaders. 

Early  in  January  he  set  out  on  a  mission  to  the  southern  set- 


DEATH  OF  BRIGHAM  YOUNG,  1877.  503 

tlements  and  St.  George,  which  he  reached  on  the  22nd  of  the 
month.  There,  he  again  took  up  his  labors  in  the  Temple.  The 
people  there  knew  how  happy  Temple  work  made  him  and  they 
turned  out  in  great  numbers  to  render  him  assistance  in  the  work 
he  had  planned  to  do  for  his  kindred  dead. 

It  was  at  this  time  that  he  paid  his  first  visit  to  Kanab,  going  by 
way  of  Rockville  and  Grafton.  He  calls  the  Hurricane  Hill  there 
the  worst  hill  he  ever  drove  a  team  up  in  his  life.  He  and  his  com- 
panions camped  for  the  night  on  the  summit.  He  slept  on  the 
ground.  The  next  morning  he  encountered  a  heavy  snow-storm 
which  continued  until  noon.  At  night  they  reached  Pipe  Springs, 
a  little  oasis  in  northern  Arizona.  This  was  also  the  first  time  he 
had  been  in  that  Territory. 

On  the  return  to  St.  George  he  resumed  his  work  in  the 
Temple.  Of  that  work  he  said :  "In  one  year  and  fourteen  days 
endowments  had  been  received  for  ten  hundred  and  sixty-two  of 
my  dead."  On  March  20th  he  returned  to  Salt  Lake  City  by  way 
of  Parowan,  Cove  Creek,  Richfield,  Manti,  and  Nephi. 

He  wrote  a  brief  account  of  the  April  conference.  Here,  it 
should  be  said  that  matters  of  general  Church  interest  which  were 
taken  down  by  stenographers  ceased  to  find  a  place  in  his  journal, 
and  he  confines  himself  more  to  personal  affairs  and  matters  of 
special  interest.  In  many  places,  taking  it  for  granted  that  the 
facts  are  known,  he  made  his  journal  simply  a  commentary. 

About  the  time  of  conference  that  year,  there  were  difficulties 
between  the  heirs  of  President  Young  and  the  Church  over  the  es- 
tate of  the  late  President.  "I  will  say,"  he  wrote,  in  his  journal, 
"for  and  in  behalf  of  the  executors  of  the  estate  of  Brigham 
Young;  namely,  George  Q.  Cannon,  Brigham  Young,  Jr.,  and 
Albert  Carrington,  that  they  have  done  all  in  their  power  to  settle 
this  estate  in  justice,  equity  and  righteousness."  In  those  trying 
difficulties  Elder  Woodruff  acted  as  a  peace-maker. 

The  year  1878  began  to  witness  some  of  those  beautiful  out 
ings,  designated  "The  Old  Folks'  Excursion."  The  early  history 
of  the  Church  was  beginning  to  crystalize  in  beauty  and  import- 
ance. To  the  Latter-day  Saints,  the  men  and  women  who  had 
borne  the  burden  of  those  early  days  were  veterans  of  distinction, 
and  the  people  loved  to  honor  them ;  besides  there  is  something  in 
the  spirit  and  teachings  of  Mormonism  that  calls  forth  reverence 


504 


WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 


and  honor  for  old  age.  There  is  within  the  Latter-day  Saints  a 
marked  disposition  to  manifest  gratitude.  On  the  llth  of  June, 
that  year,  thirteen  cars  conveyed  the  aged  veterans,  men  and  wom- 
en, to  Ogden,  where  they  were  received  by  a  hundred  and  twenty- 
five  conveyances  and  taken' to  Farr's  Grove.  Since  then,  these  out- 
ings have  become  frequent  and  general  throughout  the  Church. 

Elder  Woodruff  gives  us  some  data  of  an  Old  Folks'  Excur- 
sion in  those  days.  He  says  that  prizes  were  distributed  for  vari- 
ous distinctions.  Mrs.  Catherine  Wilson  received  one  because  she 
was  the  oldest  person  present — ninety-six  years.  William  Wilde 
was  likewise  honored  because  he  was  the  next  oldest,  ninety-five 
years.  Five  sisters  obtained  prizes  because  they  had  yoked  and 
unyoked  two  yoke  of  cattle  and  driven  them  across  the  plains.  Five 
others  received  them  because  they  had  drawn  hand  carts  to  Salt 
Lake  Valley.  One  woman,  Mrs.  Ann  Moses,  was  distinguished 
because  she  was  the  mother  of  twenty-one  children.  Mrs.  Eliza- 
beth Taylor  came  in  also  for  her  honors  because  she  was  the 
mother  of  fourteen  children  and  six  hundred  grand,  and  great 
grand  children.  Elder  P.  Green  Taylor,  fifty-one  years  old,  got  a 
prize  because  he  had  more  children  than  any  man  present ;  namely, 
thirty-six.  Nor  was  Elder  Wodruff  forgotten  on  this  occasion. 
He  received  a  prize  because  he  had  baptized  and  had  been  instru- 
mental in  bringing  into  the  Church  a  great  number  of  souls,  some- 
thing like  two  thousand.  He  tells  us  in  his  journal  that  there  was 
a  foot-race  by  William  Barnes,  eighty-nine ;  Elias  Adams,  eighty- 
six  ;  and  Thomas  Edmunds,  likewise  eighty-six  years  of  age.  He 
says  Brother  Edmunds  won. 

On  the  second  of  September,  that  year,  he  said  he  took  part 
in  blessing  a  number  of  missionaries  and  of  setting  apart  Orson 
Pratt  and  Joseph  F.  Smith  for  a  short  mission  to  Missouri  to  visit 
the  Whitmer  families  and  places  of  note  in  the  travels  of  the 
Church. 

The  October  conference  of  that  year  was  held  in  the  Taber- 
nacle and  at  its  close  there  began  the  organization  of  a  general 
Zion's  Board  of  Trade,  of  which  the  Apostles  were  made  honorary 
members.  Local  organizations  of  the  same  character  were  effected 
in  different  parts  of  the  Church.  The  purpose  of  this  organization 
was  to  promote  the  temporal  welfare  of  the  people  and  aid  them  in 
acquiring  the  best  markets  for  their  produce  by  co-operative  effort. 


DEATH  OF  BRIGHAM  YOUNG,  1877.  505 

On  the  25th  of  that  month  Elder  Woodruff  records  his  visit 
with  Senator  McCrary  of  Kentucky  and  Mr.  Hooper  of  Missis- 
sippi and  other  prominent  gentlemen  to  the  Smelting  Works  of 
Mr.  L.  E.  Holden.  Upon  their  return  these  gentlemen  called  upon 
President  Taylor. 

On  the  28th  of  November,  Elder  Orson  Hyde  died  at  his 
home  in  Spring  City,  San  Pete  County,  at  the  age  of  seventy-three. 
This  left  but  one  of  the  first  quorum  of  the  Twelve  Apostles  living ; 
namely,  Elder  Orson  Pratt.  On  the  30th  Elder  Woodruff  at- 
tended the  funeral.  Proceedings  of  which  are  found  in  the  Des- 
eret  News  of  Dec.  5th,  1878. 

Closing  his  long  description  of  the  scenes  of  a  remarkable 
dream  which  he  gives  in  detail  at  this  time,  he  uses  the  following 
words :  "I  saw  a  short  distance  from  the  Missouri  River,  where 
I  stood,  twelve  men  dressed  in  the  robes  of  the  Temple.  They 
stood  in  a  square  near  by  and  I  was  given  to  understand  that  they 
represented  the  twelve  gates  of  the  new  Jerusalem.  Their  harrls 
were  uplifted  while  they  were  consecrating  the  ground;  and  later 
they  laid  the  corner-stones  of  the  house  of  God.  I  saw  myriads 
of  angels  hovering  over  them,  and  above  their  heads  there  was  a 
pillar-like  cloud.  I  heard  the  most  beautiful  singing  in  the  words : 
'Now  is  established  the  Kingdom  of  our  God  and  His  Christ,  and 
He  shall  reign  forever  and  forever,  and  the  Kingdom  shall  never  be 
thrown  down,  for  the  Saints  have  overcome.'  I  saw  people  com- 
ing from  the  river  and  from  distant  places  to  help  build  the  Tem- 
ple. It  seemed  as  though  there  were  hosts  of  angels  helping  to 
bring  material  for  the  construction  of  that  building.  Some  vwre 
in  Temple  robes,  and  the  pillar-like  cloud  continued  to  hover  over 
the  spot. 

"Later  I  found  myself  in  the  Ogden  Tabernacle,  where  I  was 
calling  upon  the  people  to  listen  to  the  beautiful  strains  of  imi.*>ic 
there.  I  rolled  over  in  my  bed  and  heard  the  clock  of  the  City 
Hall  strike  twelve."  This  was  December  16,  1877. 


CHAPTER  47. 

EXPERIENCES  IN  ARIZONA,  1879. 

In  Arizona. — An  Epistle  to  the  World. — Birthday  Celebrated  in 
St.  George. — Travels  in  Arizona. — Hunt  with  Pelone,  the  Apache 
Chief. — A  Visit  to  the  Zunies. — Travels  with  Lot  Smith. — Dream. — 
Letters. 

On  New  Year's  Day,  1879,  Elder  Woodruff  moved  to  his 
new  brick  home  next  door  south  of  the  Valley  House.  The  old 
Valley  House  had  been  his  first  mountain  home.  On  the  third  of 
the  month,  in  company  with  Moses  Thatcher,  he  started  on  a 
tour  of  the  southern  counties.  One  of  the  chief  purposes  of  this 
tour  was  to  organize  local  boards  of  trade.  While  they  were 
at  Nephi  on  the  6th,  Elder  Thatcher  received  word  of  his  ap- 
pointment to  fill  the  vacancy  in  the  Quorum  occasioned  by  the 
death  of  Elder  Orson  Hyde.  They  reached  St.  George  on  the 
20th  of  the  month. 

On  February  7th  Elder  Woodruff  found  it  necessary  to  go 
into  exile  because  of  the  special  effort  at  that  time  to  prosecute 
those  in  Plural  Marriage.  "For  the  first  time  in  my  life  I  have 
had  to  flee  from  my  enemies  for  the  gospel's  sake,  or  for  any 
other  cause.  They  are  trying  to  arrest  me  for  obeying  the  law  of 
God  in  reference  to  Plural  Marriage."  To  escape  his  pursuers  he 
went  to  Arizona  where  he  remained  a  couple  of  weeks,  and  then 
returned  to  St.  George.  While  there  in  the  Temple  on  Wash- 
ington's birthday  he  wrote  an  epistle  to  the  world,  dated  February 
22nd,  1879,  from  which  the  following  is  taken : 

EPISTLE  OF  ELDER  WILFORD  WOODRUFF,  ONE  OF  THE  TWELVE 

APOSTLES. 

To  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints,  and  to  all  the 
world,  greeting: — 

I  feel  desirous  once  more,  while  in  the  flesh,  by  the  word  of 
God  and  testimony  of  Jesus  Christ,  to  bear  my  testimony  unto  you 
as  the  Church  and  Kingdom  of  God,  established  on  the  earth  by 
the  God  of  heaven  in  this  last  dispensation  and  fulness  of  times ; 


EXPERIENCES  IN  ARIZONA,  1879.  507 

I  also  wish  to  bear  my  testimony  to  all  nations  under  heaven, 
to  emperors,  kings,  presidents,  statesmen,  governors,  judges,  Jew, 
and  Gentile,  and  to  all  rulers,  and  the  ruled  who  dwell  upon  the  face 
of  the  whole  earth.  My  testimony  is  this  unto  all  men  and  nations, 
that  you  live  in  the  day  and  hour  of  the  judgments  of  God  Al- 
mighty. You  live  in  the  day  and  generation  when  the  God  of 
Israel  has  set  His  hand  to  perform  His  work,  His  strange  work  in 
the  latter-days.  You  live  in  the  age  in  which  God  will  bring 
to  pass  the  fulfilment  of  that  flood  of  prophecy  and  revelation 
which  has  been  spoken  by  all  the  prophets  since  the  world  began, 
which  stands  recorded  in  the  sacred  books  of  divine  truth;  and 
the  fulfilment  of  these  revelations  will  involve  the  destiny  of  the 
whole  world,  Jew  and  Gentile,  rich  and  poor,  high  and  low,  saint 
and  sinner,  Babylon  and  Zion.  Therefore,  prepare  yourselves, 
O !  ye  inhabitants  of  the  earth,  for  the  hour  of  God's  judgment  is 
at  the  door.  As  it  was  iri  the  days  of  Noah  and  of  Lot,  so  shall 
it  be  in  the  days  of  the  coming  of  the  Son  of  Man. 

I  address  myself  first  to  the  Saints  of  God,  who  have  entered 
into  covenant  with  the  Lord  and  have  been  ordained  unto  the  holy 
priesthood.  If  you  are  living  your  religion,  and  enjoy  the  spirit  of 
inspiration,  which  is  your  duty  and  privilege,  you  know  as  God  lives 
that  Joseph  Smith  was  a  prophet  of  God ;  that  he  received  the  ad- 
ministration of  angels ;  that  he  brought  forth  the  Book  of  Mormon, 
and  translated  it  by  the  power  of  God.  You  know  he  received  the 
fulness  of  the  Everlasting  Gospel,  and  the  holy  priesthood  and  apos- 
tleship  and  the  keys  thereof ;  and  that  he  organized  the  Church  of 
Christ,  the  only  true  and  living  Church  upon  the  face  of  the  whole 
earth,  with  its  gifts  and  graces,  with  which  the  Lord  is  "well 
pleased."  You  do  know  Joseph  Smith,  the  Prophet,  left  his  testi- 
mony upon  the  earth  and  sealed  that  testimony  with  his  blood,  and 
that  testament  is  in  force  upon  the  world,  and  that  testament  is 
filled  with  the  revelations  of  God,  that  stand  upon  its  pages  like 
flames  of  living  fire,  ready  to  be  fulfilled  upon  all  the  inhabitants  of 
the  earth.  In  this  testament  the  Lord  has  commanded  His  servants 
to  go  to  all  the  world  and  preach  this  gospel  of  the  kingdom  to  every 
creature,  as  far  as  doors  are  open.  He  also  commanded  His  ser- 
vants to  visit  New  York,  Albany,  Boston,  and  all  the  notable  cities 
and  villages  of  the  world,  reproving  them  for  their  ungodly  deeds, 


508  WILFORD   WOODRUFF. 

and  warning  them  of  the  desolation  and  utter  destruction  which 
awaits  them,  if  they  reject  the  testimony  of  the  servants  of  God. 
"With  you,  saith  the  Lord  Almighty,  I  will  rend  their  kingdoms, 
for  I  will  shake  not  only  the  earth,  but  the  starry  heavens  shall 
tremble ;  you  cannot  see  it  now,  but  soon  you  will  see  it  and  know 
that  I  am  God."  You  Latter-day  Saints,  do  you  not  know  these 
things  are  true?  You  do,  and  so  do  I,  for  the  spirit  of  God  bears 
record,  and  the  record  is  truth,  and  truth  abideth  forever.  Under 
the  circumstances,  what  manner  of  men  and  women  ought  we  to 
be  ?  Are  we  prepared  as  a  people  for  the  great  events  which  await 
us;  which  await  both  Zion  and  Babylon?  Judge  ye!  What  is 
our  duty  as  Saints  of  the  living  God?  It  is  our  duty  to  humble 
ourselves  before  the  Lord  and  call  upon  His  name,  until  we  are 
filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost  and  the  spirit  of  inspiration,  which  is 
the  light  of  Christ.  Pay  our  tithes  and  offerings,  keep  the  com- 
mandments of  God  and  have  faith  in  His  word,  remember  and 
honor  the  ordinances  we  have  observed,  and  the  covenants  and 
obligations  we  have  entered  into  in  the  holy  places  and  temples  of 
our  God.  We  should  unite  ourselves  together  in  a  temporal  as 
well  as  in  a  spiritual  point  of  view,  as  directed  by  the  wise  men 
of  Israel.  We  should  seek  to  build  up  the  Kingdom  and  Zion  of 
our  God,  and  not  ourselves  alone.  When  we  do  these  things  we 
are  prepared  as  a  people  to  let  our  prayers  ascend  into  the  ears 
of  the  Lord  of  Sabbaoth,  and  they  will  be  heard  and  answered  up- 
on our  heads.  Again,  this  testament  which  Joseph  Smith  left, 
contains  a  revelation  and  commandment  from  God,  out  of  heaven, 
concerning  the  patriarchal  order  of  marriage.  The  Lord  has 
commanded  us  to  have  our  wives  and  children  sealed  to  us,  for 
time  and  eternity,  that  wre  may  have  them  with  us  in  our  family 
organizations  in  the  resurrection  to  dwell  with  us  forever  in  the 
eternal  worlds,  that  we  may  have  an  increase  of  posterity  forever 
in  connection  with  Abraham,  Isaac,  Jacob,  and  all  the  ancient 
patriarchs.  I  would  say  to  all  Israel,  treat  your  wives  and  children 
kindly,  and  keep  the  commandments  of  God  and  trust  in  Him,  and 
He  will  fight  your  battles.  And  I  will  say,  in  the  name  of  Jesus 
Christ,  the  Son  of  the  living  God,  that  "Mormonism"  will  live 
and  prosper,  Zion  will  flourish,  and  the  Kingdom  of  God  will 
stand  in  power  and  glory  and  dominion  as  Daniel  saw  it,  when 
this  nation  is  broken  to  pieces  as  a  potter's  vessel  and  laid  in  the 


EXPERIENCES  IN  ARIZONA,  1879.  509 

dust,  and  brought  to  judgment,  or  God  never  spoke  by  my  mouth. 
Therefore  I  say  to  all  the  Saints  throughout  the  world,  be  faithful 
and  true  to  your  God  and  to  your  religion,  to  your  families  and  to 
yourselves.  Jesus  of  Nazareth  has  suffered  death  on  the  cross  for 
the  redemption  of  the  world,  and  his  apostles  followed  his  ex- 
ample for  the  word  of  the  Lord  and  testimony  of  Jesus  Christ, 
and  Joseph  Smith  proved  to  God,  angels,  and  men  that  he  would 
and  did  abide  in  his  covenants  unto  death,  and  none  of  us  shall 
be  calle-d  to  do  anything  more.  We  certainly,  any  of  us,  would  be 
ashamed  to  deny  the  faith,  to  accommodate  our  enemies,  then  meet 
the  prophets  and  apostles  in  the  spirit  world.  May  God  forbid 
that  this  should  be  the  case  with  any  of  the  blood  of  Ephraim. 
I  wish  in  this  testimony  to  say  that  the  time  is  not  far  distant 
when  the  rich  men  among  the  Jews  will  be  called  upon  to  use  their 
abundant  wealth  to  gather  the  dispersed  of  Judah,  and  purchase 
the  ancient  dwelling  places  of  their  fathers  in  and  about  Jerusalem, 
and  rebuild  the  holy  city  and  temple. 

For  the  fulness  of  the  Gentiles  has  come  in,  and  the  Lord 
has  decreed  that  the  Jews  should  be  gathered  from  all  the  Gentile 
nations  where  they  have  been  driven,  into  their  own  land,  in  ful- 
fillment of  the  words  of  Moses  their  law-giver.  And  this  is  the 
will  of  your  great  Eloheim,  O  house  of  Judah,  and  whenever  you 
shall  be  called  upon  to  perform  this  work,  the  God  of  Israel  will 
help  you.  You  have  a  great  future  and  destiny  before  you  and 
you  cannot  avoid  fulfilling  it;  you  are  the  royal  chosen  seed,  and 
the  God  of  your  father's  house  has  kept  you  distinct  as  a  nation 
for  eighteen  hundred  years,  under  all  the  oppression  of  the  whole 
Gentile  world.  You  may  not  wait  until  you  believe  on  Jesus  of 
Nazareth,  but  when  you  meet  with  Shiloh  your  king,  you  will 
know  him;  your  destiny  is  marked  out,  you  cannot  avoid  it.  It 
is  true  that  after  you  return  and  gather  your  nation  home,  and  re- 
build your  City  and  Temple,  that  the  Gentiles  may  gather  together 
their  armies  to  go  against  you  to  battle,  to  take  you  a  prey  and  to 
take  you  as  a  spoil,  which  they  will  do,  for  the  words  of  your  proph- 
ets must  be  fulfilled ;  but  when  this  affliction  comes,  the  living  God, 
that  led  Moses  through  the  wilderness,  will  deliver  you,  and  your 
Shiloh  will  come  and  stand  in  your  midst  and  will  fight  your 
battles ;  and  you  will  know  him,  and  the  afflictions  of  the  Jews  will 
be  at  an  end,  while  the  destruction  of  the  Gentiles  will  be  so 


510  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

great  that  it  will  take  the  whole  house  of  Israel  who  are  gathered 
about  Jerusalem,  seven  months  to  bury  the  dead  of  their  enemies, 
and  the  weapons  of  war  will  last  them  seven  years  for  fuel,  so 
that  they  need  not  go  to  any  forest  for  wood.  These  are  tremend- 
ous sayings — who  can  bear  them  ?  Nevertheless  they  are  true,  and 
will  be  fulfilled,  according  to  the  sayings  of  Ezekiel,  Zechariah, 
and  other  prophets.  Though  the  heavens  and  the  earth  pass  away, 
not  one  jot  or  tittle  will  fall  unfulfilled. 

I  would  say  to  the  Lamanites,  if  I  could  speak  to  them-under- 
standingly,  that  you  are  also  a  branch  of  the  house  of  Israel,  and 
chiefly  of  the  house  of  Joseph,  and  your  forefathers  have  fallen 
through  the  same  examples  of  unbelief  and  sins,  as  have  the  Jews, 
and  you,  as  their  posterity,  have  wandered  in  sin  and  darkness 
for  many  generations  ;  and  you,  like  the  Jews,  have  been  driven  and 
trampled  under  the  foot  of  the  Gentiles,  and  put  to  death  through 
your  wars  with  each  other,  and  with  the  white  man,  until  you  are 
almost  destroyed.  But  there  is  still  a  redemption  and  salvation  for 
a  remnant  of  you  in  the  latter  days.  It  is  time  for  you  to  cease 
shedding  each  other's  blood  or  making  war  upon  your  fellow-man. 
Cease  to  destroy  one  another,  learn  to  cultivate  the  earth,  and 
raise  your  food  therefrom;  call  upon  the  Great  Spirit  to  protect 
you  and  deliver  you  from  bondage  and  darkness,  and  the  Great 
Spirit  will  hear  you  and  deliver  you,  and  a  remnant  of  you  will 
again  become  a  delightsome  people  as  your  forefathers  were 
when  they  kept  the  commandments  of  God. 

Could  I  speak  to  the  Ten  Tribes  of  Israel,  in  the  north  coun- 
try, I  would  say,  call  upon  the  God  of  your  fathers  Abraham, 
Isaac,  and  Jacob,  that  your  prophets  may  come  in  remembrance 
before  God,  that  they  may  hear  His  voice  and  no  longer  stay 
themselves,  but  smite  the  rocks,  that  the  mountains  of  ice  may 
flow  down  at  their  presence.  "A  highway  shall  be  cast  up  in  the 
midst  of  the  great  deep ;"  their  enemies  shall  become  a  prey  unto 
them.  Bring  forth  your  records  and  rich  treasures  unto  the  chil- 
dren of  Ephraim,  the  servants  of  the  Lord  in  the  land  of  Zion, 
and  the  boundaries  of  the  everlasting  hills  shall  tremble  at  your 
presence,  and  you  shall  fall  down  and  be  crowned  with  glory,  even 
in  Zion,  by  the  hands  of  the  servants  of  God,  even  the  children 
of  Ephraim,  and  you  shall  be  filled  with  songs  of  everlasting  joy; 
behold  this  is  the  "blessing  of  the  everlasting  God  upon  the  tribes 


EXPERIENCES  IN  ARIZONA,  1879.  511 

of  Israel,  and  the  richer  blessing  upon  the  head  of  Ephraim  and 
his  fellows." 

These  events  referred  to  are  but  a  very  limited  portion  of  the 
revelations  of  God  which  are  about  to  be  fulfilled  upon  the  heads 
of  this  generation.  I  wish  to  warn  all  nations  of  the  judgments  of 
God  which. are  at  their  doors.  Thrones  will  be  cast  down,  nations 
will  be  overturned,  anarchy  will  reign,  all  legal  barriers  will  be 
broken  down,  and  the  laws  will  be  trampled  in  the  dust.  You  are 
about  to  be  visited  with  war,  the  sword,  famine,  pestilence,  plague, 
earthquakes,  whirlwinds,  tempests,  and  with  the  flame  of  devour- 
ing fire ;  by  fire  and  with  the  sword  will  God  plead  with  all  flesh, 
and  the  slain  of  the  Lord  will  be  many.  The  anger  of  the  Lord 
is  kindled  and  His  sword  is  bathed  in  heaven,  and  is  about  to  fall 
upon  Idumea,  or  the  world.  And  who  is  able  to  abide  these 
things?  And  who  will  stand  when  He  appeareth?  The  fig  trees 
are  leaving,  and  the  signs  of  all  heaven  and  earth  indicate  the 
coming  of  the  Son  of  Man.  The  seals  are  about  to  be  opened,  the 
plagues  to  be  poured  forth.  Your  rivers  and  seas  will  be  turned 
to  blood  and  to  gall.  And  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth  will 
die  of  plagues.  And  the  unbelief  of  great  Babylon,  with 
the  whole  Christian  world,  will  not  make  the  truths  of  God  with- 
out effect.  Let  the  world  look,  for  example,  at  the  ancient  cities 
of  the  nations.  Where  are  Thebes,  Tyre,  Sidon,  Nineveh,  and 
Babylon  the  Great,  which  were  built  to  defy  all  time,  and  all 
power  but  God  Himself?  They  were  laid  in  the  dust  and  their 
inhabitants  destroyed,  when  they  were  ripened  in  iniquity,  and 
this  too,  in  fulfilment  of  the  word  of  God  unto  them  through  the 
voices  of  righteous  men,  who  spake  as  they  were  moved  upon  by 
the  Holy  Ghost.  In  like  manner  was  Jerusalem  destroyed  and  the 
Jews  scattered  among  the  Gentiles  in  fulfilment  of  the  words  of 
Moses  and  Jesus  Christ.  Will  the  Lord  any  more  spare  the  cities 
of  the  Gentiles  and  Great  Babylon  than  he  spared  the  ancient  cities 
of  the  Jews?  No,  verily  no.  The  question  may  be  asked,  why 
these  judgments  are  coming  upon  the  world  in  the  last  days?  I 
answer,  because  of  the  wickedness  of  the  inhabitants  thereof.  The 
very  proclamation  of  the  angel  of  God  when  he  delivered  the  ful- 
ness of  the  Gospel  as  revealed  in  the  Revelations  of  St.  John  was, 
"crying  with  a  loud  voice,  fear  God  and  give  glory  to  Him  for 
the  hour  of  His  judgment  is  come,"  And  when  that  proclamation 


512  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

was  made  to  Joseph  Smith  the  Prophet,  it  was  half  a  century  ago, 
"light  has  come  into  the  world,  and  men  love  darkness  rather  than 
light,  because  their  deeds  are  evil."  The  Lord  has  raised  up 
prophets  and  apostles  who  have  cried  aloud  to  this  generation  with 
the  proclamation  of  the  Gospel  for  half  a  century,  and  warned 
them  of  the  judgments  which  were  to  come,  and  the  inhabitants 
of  the  earth  have  rejected  this  testimony,  and  shed  the  blood  of 
the  Lord's  anointed  and  persecuted  the  Saints  of  God,  and  the 
consequence  is  this :  "Darkness  covers  the  earth,  and  gross  dark- 
ness the  people,"  and  the  Lord  is  withholding  His  spirit  from 
the  inhabitants  of  the  earth,  and  the  devil  is  ruling  over  his  own 
kingdom  and  wickedness  and  abominations  of  every  kind  have 
increased  a  hundred  fold  within  the  last  few  years,  until  the  whole 
earth  is  filled  with  murders,  whoredoms,  blasphemies,  and  every 
crime  in  the  black  catalogue  that  was  manifest  in  the  antediluvian 
world  and  in  Sodom  and  Gomorrah,  until  the  whole  earth  groans 
under  its  abominations,  and  the  heavens  weep,  and  all  eternity 
is  pained,  and  the  angels  are  waiting  the  great  command  to  go 
forth  and  reap  down  the  earth.  This  testimony  I  bear  to  all  na- 
tions under  heaven,  and  I  know  it  is  true  by  the  inspiration  of  Al- 
mighty God,  and  the  decision  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United 
States  bears  me  out  in  the  opinion  that  the  constitution  gives  me 
the  privilege  of  enjoying  my  belief,  and  faith  and  opinion  in  re- 
ligion. Therefore  the  execution  of  all  these  tremendous  events  I 
leave  for  the  God  of  heaven,  which  He  most  assuredly  will  bring 
about.  What  I  have  spoken  I  have  spoken,  and  I  excuse  not 
myself,  and  "though  the  heavens  and  the  earth  pass  away,  my 
words  will  not  pass  away,  but  will  all  be  fulfilled,"  saith  the  Lord 
of  Hosts. 

I  subscribe  myself  an  Apostle  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and 
member  of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints. 

WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

On  his  birthday,  March  1st,  Elder  Woodruff  was  greeted 
by  a  hundred  women  and  forty-eight  men,  who  assembled  in  the 
Temple  for  the  purpose  of  aiding  him  in  the  ordinances  for  his 
kindred  dead.  For  that  occasion  Mrs.  Emily  Spencer,  and  Moses 
Farnsworth  composed  in  his  honor  verses  containing  congratu- 
lations and  praise. 


EXPERIENCES  IN  ARIZONA,  1879.  513 

On  the  6th  of  March,  accompanied  by  Erastus  Snow,  he 
left  St.  George  at  three  o'clock  in  the  morning.  They  went 
direct  to  Kanab  where  they  held  a  two  days  meeting,  and  then 
with  William  Johnson,  and  Brigham  Y.  Duffin  he  began  his  pil- 
grimage and  exile  among  the  colonies  of  Saints  and  among  the 
Indians  of  Arizona.  The  following  account  of  his  travels  is  taken 
from  the  Dcseret  News,  Weekly,  1879,  page  314: 

SUNSET,  ARIZONA,  May  29th,  1879. 
Editors  Deseret  News: 

As  I  have  been  traveling  for  a  season  as  a  missionary  among 
the  Saints  and  Lamanites  in  Arizona,  and  have  taken  observations 
of  the  country,  men  and  things,  I  have  thought  perhaps  a  few  dot- 
tings  by  the  way  would  not  be  uninteresting  to  the  numerous 
readers  of  the  News.  After  crossing  over  the  great  Colorado 
River  at  Lee's  Ferry,  and  crossing  the  hog's  back,  which  seemed 
to  be  the  most  difficult  and  dangerous  road  for  loaded  teams  to 
pass  over  that  I  ever  saw,  I  indulged  in  the  thought  and  hope  that 
not  many  years  would  pass  before  a  suspension  wire  bridge  would 
span  that  river  many  miles  below  its  present  crossing,  which  would 
save  fifty  or  one  hundred  miles  of  weary  travel,  and  entirely  es 
cape  the  dangerous  crossing  of  that  terrible  mountain. 

We  viewed  the  Colorado  River  far  below  the  ferry,  con- 
fined within  its  narrow  bed  by  solid  perpendicular  stone  walls 
two  thousand  feet  high,  which  made  the  stream  look  quite  dim- 
inutive. It  being  a  very  dry  season  throughout  the  whole  country, 
the  wells,  tanks,  and  springs  were  dry  in  a  great  measure.  It 
makes  it  very  difficult  for  companies  to  travel  this  season  owing 
to  the  want  of  water  for  both  man  and  beast.  The  distance  from 
Willow  Springs  to  Moan  Copy  is  some  fifteen  miles  over  a  strange 
country  of  a  barren  desert  of  rocks,sand  hills,  mounds,  gravel  beds, 
and  many  curious  rocks  which  look  as  though  they  were  hewn, 
some  of  them  twenty  feet  long  by  twelve  to  eighteen  inches  wide, 
and  twelve  to  eighteen  inches  thick.  The  hills  are  of  thin  slate 
in  a  decayed  state,  rocks  are  in  every  shape  of  men,  women,  chil- 
dren, and  palaces.  The  country  is  without  water,  grass,  or  soil, 
until  we  arrive  at  the  Moan  Copy  wash  bottoms  which  contain  a 
large  quantity  of  good  land,  covered  with  vegetation  and  soil 
suitable  foV  wheat  or  any  cultivated  crops. 

34 


514  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

The  present  settlement,  in  a  fort  form,  is  located  on  a  hill 
a  hundred  feet  above  the  cultivated  land,  in  the  midst  of  sand 
hills.  A  good  spring  of  water  is  a  hundred  feet  below  the  fort,  the 
water  is  brought  into  the  fort  by  a  hydraulic  ram,  placed  there 
by  John  W.  Young.  This  saves  much  labor,  as  it  avoids  the  neces- 
sity of  carrying  the  water  a  hundred  feet  up  a  steep  hill.  There 
is  a  townsite  laid  out  two  miles  north  of  the  fort,  called  Tuba, 
which  stands  upon  a  plat  of  good  soil,  with  good  springs  of  water. 
A  number  of  families  are  building  upon  the  new  location.  I  con- 
sider Moan  Copy  a  very  important  location  in  many  respects  for 
a  settlement  of  the  Saints,  as  an  outpost,  and  especially  its  con- 
nections with  the  surrounding  Lamanites  of  the  Moqui  and 
Navajo  tribes.  I  held  many  interesting  meetings  with  both  the 
Saints  and  Lamanites,  and  with  the  Indian  chiefs  at  Moan  Copy. 

The  great  change  which  has  of  late  come  over  all  the  tribes 
of  Indians  in  Utah,  Arizona,  and  Mexico,  from  war  to  peace,  is 
visible  to  every  observing  mind  and  could  have  been  accomplished 
only  by  the  power  of  God.  A  few  years  ago  neither  "Mormon"' 
nor  "Gentile"  could  travel  with  any  safety  among  the  Navajo, 
Apache,  or  other  Indian  tribes  of  this  country;  while  to-day  any 
white  man  can  travel,  either  alone  or  in  company,  with  safety, 
if  he  will  attend  to  his  own  business  and  not  interfere  with  the 
Indians.  Many  of  the  Lamanites  are  uniting  with  the  Saints  at 
Moan  Copy,  Sunset,  and  other  settlements  in  cultivating  the  earth, 
raising  wheat,  corn,  and  vegetables,  and  the  brethren  are  doing 
what  they  can  to  help  them.  A  young  man  by  the  name  of 
Polakkah,  son  of  the  Chief  Cashaby,  has  a  prospect  of  being  a  bene- 
fit to  his  tribe.  He  speaks  seven  different  languages,  including 
good  Spanish,  and  some  English.  He  is  raising  wheat  at  Moan 
Copy,  and  learning  English.  He  is  intelligent,  and  active,  is  try- 
ing to  understand  the  geography  of  the  earth.  The  Indian  tra- 
dition is  that  there  is  a  new  sun  every  day.  But  while  he  was 
trying  to  understand  that  the  earth  revolved  upon  its  axis  and 
we  have  but  one  sun,  his  faith  was  tried.  While  on  a  visit  to  San 
Francisco,  he  saw  the  sun  sink  into  the  sea  and  the  water  put  it 
out.  He  could  not  see  for  a  while  how  it  could  come  out  again, 
but  being  informed  the  earth  was  round,  and  the  sun  was  hidden 
from  view  by  the  rotation  of  the  earth,  he  became  reconciled. 

Brother  John  W.  Young  has  established  a  trading  store  at 


EXPERIENCES  IN  ARIZONA,  1879.  SlS 

Moan  Copy,  and  is  furnishing  the  Lamanites  goods  for  their 
wool  and  the  brethren  goods  for  their  labor,  which  is  a  benefit 
for  both  the  Saints  and  Lamanites.  He  pays  a  liberal  price  for 
wool  and  sells  goods  very  reasonably.  This  brings  the  Moqui  and 
Navajo  tribes,  both  chiefs  and  people,  to  Moan  Copy  to  trade. 
He  has  bought  some  thirty  thousand  pounds  of  wool  this  season, 
baled  it  up  and  sent  it  to  Utah  to  be  manufactured.  He  laid  the 
corner-stone  of  a  woolen  factory  at  Moan  Copy  on  the  first  day 
of  May,  and  it,  with  its  surroundings,  was  dedicated  to  the  Lord. 
The  walls  will  be  built  of  stone;  plenty  of  good  rock  can  be  ob- 
tained within  a  few  rods  of  the  building.  The  walls  were  being 
rapidly  erected  when  I  left.  If  the  factory  proves  successful  in 
its  operation,  it  will  be  a  great  blessing  to  both  the  Saints  and 
Lamanites. 

In  company  with  John  W.  Young  and  several  other  brethren, 
I  left  Moan  Copy  on  the  17th  of  April,  to  visit  the  San  Francisco 
Mountain  country.  We  camped  at  night  upon  the  Little  Colorado 
River,  and  found  the  stream  rather  low.  On  the  18th  we  visited 
the  Black  Falls,  where  both  the  bed  of  the  river  and  shore  were 
composed  of  black  volcanic  rock.  A  short  distance  above,  the 
river  could  easily  be  taken  out,  without  any  dam,  to  irrigate  a 
good  deal  of  land,  supposed  to  be  suitable  for  cultivation,  and 
the  surrounding  country  is  very  suitable  for  an  extensive  herd 
ground.  On  the  19th  we  nooned  at  the  Grand  Falls,  the  main 
fall  we  judged  to  be  about  one  hundred  feet.  On  the  night  of  the 
20th  we  camped  at  Turkey  Tanks,  which  are  composed  of  hard 
volcanic  rock ;  the  one  we  watered  at  is  about  one  hundred  feet  by 
twenty-five  wide,  and  ten  feet  deep ;  the  water  formed  from  rain 
and  snow,  was  clear,  cold  and  good;  another  tank,  twice  the  size 
was  about  three  hundred  yards  below.  Our  barometer  gave  the 
altitude  six  thousand  nine  hundred  feet.  The  country  abounds 
with  deer,  antelope,  and  turkey  which  drink  at  these  tanks.  We 
saw  twenty  antelope  and  heard  the  turkeys  gobble  before  we  were 
out  of  bed.  We  entered  on  the  east  side  of  that  noble  pine  forest, 
which  surrounds  the  San  Francisco  Mountain,  and  spent  the  night 
of  the  21st  at  the  Flagstaff  Springs,  eight  miles  south  of  San 
Francisco  Springs.  We  found  three  men  at  the  Flagstaff  Springs, 
building  and  farming;  they  were  raising  good  wheat,  potatoes, 
early  corn,  squashes,  and  vegetables  without  irrigation,  their  al- 


516  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

titude  being  seven  thousand  five  hundred  and  seventy-five  feet. 
On  the  morning  of  the  22nd,  we  drove  eight  miles  to  San  Fran- 
cisco Springs,  which  have  been  purchased  by  John  W.  Young, 
who  has  erected  two  buildings  and  done  a  good  deal  of  fencing ; 
his  house  and  springs  stand  at  the  north  end  of  one  of  the  finest 
parks,  either  natural  or  artificial,  I  ever  saw ;  it  contains  about 
4,000  acres,  without  stick,  stone,  or  bush,  with  a  soil  as  black 
and  rich  as  the  Missouri  bottoms.  It  is  shielded  on  the  north, 
east,  and  west  by  the  San  Francisco  mountains  and  hills,  and  open 
to  the  south,  and  is  surrounded  on  every  side  by  that  immense 
forest  of  giant  pine  timber.  I  look  upon  this  as  one  of  the  finest 
bodies  of  pine  timber  in  America.  There  is  no  underbrush  and 
the  trees  stand  from  6  inches  to  4  feet  in  diameter,  and  from  50  to 
150  feet  in  height,  and  a  good  deal  of  it  from  20  to  40  feet  to  the 
first  limb.  The  whole  face  of  the  earth,  both  forest  and  parks,  is 
covered  with  a  heavy  body  of  good  nutritious  bunch  grass,  even  to 
the  very  top  of  the  highest  volcanic  cones  ,that  we  ascended  to  the 
height  of  10,000  feet,  and  there  seems  to  be  range  enough  to  sup- 
port tens  of  thousands  of  horses,  cattle,  and  sheep.  We  rode  our 
mules  on  to  the  top  of  a  cone  some  2,000  feet  above  the  park, 
where  we  had  a  view  of  all  the  surrounding  country,  as  far  as 
the  eye  could  extend,  and  we  saw  the  same  immense  forest  inter- 
spersed with  parks  from  100  to  10,000  acres.  The  altitude  of  San 
Francisco  spring  is  8,040  feet;  still  the  men  eight  miles  south, 
who  had  spent  several  winters  there,  said  they  had  but  little  snow 
and  that  the  stock  kept  fat  all  the  year  round.  All  this  country 
abounds  with  game.  Brother  Young's  men  had  commenced  plow- 
ing to  put  in  wheat  and  spring  crops.  We  had  to  travel,  as  the 
road  ran  in  a  circle  nearly  all  around  the  mountain,  about  120 
miles  from  Moan  Copy,  when,  if  a  road  could  be  located  on  the 
north  side  of  the  mountain  to  the  Little  Colorado  River,  Moan 
Copy  could  be  reached  in  half  the  distance. 

I  left  Moan  Copy  on  the  14th  instant  to  visit  Sunset.  On  my 
arrival  at  the  Little  Colorado  River,  I  found  a  great  change  had 
taken  place ;  the  drouth  had  almost  entirely  dried  up  the  river 
for  50  miles ;  no  water  running  at  Black  or  Grand  Falls,  only  a 
little  found  in  pockets  sufficient  to  water  our  horses,  some  herders 
having  removed  their  stock  from  the  Black  Falls,  not  getting 
water  for  them  to  drink.  Brother  August  Wilcken  accompanied 


EXPERIENCES  IN  ARIZONA,  1879.  517 

me  to  Grand  Falls,  at  which  place  he  turned  west  to  the  San 
Francisco  mountains.  I  continued  on  south  until  I  arrived  at 
Sunset  on  the  evening  of  the  17th  instant,  where  I  was  welcomed 
by  Brother  Lot  Smith  and  many  Saints.  I  here  found  plenty  of 
water  in  the  Little  Colorado  River  to  irrigate  all  the  cultivated 
lands  and  to  run  to  the  grist  mill.  I  was  agreeably  disappointed 
in  the  general  appearance  of  the  country  surrounding  Sunset  and 
Brigham  City.  I  could  not  have  formed  a  correct  idea  of  the 
country  from  any  description  I  had  ever  heard  of  it.  I  found 
these  two  settlements  standing  on  the  borders  of  the  Little  Colo- 
rado River,  surrounded  by  a  large  open  country,  which  was  cov- 
ered with- the  very  best  of  grass  for  jnany  miles  upon  every  hand. 
Ten  thousand  head  of  horses  and  cattle  could  keep  fat  without 
going  many  miles  from  the  settlements,  and  there  is  a  belt  of  good 
thrifty  forest  of  cottonwood  timber,  a  mile  wide,  for  50  miles  up 
and  down  the  Little  Colorado  River,  and  sufficient  dry  wood 
strewn  along  the  bottom  to  supply  the  settlements  with  fuel  for 
many  years,  without  cutting  any  green  timber.  The  cottonwood 
groves  are  sufficienly  dense  to  give  herds  of  deer  hiding  grounds 
all  the  year  round.  On  Sunday  the  18th,  I  met  the  Saints  of  both 
settlements,  in  the  dining  hall  of  Sunset,  (some  55  feet  in  length) 
which  was  completely  filled.  I  spoke  to  them  during  the  forenoon 
and  afternoon  some  two  hours  and  a  half ;  a  good  spirit  prevailed. 
The  people  of  these  settlements  all  live  in  the  United  Order, 
and  eat  at  one  family  table.  I  stopped  with  Brother  Lot  Smith  who 
is  president  of  the  Stake.  I  took  my  meals  with  him  at  the  family 
table,  the  center  table  being  45  feet  in  length  and  the  side  table 
50  feet,  making  three  rows  of  persons.  Each  man  has  his  place 
at  the  table  with  his  family  with  him,  the  same  as  though  he  were 
with  his  family  in  his  own  house.  Prayer  is  always  offered  at  the 
table  morning  and  evening  before  eating,  and  blessing  is  then 
asked.  And  this  is  practiced  in  all  places  connected  with  these 
settlements,  at  the  sheep  herd,  saw  mill  and  dairies.  There  seemed 
to  be  universal  satisfaction  among  both  male  and  female  with 
this  order  of  things.  I  conversed  with  several  of  the  sisters. 
They  preferred  it  to  cooking  at  home.  All  fared  alike,  the  presi- 
dent, priest,  and  people.  If  any  were  sick  they  were  nourished. 
If  any  man  was  called  on  a  mission  he  had  no  anxiety  about  his 
family,  knowing  they  would  fare  as  well  as  the  rest.  If  any  man 


518  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

died  his  family  would  have  a  support  as  long  as  they  lived  with 
the  people,  and  I  must  say  that  I  felt  in  spirit  that  these  settle- 
ments, in  connection  with  Orderville,  were  living  in  the  United 
Order  as  near  as  any  people  could  in  mortality,  until  a  better  way 
shall  be  revealed.  I  could  see  many  advantages  they  had  above 
those  who  were  living,  each  man  for  himself.  They  were  out  of 
the  reach  of  temptation  to  quarrel  with  their  neighbors  over  water 
ditches,  or  over  their  neighbor's  stock  getting  into  their  crops. 
They  were  all  interested  alike  in  the  use  of  the  water,  or  the  pres- 
ervation of  their  crops.  All  is  theirs,  stock  and  crop,  as  though 
one  man  owned  the  whole,  and  instead  of  eating  up  or  wasting 
their  substance,  they  are  daily  getting  rich  and  are  enabled  to 
assist  other  settlements  to  bread  and  means.  The  presidents  and 
leaders  are  as  hard  laboring  men  as  any  in  the  settlements,  and, 
until  I  can  learn  a  better  way,  I  feel  to  say  with  every  sentiment 
of  my  heart  to  Orderville,  Sunset,  Brigham  City,  Pleasant  Val- 
ley, and  every  other  settlement  living  in  the  Order,  go  ahead  and 
God  bless  you ;  and,  as  President  Young  instructed  the  Saints 
who  came  to  form  these  settlements,  to  get  as  near  the  United 
Order  as  they  could;  and  as  President  Taylor  and  the  Apostles 
advocate  the  same  principle,  I  hope  that  all  the  priesthood  will 
sustain,  by  their  prayers,  faith  and  influence,  those  who  are  striv- 
ing to  live  in  this  United  Order,  until  something  more  perfect 
shall  be  revealed  unto  us.  It  appears  to  me  that  the  further  we 
withdraw  from  this  union  into  individuality  of  gardens,  lots,  or- 
chards, cows,  pigs,  and  chickens,  the  further  we  withdraw  from 
the  United  Order,  and  the  more  we  open  the  door  for  selfishness, 
temptation,  and  fault-finding  with  each  other,  the  same  as  before 
we  attempted  to  unite,  and  would  open  a  door  to  give  each  man 
an  excuse  to  spend  his  time  in  attending  to  his  individual  affairs, 
instead  of  laboring  for  the  general  good  of  all. 

The  Sunset  settlement  consists  of  25  families,  24  men,  30 
women,  66  children;  total  120  souls.  They  have  13  men  at  work 
on  the  farm;  they  have  put  in  200  acres  of  wheat,  100  of  corn. 
15  of  cane,  15  acres  of  lucern,  and  5  of  other  vegetables,  besides 
25  acres  of  wheat  for  the  Lamanites.  They  have  65  brood  mares, 
30  yearlings,  21  young  colts,  and  15  horses;  also  30  oxen,  160 
milk  cows,  257  dry  stock,  not  including  this  year's  calves;  also 
1,200  sheep,  and  500  lambs. 


EXPERIENCES  IN  ARIZONA,  1879.  519 

Brigham  City  consists  of  40  families,  38  men,  40  women, 
122  children;  total  souls,  200.  They  have  ten  men  on  the  farm, 
who  have  put  in  155  acres  of  wheat,  50  of  corn,  20  of  cane,  10  of 
lucern,  5  of  oats,  5  of  potatoes,  18  of  orchard,  and  15  of  other 
vegetables.  They  have  25  brood  mares,  7  colts,  15  horses;  also 
200  cows,  150  calves,  70  oxen,  280  young  stock;  also  700 
sheep,  and  500  lambs.  They  have  40  wagons,  a  blacksmith 
and  wagon  maker.  These  settlements  have  a  good  water  grist 
mill,  carding  machine,  steam  sawmill,  and  a  good  pottery,  all  in 
successful  operation. 

On  the  22nd,  I  visited  the  sheep  herd  at  McNeil  Springs,  in 
the  pine  and  oak  forests,  32  miles  from  Sunset.  The  house  stands 
upon  the  bench,  but  the  spring  is  in  a  deep  gorge,  so  steep  it  is 
difficult  for  men  to  bring  water  up  to  the  house.  The  water  is 
guided  into  several  large  pine  troughs,  where  1,000  sheep  drink 
daily.  The  wild  cats  are  so  numerous  that  it  is  difficult  to  guard 
the  lambs  by  night  from  cats.  We  visited  Pleasant  Valley 
on  the  23rd.  This  is  the  location  of  the  dairy  of  the  various  set- 
tlements in  the  United  Order,  and  is  one  of  the  finest  valleys  in 
Arizona.  It  is  five  miles  in  length,  and  three  miles  in  breadth, 
covered  with  the  best  of  grass,  except  a  lake  of  fresh  water  which 
covers  many  acres,  where  the  horses,  cows,  oxen,  deer,  antelope, 
and  turkeys  come  down  to  drink.  I  was  informed  the  deer  and 
antelope  came  into  the  valley  daily  to  drink,  at  times  as  many 
as  a  hundred  antelope  in  a  drove,  and  that  this  lake,  both  fall  and 
spring,  was  covered  with  thousands  of  ducks  and  geese,  the  ducks 
remaining  throughout  the  year.  Orvil  E.  Bates  presides  over  this 
settlement  and  is  directing  the  cheese  and  butter  making  depart- 
ment. I  took  a  horse-back  ride  in  the  evening  with  Brother 
Bates  to  take  a  view  of  the  country.  We  saw  15  deer,  17  ante- 
lopes, and  5  gobbler  turkeys  during  the  day. 

On  the  24th,  we  held  a  meeting  at  Pleasant  Valley  with  the 
Saints.  Brother  Lot  Smith,  George  Lake,  and  myself  addressed 
the  people.  A  good  spirit  prevailed.  At  the  close  of  the  meeting 
we  drove  10  miles  to  the  United  Order  sawmill.  We  saw  a  dozen 
turkeys  on  the  road.  This  steam  sawmill  is  one  used  at  Trum- 
bull,  and  has  a  capacity  of  sawing  10,000  feet  of  lumber  daily; 
stands  in  the  midst  of  that  vast  pine  and  oak  forest,  some  45  miles 
south  of  San  Francisco  Mountain.  I  saw  groves  of  white  oak 


520  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

from  the  size  of  hoop  poles  to  three  feet  in  diameter  and  50  feet 
in  height. 

On  Sunday,  25th,  we  held  a  meeting  forenoon  and  afternoon, 
with  the  people  at  the  mill.  I  spoke  about  one  hour  and  a  half, 
followed  by  Brothers  Lot  Smith,  L.  H.  Savage,  O.  E.  Bates,  and 
W.  C.  McLellan ;  a  good  spirit  prevailed. 

On  the  26th,  after  killing  and  dressing  a  large  antelope, 
and  taking  a  portion  of  the  meat  with  us,  we  left  our  friends  at 
the  mill  and  returned  to  Sunset  on  the  eve  of  the  27th. 

I  have  had  an  interview  with  Brother  Lewellyn  Harris  con- 
cerning his  administrations  among  the  Lamanites  sick  with  the 
small-pox.  He  confirms  as  truth  all  that  was  published  in  the 
Deseret  News  concerning  it. 

WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

On  the  24th.  of  June  with  Lot  Smith  and  others  he  made  a 
journey  to  a  number  of  settlements  in  that  district  of  the  country. 
The  25th  found  him  at  Woodruff,  a  small  town  on  the  Little  Col- 
orado, that  had  been  named  in  his  honor.  The  people  of  the  town 
represented  in  some  manner  the  persistency  that  characterized  the 
life  of  Apostle  Woodruff.  An  existence  along  the  Little  Colorado, 
especially  when  it  depends  upon  the  permanence  of  dams  con- 
structed on  its  quicksands,  is  both  precarious  and  difficult. 

Elder  Woodruff  always  had  the  happy  faculty  of  adjusting 
himself  to  the  conditions  of  people  wherever  he  was.  He  was 
as  much  at  home  on  the  farm  as  in  the  pulpit  or  in  the  temple. 
He  helped  the  brethren  gather  their  crops  and  labored  in  the 
fields. 

During  the  latter  part  of  July,  Elder  Woodruff  went  to  Snow- 
flake  where,  with  President  Jesse  M.  Smith,  he  took  up  his  labors 
among  the  Saints.  While  there,  during  the  early  part  of  August, 
he  accepted  an  invitation  to  go  on  a  deer  hunt  with  Pelone,  an 
Apache  chief.  On  this  occasion,  though  fond  of  hunting,  he 
was  much  more  interested  in  preaching  the  gospel  to  the  chief 
and  other  Indians  than  he  was  in  pursuing  the  chase.  He  says 
that  when  they  were  ready,  the  Indian  painted  himself  with  white 
clay,  put  on  a  striped  shirt  resembling  the  color  of  an  antelope. 
The  Indian  likewise  made  his  limbs  take  on  the  same  striped  ap- 
pearance. On  his  head  he  put  artificial  horns,  thus  making  himself 


EXPERIENCES  IN  ARIZONA,  1879.  521 

a  decoy  to  antelope.  Pelone  and  the  Indians  with  him  were  told 
about  the  Book  of  Mormon  and  the  promises  of  the  Lord  respect- 
ing their  forefathers. 

Of  these  visits  Elder  Woodruff  related  a  circumstance  as 
follows :  "Pelone  gave  three  young  Mormon  Elders  the  strongest 
rebuke  I  ever  heard  from  an  Indian.  The  boys  were  smoking  and 
asked  Pelone  to  smoke  with  them.  He  looked  them  sternly  in 
the  face  and  said :  'No,  the  Great  Spirit  has  told  me  that  if  I 
would  not  smoke,  nor  drink  whiskey,  I  should  live  a  long  time, 
but  if  I  did,  I  should  live  but  a  short  time.'  I  then  said  to  the 
boys,  you  should  take  that  rebuke  to  heart,  and  never  again  set 
such  an  example  before  an  Indian." 

Two  days  later  Elder  Woodruff  had  another  talk  with  Pelone 
and  one  Pedro.  The  latter  was  also  an  Apache  chief,  the  two 
being  the  principal  chiefs  of  the  tribe.  The  former  had  related 
to  Pedro  all  that  Brother  Woodruff  had  taught  him  and  appeared 
much  interested  in  the  message. 

From  Snowflake  Apostle  Woodruff  made  his  way  to  St. 
John,  from  which  place  with  Ammon  Tenney  he  paid  a  visit  to 
the  Zunis  and  other  Indian  tribes,  an  account  of  which  is  given  in 
a  communication  of  September  15th,  1879,  to  President  John 
Taylor,  as  follows : 

SUNSET,  APACHE  Co.,  ARIZONA, 

Sept.  15th,  1879. 
President  John  Taylor  and  Council: 

DEAR  BRETHREN: — I  arrived  on  Saturday  night,  the  13th 
inst.,  all  well  and  in  good  spirits  and  found  Brother  Lake,  of 
Brigham  City,  and  Brother  Bates,  of  Pleasant  Valley,  very  sick. 
They  had  been  to  the  Verde,  baptizing  some  and  administering  to 
the  sick.  Brother  Lake  has  been  looked  upon  as  dangerous,  but 
was  some  better  yesterday. 

In  my  short  communication  of  the  2nd  inst,  I  promised  to 
give  a  fuller  account  of  my  visit  to  the  Isletas,  which  I  will  now 
endeavor  to  do.  I  view  my  visit  among  the  Nephites  one  of  the 
most  interesting  missions  of  my  life,  although  short.  I  say  Ne- 
phites because  if  there  are  any  Nephites  on  this  continent  we  have 
found  them  among  the  Zunis,  Lagumas,  and  Isletas,  for  they  are 
a  different  race  of  people  altogether  from  the  Lamanites.  I  class 


522  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

the  Navajoe,  Moquis,  and  Apaches  with  the  Lamanites,  although 
they  are  in  advance  of  many  Indian  tribes  of  America.  I  class 
the  Zunis,  Lagumas,  and  Isletas  among  the  Nephites.  (See  Sec. 
3,  verse  17,  Doc.  and  Cov.)  The  Zunis  are  in  advance  of  the 
Navajoes,  Apaches,  or  of  any  other  Lamanites.  The  Lagumas 
are  much  above  the  Zunis,  and  the  Isletas  are  far  above  them  all 
in  wealth,  in  beauty,  cleanliness,  and  order  of  their  homes  and 
persons,  the  adornment  of  their  dwellings,  their  industry  and  inde- 
fatigable labors,  and  in  their  virtue,  and  in  the  purity  of  their  na- 
tional blood.  Their  bearing  and  dignity  in  their  intercourse  with 
strangers,  and,  above  all  else,  the  expansion  of  their  minds  and 
their  capacity  to  receive  any  principle  of  the  Gospel,  such  as  en- 
dowments or  sealing  powers,  fully  equal  the  minds  of  any  of  the 
Anglo  Saxon  race.  While  I  have  been  standing  in  the  midst  of 
that  noble-minded  people,  teaching  them  the  gospel,  I  could  not 
make  myself  believe  I  was  standing  in  the  presence  of  American 
Indians  or  Lamanites,  neither  was  I.  The  Isletas  of  which  I  speak 
is  a  village  twelve  miles  below  Albuquerque,  on  the  Rio  Del 
Norte,  containing  3,000  souls  that  stand  at  the  head  of  this  class 
of  men  that  I  call  the  Nephites.  They  occupy  forty  villages,  con- 
taining a  population  of  32,000,  speaking  sixteen  distinct  languages, 
but  nearly  all  good  Spanish  scholars.  I  look  upon  this  as  a  great 
7neld  of  missionary  labor  for  some  forty  good,  faithful  "Mormon" 
elders,  who  should  be  able  to  speak  the  Spanish ;  and  I  hope  next 
conference  will  call  some  of  them,  at  least,  into  the  field.  I  visited 
this  people,  located  in  their  homes  in  company  with  Brother  Am- 
mon  M.  Tenney,  who  had  visited  most  of  them  before,  and  I 
think  has  done  much  good  in  opening  doors  among  them.  He 
had  baptized  115  of  the  Zunis  on  a  former  mission.  My  journey 
and  visit  with  him  was  a  visit  of  observation,  and  I  was  amply 
rewarded.  In  what  way,  I  do  not  know,  but  in  almost  every  vil- 
lage I  visited,  they  were  looking  for  me.  I  can  only  make  a  brief 
outline  from  my  journal  of  our  journey.  On  the  19th  of  August, 
.we  entered  the  Zuni  village,  containing  about  3,000  souls.  The 
village  stood  on  a  piece  of  elevated  ground ;  many  buildings  were 
three  stories  high,  and  the  upper  stories  were  entered  by  ladders 
at  the  top.  There  had  been  a  heavy  struggle  in  this  village  be- 
tween the  Catholics  and  Mormon  Zunis.  The  priests  had  done 
all  they  could  to  lie  about  the  Mormons  and  had  drawn  away 


EXPERIENCES  IN  ARIZONA,  1879.  523 

a  few  who  had  been  baptized,  but  others  remained  firm.  I  went 
through  the  old  Catholic  cathedral  in  the  village;  it  looked  as 
though  it  were  500  years  old.  It  had  two  bells  hanging  in  the 
tower  and  over  the  pulpit  was  some  of  the  finest  carved  work  in 
wood  I  ever  saw,  representing  Christ,  the  apostles,  and  angels. 
I  went  all  through  the  village  and,  for  the  first  time  in  my  life,  I 
had  a  view  of  the  white  Indians  called  Albinos.  Their  hair,  face, 
and  limbs  were  nearly  as  white  as  milk,  much  whiter  than  any 
Americans.  I  met  with  many  who  had  been  baptized  and  they 
were  very  glad  to  see  me.  They  had  2,000  acres  of  corn,  looking 
well  without  irrigation.  On  the  day  following,  we  visited  their 
village  at  their  farm  called  Fish  Springs.  I  was  here  introduced 
to  Brother  Juan  Bautista  (John  Baptist),  the  first  man  baptized 
in  the  Zuni  nation  by  A.  M.  Tenney.  His  son's  wife  was  the 
most  handsome  woman  I  ever  saw  of  the  Indian  race;  had  a 
beautiful  child,  nearly  white.  I  went  through  their  wheat  fields, 
which  they  were  cutting  with  sickles.  We  visited  several  ruins  of 
the  ancient  inhabitants;  some  of  the  outside  walls  of  stone  were 
standing  some  eight  feet  high.  On  Sunday  evening,  the  25th,  we 
held  a  meeting  in  a  village  of  the  Lagumas,  called  Mosita  Negra. 
We  had  an  interesting  talk  with  the  Governor  of  the  place  (Jose 
Carido),  and  the  spiritual  advisor  (Lorenzo  Coreo)  and  both 
wanted  a  meeting.  They  called  the  people  together,  men,  women, 
and  children.  We  opened  by  singing  and  prayer,  and  Brother 
Tenney  spoke  to  them  in  Spanish  thirty  minutes.  I  spoke  a  short 
time.  Brother  Tenney  interpreted  and  we  dismissed,  thinking 
we  had  kept  them  long  enough.  As  soon  as  we  dismissed,  a  Ne- 
phite  arose,  full  of  the  spirit  of  the  Lord,  and  said :  'Friends,  why 
do  you  dismiss  us  and  leave  us  in  this  way.  This  is  the  first  time 
we  have  heard  of  our  forefathers  and  the  gospel,  and  the  things 
we  have  looked  for  from  the  traditions  of  our  fathers.  If  our 
wives  and  children  are  weary,  let  them  go  home ;  we  want  to  hear 
more.  We  want  you  to  talk  all  night,  do  not  leave  us  so.'  This 
speech  raised  me  to  my  feet  and  the  next  hour  was  one  of  the  best 
meetings  we  had.  We  all  felt  inspired,  missionaries,  Nephite  men, 
women,  and  children.  I  spoke  and  Brother  Tenney  interpreted. 
I  never  felt  the  want  of  tongues  more  than  on  this  occasion.  I 
taught  the  things  of  the  Kingdom  of  God  and  found  hearts  cap- 
able of  receiving  it.  All  were  deeply  interested  and  the  seeds  we 


524  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

had  sown  in  the  hearts  of  that  people  will  bring  forth  fruit.  At 
the  close  of  the  meeting,  the  man  who  spoke  in  the  meeting  came 
to  me  and  said,  'When  you  return,  drive  to  my  home  and  all  your 
wants  will  be  supplied,'  which  we  did  and  held  another  meeting 
on  the  Sunday  following.  We  should  have  baptized  him,  the 
Governor,  and  many  others,  I  think,  but  the  Governor  who  had  fol- 
lowed us,  as  did  the  spiritual  advisor,  some  sixty  miles  to  Isletas, 
had  not  returned.  The  people  did  not  wish  to  take  any  steps  until 
their  Governor  was  with  them.  On  the  following  morning,  my 
carriage  was  surrounded  by  the  Governor  and  people  that  we  had 
talked  to  the  night  before.  Some  of  them  took  breakfast  with  us 
and  I  had  to  talk  to  them  on  the  principles  of  the  gospel  and  their 
record  and  signs  of  the  times,  until  I  left;  and  the  leading  men 
of  the  village  followed  us  sixty  miles  to  Isletas  and  stopped  with 
us  most  of  the  time  we  were  there.  On  the  morning  of  the  26th 
of  August,  we  drove  through  Frisco,  crossed  the  Rio  Del  Norte, 
which  we  found  very  low,  and  entered  Albuquerque,  containing 
about  3,000  inhabitants,  Jews,  Gentiles,  Americans,  ana  Mexi- 
cans. I  was  introduced  to  Judge  Parks,  the  U.  S.  District  Judge 
of  that  District,  from  Illinois.  I  went  through  the  city  or  town.  It 
is  quite  a  place  of  business.  I  went  through  the  Catholic  cath- 
edral accompanied  by  an  Italian  padre,  or  priest.  He  took  great 
pains  to  show  us  everything  in  it,  robes  of  the  priests  and  dea- 
cons ;  some  robes  woven  from  pure  gold  thread  that  cost  $1,000.00. 
There  was  much  more  wealth  than  I  would  have  looked  for  in 
as  obscure  a  place  as  Albuquerque.  We  spent  the  day  in  the 
place  and  left  in  the  evening  and  camped  five  miles  below  on  the 
banks  of  the  river.  On  the  27th  of  August,  we  entered  the  vil- 
lage sf  Isletas  (Ysleta),  being  the  day  before  the  great  annual 
feast  of  this  people.  Brother  Ammon  M.  Tenney  had  visited  thlj> 
people  three  years  ago  and  had  made  friends  in  the  place.  We 
called  upon  an  old  patriarch  that  had  received  him  before.  His  name 
was  Juan  Reylocero  (John  King.)  He  was  glad  to  receive  us. 
He  furnished  us  with  mutton,  fruit,  and  anything  we  needed.  He 
was  one  of  the  leading  spirits,  was  one  of  the  most  influential  men 
in  the  village,  and  was  over  eighty  years  of  age ;  but  by  his  labor 
and  activity  he  did  not  appear  more  than  seventy.  It  should  be 
understood  that  the  Catholic  power  has  had  dominion  for  cen- 
turies over  most  of  the  American  tribes.  This  is  the  case  with  all 


EXPERIENCES  IN  ARIZONA,  1879.  525 

these  tribes,  as  well  as  others,  and  the  priests  who  now  occupy 
their  villages  are  mostly  French  or  Italian.  The  priests  who  dwell 
in  Isletas  have  had  a  hard  contest  with  the  old  patriarch,  because 
he  had  received  the  Mormons  and  their  religion.  He  told  the 
priest  that  he  had  his  own  rights  and  agency  and  no  men  should 
take  his  rights  or  religion  from  him ;  and  they  had  not  spoken  to 
each  other  for  two  years.  This  spirit  is  manifest  through  all  the 
tribes  when  the  gospel  is  preached,  and  the  Lamanites  and  Ne- 
phites  throughout  all  the  land  are  beginning  to  be  weary  of  the 
Catholic  priests  and  their  religion.  The  inhabitants  of  Isletas 
stand  at  the  head  of  these  32,000  Nephites ;  all  the  other  40  vil- 
lages come  to  them  for  counsel.  They  have  their  own  laws, 
police  courts,  and  judgment  seat.  They  are  very  rich.  The  man 
we  stopped  with  possessed  9,000  sheep,  100  brood  mares  and 
horses,  100  mules  and  asses,  500  cows  and  oxen,  a  ranch  worth 
$8,000.00,  and  $25,000  of  other  wealth.  He  rents  many 
houses  in  the  city,  and  he  is  a  sample  of  many  of  the  Isletas 
nation.  They  allow  no  white  man  or  Mexican  to  mix  with  them 
in  their  blood;  all  their  marriages  are  in  their  own  tribe.  Our 
friend  (Reylocero)  said  the  Americans  had  called  them  wild  men. 
If  they  were  wild,  they  were  honest  and  virtuous.  It  was  very 
seldom  that  a  case  of  seduction  of  a  wife  or  daughter  was  known 
in  their  tribes.  Whenever  such  a  case  did  occur,  the  penalty  of 
death  was  executed  and  had  been  for  centuries,  until  civilization 
was  introduced  by  Americans,  who  had  introduced  seduction  and 
corruption  wherever  they  had  a  chance,  and  now,  if  a  man  were  put 
to  death  for  seduction,  the  civilization  of  the  day  would  kill  his 
slayer.  In  fact  they  were  so  much  afraid  of  white  men  coming 
in  contact  with  their  women,  that  Brothers  Tenney  and  Robert  H. 
Smith,  of  the  15th  Ward,  Salt  Lake  City,  three  years  ago,  came 
nearly  starving  to  death  before  they  got  thoroughly  acquainted 
with  them.  They  were  not  willing  for  these  brethren  to  go  into 
the  presence  of  their  women ;  but  after  the  old  patriarch  had 
reached  full  confidence  in  Brother  Tenney,  he  put  his  grand- 
daughter (a  very  handsome  young  woman)  in  his  charge,  as  he 
was  going  away  for  a  season,  and  a  young  Mexican  wished  to 
court  her,  and  the  old  gentleman  did  not  wish  him  to  marry  her. 
And  as  the  people  in  that  village  had  full  confidence  in  him,  on 
our  arrival  we  were  kindly  received  and  entertained  by  all  we 


526  WlLFORD  WOODRUFF. 

called  upon.  I  look  upon  the  Isletas  as  the  most  industrious  and 
hard  laboring  people  of  any  I  ever  met  (the  Latter-day  Saints  not 
excepted).  This  Nephite  village  has  a  field  of  corn  ten  miles  in 
length  and  one  in  width.  It  lies  north  and  south  of  their  village, 
and  is  irrigated.  The  corn  is  quite  as  good  as  any  I  ever  saw  in 
Utah,  and  perfectly  clean;  not  a  weed  could  be  found  in  a  hun- 
dred acres.  They  have  also  twenty-one  vineyards  bordering  on 
their  city  and  1,000  vines  to  each  vineyard,  some  of  them  60  years 
of  age,  all  kept  perfectly  clean  and  loaded  with  the  finest  of  fruit, 
and  as  heavy  a  crop  as  I  ever  saw  in  St.  George.  The  vines  stand 
from  two  to  four  feet  in  height  and,  in  the  fall  of  the  year,  each 
vine  has  a  mound  of  earth  formed  around  it,  until  it  is  covered 
out  of  sight.  In  the  spring  it  is  uncovered  and  the  earth  leveled. 
This  is  an  immense  work.  They  have  also  many  apple,  pear,  and 
peach  orchards,  all  ripe  as  well  as  the  grapes.  Isletas  is  occu- 
pied only  by  the  Nephites  themselves.  There  are  no  Mexicans  or 
white  men.  The  houses  generally  are  made  of  adobe,  cement, 
or  concrete,  and  plastered.  The  outside  walls  are  as  white  as 
snow,  and  the  floors  are  made  of  mortar  or  plaster,  very  smooth 
and  many  of  them  very  neatly  carpeted.  We  saw  some  as  hand- 
some women  and  girls  as  could  be  found  in  America,  barring 
their  dark  complexions.  There  is  one  practice  that  exceeds  that 
of  any  civilized  city  on  the  globe  that  I  ever  heard  of.  No  man, 
woman,  or  child  is  allowed  to  sweep  a  particle  of  dirt  or  dust 
from  their  floors  into  the  door  yards  or  streets,  under  penalty  of 
a  fine.  It  all  has  to  be  gathered  in  cloths  or  baskets  and  carried 
to  mounds  which  are  located  in  different  parts  of  the  city.  The 
room  we  occupied  was  in  the  center  of  the  town  and  the  mound 
formed  from  the  sweepings  of  the  floors  in  that  part  of  the  town 
measured  150  yards  at  the  base  and  some  thirty  feet  high,  which 
had  probably  been  100  years  in  collecting,  for  they  did  not  ap- 
pear to  cart  it  away.  I  found  in  Isletas  and  in  other  villages  of 
the  Nephites  the  same  kind  of  crockery  and  stone  ware  painted 
in  all  its  brilliant  colors  that  we  find  in  the  remains  of  their  an- 
cient cities,  or  in  ruins  of  the  ancient  inhabitants.  All  of  their  water 
jugs  and  main  crockery  are  of  this  material,  for  they  still  hold  the 
art  of  making  and  painting  it.  We  visited  quite  a  number  of 
the  families  in  the  village  and  were  kindly  entertained.  Among 


EXPERIENCES  IN  ARIZONA,  1879.  32? 

others,  we  visited  Mrs.  Pascual  Avieta,  a  Nephite  lady,  I  should 
judge  50  years  of  age,  a  large  portly  woman,  with  a  large,  fine 
home.  Her  floors  were  neatly  carpeted,  and  settees  were  cov- 
ered with  Navajoe  blankets,  worth  $15  each.  She  was  neatly 
dressed.  I  was  introduced  to  her  by  Brother  Tenney  and  to  her 
daughters  and  sons.  She  received  me  and  treated  me  with  all 
the  cordiality  that  any  refined  lady  could,  and  presided  over  her 
household  with  all  the  dignity  and  grace  of  a  Martha  Washing- 
ton. When  her  daughters  were  introduced  to  me,  after  bowing 
and  shaking  hands,  they  very  reservedly  and  modestly  retired 
across  the  room,  sat  down  upon  a  settee  and  listened  to  what  was 
said  in  silence.  The  matron  sat  down  beside  me  and  conversed 
with  great  freedom.  While  the  family  could  speak  good  Spanish, 
her  son,  a  fine  young  man  of  20,  could  speak  good  English,  which 
was  a  God  send  to  me,  and  I  thoroughly  improved  it  by  preach- 
ing the  Gospel  of  Christ  and  blessings  of  the  Kingdom  of  God 
to  him,  which  he  gladly  received  and  promised  to  deliver  the  same 
to  his  father  and  mother.  The  matron  invited  us  into  her  pear, 
peach,  and  apple  orchard,  and  grape  vineyard  where  fruit  was 
ripe.  We  feasted  to  our  satisfaction,  and  repeated  by  invitation 
the  same  ceremony  each  day  while  in  Isletas.  The  feast  was  on 
the  27th  of  August.  There  were  hundreds  of  Mexicans  from  all 
the  surrounding  country  gathered.  The  Mexican  women  and 
girls  had  their  long  trails.  Most  all  the  drinking,  gambling,  and 
fighting,  which  lasted  all  night,  were  done  by  the  Mexicans,  while 
the  Isletas  were  in  their  homes  with  doors  locked  at  an  earl) 
hour.  The  Governor  and  leading  men  of  Mosita  Negra,  where 
we  preached,  were  with  us  and  did  not  take  part  in  the  Mexican 
carousal. 

Thus,  dear  brethren,  I  have  given  you  an  outline,  merely, 
of  the  field  of  labor  which  I  consider  the  God  of  Israel  has  opened 
unto  us,  and  which  I  consider  the  revelations  of  God  require  us 
to  perform.  I  think  there  is  element  sufficient  for  forty  good, 
faithful  elders.  There  is  need  for  a  goodly  number  of  elders  who 
can  speak  the  Spanish  language,  or  who  will  be  able  to  learn  it. 
I  have  already  sent  Brother  Taylor  a  small  list  of  names,  includ- 
ing the  Indian  missionaries  that  are  already  in  this  country,  as 
far  as  I  can  remember  them,  and  if  there  are  any  in  St.  George 


528  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

or  southern  Utah,  or  northern,  who  can  speak  the  Spanish,  or 
who  will  learn  it,  I  would  like  Brother  Taylor  to  consider  them  at 
the  October  Conference. 

I  am  happy  to  be  able  to  state  that  most  of  the  settlements 
I  have  visited  of  the  Saints  have  been  blessed  with  fair  crops  of 
grain,  notwithstanding  the  dry  season.  They  were  just  finishing 
threshing  as  I  left  Snowflake.  They  will  have  over  3,000  bushels 
of  grain,  mostly  wheat,  and  I  am  confident  they  will  have  over 
4,000  bushels  of  wheat  at  Sunset. 

I  have  not  written  anything  for  publication  concerning  my 
journey  to  Lamanites  or  Nephites  of  late,  thinking  it  would  not 
be  wisdom  to  publish  anything  about  our  labors  among  the  Amer- 
ican Indians  under  the  present  state  of  excitement  on  Mormon- 
ism.  I  forwarded  a  list  of  names  in  my  other  communication,  as 
missionaries.  I  forward  a  few  more  in  this  communication  and 
those  I  send  from  here  are  mostly  persons  who  have  given  in  their 
names  and  are  willing  to  engage  in  the  mission.  Some  incidents  oc- 
curred on  our  mission  which  were  interesting  to  me  and  showed 
that  the  Lord  was  at  work  with  and  for  us,  to  open  the  way  for 
the  introduction  of  the  gospel  among  this  branch  of  the  house 
of  Israel.  But  I  have  already  lengthened  this  communication 
much  more  than  I  intended  at  the  commencement.  I  learned  of 
the  release  of  the  Apostles  from  prison  from  the  "News,"  which 
has  given  joy  to  all  the  faithful  Saints  of  the  land.  The  devil 
is  making  a  hard  struggle  to  stop  the  building  of  temples,  and  the 
work  of  God,  and  the  wicked  are  helping  him,  but,  brethren,  God 
reigns  and  will  stand  by  you  to  the  end.  The  lawyers,  judges, 
and  the  nation  are  hastening  to  their  doom  as  fast  as  time  will 
permit,  and  they  are  sure  of  their  fate.  That  God  may  bless  you 
and  give  you  the  victory,  is  the  earnest  prayer  of 

Your  brother  in  the  gospel, 

WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

Brother  Woodruff  here  in  his  journal,  referring  to  his  epistle 
in  support  of  Plural  Marriage,  said :  "I  am  composed  and  tran- 
quil. I  am  in  the  hands  of  God,  so  is  the  United  States  Govern- 
ment. I  rejoice  in  that  epistle  and  in  the  testimony  which  I  have 
borne  to  all  the  world.  God  will  back  up  my  testimony  and  the 
testimony  of  the  righteous  though  the  heaven  and  earth  shall  pass 


EXPERIENCES  IN  ARIZONA,  1879.  529 

away."  During  those  days  in  Arizona,  away  from  the  turmoil 
and  busy  scenes  of  his  former  active  life  he  had  opportunity  to 
give  himself  up  to  the  inner  workings  of  the  human  soul.  It 
was  not  only  an  opportunity  to  rest,  but  it  was  an  abandonment  to 
the  workings  of  the  spirit  of  God  in  the  wilderness  of  Arizona, 
from  which  he  gave  out  some  of  the  most  inspiring  utterances  of 
his  life. 

Nor  was  his  life  there  without  some  inconveniences  and  in- 
deed some  hardships.  In  November  of  that  year  he  traveled  with 
Lot  Smith  through  the  mountains  where  the  snow  lay  a  foot  deep. 
The  weather  was  very  cold  and  the  wind  was  piercing.  They  cut 
down  pine  limbs  to  make  a  shield  against  the  cold  blast,  and 
made  their  bed  upon  the  earth.  The  weather  was  so  cold  that 
night  that  Elder  Smith,  fearing  his  horses  might  freeze,  arose 
and  brought  them  to  a  big  fire  which  they  kept  ablaze  most  of  the 
night.  It  was  on  that  journey  that  he  records  a  visit  of  President 
Young  and  Elder  Orson  Hyde  to  him  in  a  dream.  He  asked 
President  Young  if  he  would  not  address  the  Saints,  and  he  an- 
swered, No,  saying  that  he  had  done  his  talking  in  the  flesh  and 
that  work  was  now  left  for  Elder  Woodruff  and  others  to  do. 
From  the  dream  he  quotes  President  Young  as  saying :  "Tell  the 
people  to  get  the  spirit  of  the  Lord  and  keep  it  with  them." 

It  was  also  at  that  time  that  he  employed  his  leisure  moments 
in  reading  McCabe's  History  of  the  World.  He  also  helped  the 
brethren  in  the  fields,  dressed  buckskin,  and  did  everything  that 
came  in  his  reach.  The  last  days  of  1879  were  passed  with  John 
W.  Young,  and  other  brethren.  They  visited  the  different  wards, 
held  conferences,  and  gave  encouragement  to  the  people.  In  a 
section  of  country  where  material  advantages  were  not  the  best, 
what  the  people  lacked  in  worldly  advantages  they  really  enjoyed 
in  spiritual  blessings. 


CHAPTER  48. 

REMARKABLE  EXPERIENCES  IN  ARIZONA,  1880. 

In  a  Shepherd's  Tent  in  Arizona. — A  Revelation  Given  Jan.  26,  1880. — 
Organization  of  First  Presidency. — Call  to  Apostleship  of  Francis 
M.  Lyman  and  John  Henry  Smith. 

New  Year's  Day,  1880,  found  Apostle  Woodruff  at  the  home 
of  a  Brother  Greer  at  the  Little  Colorado  meadows,  Apache 
County,  Arizona.  He  says  he  passed  much  of  the  day  in  reading 
and  in  meditation  upon  the  past.  His  mind  was  also  occupied  with 
his  present  situation,  and  he  was  led  to  contemplate  the  future. 
The  day  following  he  went  to  a  small  uninteresting  town  about  fif- 
teen miles  from  St.  Johns  to  a  meeting.  Judge  Stinison  was  pres- 
ent at  the  meeting  to  hear  Elder  Woodruff  in  his  discourse  upon 
the  divinity  of  the  great  latter-day  work.  On  the  5th  he  rode  to 
what  was  known  as  Perkins'  ranch,  where  he  ordained  John  H. 
Perkins  to  the  office  of  a  seventy  and  set  him  apart  for  a  mission 
to  the  Lamanites.  At  this  time  Elder  Woodruff  was  strongly  im- 
pressed with  the  desirability  of  opening  a  mission  among  the  La- 
manites, and  therefore  set  apart  Elder  Greer  and  Henry  W.  Des- 
pain  for  that  mission. 

After  his  visit  along  the  settlements  up  the  Little  Colorado 
Elder  Woodruff  returned  to  Brigham  City,  and  later  took  up  his 
abode  in  a  shepherd's  tent  about  twenty-five  miles  from  Sunset. 
Here  he  wrote  letters  to  President  Taylor  and  others,  and  was  es- 
pecially thoughtful  of  Elder  George  Reynolds,  then  a  prisoner  in 
Lincoln,  Nebraska,  Elder  Reynolds  having  been  convicted  of 
polygamy.  It  was  here  in  this  shepherd's  tent  that  he  felt  the  sol- 
emnities of  eternity  resting  upon  him  and  desired  to  know  the 
mind  and  will  of  the  Lord  concerning  the  Apostles  and  the  nation, 
and  especially  the  purpose  of  the  persecution  against  the  Saints 
of  God.  On  the  26th  of  January  in  his  journal  he  says :  "I  went 
to  bed  filled  with  prayer  and  meditation.  I  fell  asleep  and  re- 
mained in  slumber  until  about  midnight,  when  I  awoke.  The 
Lord  then  poured  out  His  spirit  upon  me  and  opened  the  vision  of 
my  mind  so  that  I  could  comprehend  in  a  great  measure  the  mind 
and  will  of  God  concerning  the  nation  and  concerning  the  inhab- 


REMARKABLE  EXPERIENCES  IN  ARIZONA,  1880.     531 

itants  of  Zion.  I  saw  the  wickedness  of  the  nation,  its  abomina- 
tions and  corruptions  and  the  judgments  of  God  and  the  destruc- 
tion that  awaited  it.  Then  I  also  comprehended  the  great  respon- 
sibility which  rested  upon  the  Quorum  of  the  Apostles.  My  head 
became  a  fountain  of  tears,  and  my  pillow  was  wet  with  the  dews 
of  heaven.  Sleep  departed  from  me.  The  Lord  revealed  unto 
me  the  duty  of  the  Apostles  and  of  all  the  faithful  elders  of 
Israel.  The  revelation  was  submitted  to  the  Quorum  of  the 
Twelve  Apostles  just  prior  to  the  April  conference  of  that  year. 
It  was  accepted  by  that  body  as  the  word  of  the  Lord,  according 
to  Elder  Woodruff's  journal,  under  date  of  April  4th,  1880. 

On  the  morning  following  the  revelation,  January  27th,  he 
said :  "I  arose  in  the  morning  after  the  vision  of  the  night.  My 
heart  was  rilled  with  joy  and  gratitude  for  a  manifestation  of  the 
spirit  of  God  to  me.  It  was  given  by  the  inspiration  of  the  Holy 
Ghost.  I  had  read  a  revelation  in  the  Doctrine  and  Covenants 
and  prayed  earnestly  to  the  Lord  to  manifest  to  me  His  mind  and 
will  concerning  myself  and  my  brethren,  the  Apostles,  and  the 
Lord  gave  me  that  revelation  in  answer  to  my  prayers. 

"On  January  28th  I  was  again  given  a  vision.  It  concerned 
the  destiny  of  our  nation  and  of  Zion.  My  pillow  was  again  wet 
by  a  fountain  of  tears  as  I  beheld  the  judgments  of  God  upon  the 
wicked.  I  was  strongly  impressed  that  the  Apostles  and  elders 
should  warn  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth." 

On  his  return  to  the  settlements  from  the  mountains, February 
1st,  he  writes :  "I  have  passed  eleven  days  in  the  mountains  in  the 
midst  of  driving  snow,  making  my  bed  upon  the  ground  in  a 
shepherd's  tent.  I  ate  my  bread  and  meat  twice  a  day  with  thanks- 
giving. I  drank  the  cold  snow  water  and  indeed  have  had  the 
best  of  health,  although  when  I  left  Sunset  I  had  a  severe  cold  on 
my  lungs.  I  also  passed  several  days  in  the  saddle,  from  eight  to 
ten  hours  a  day,  when  the  cold  north  wind  was  blowing  in  my 
face.  I  shall  soon  be  seventy-three  years  of  age." 

Between  the  20th  and  27th  of  February  with  John  W.  Young 
he  visited  much  of  the  mountain  country  where  in  places  it  was 
necessary  to  let  the  wagons  down  over  the  rocks  with  ropes  on 
account  of  the  rugged  character  of  that  region.  On  the  28th  and 
29th  he  attended  the  Stake  Conference. 

March  the  1st  was  Elder  Woodruff's  birthday.    The  Saints  of 


532  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

Sunset  and  Brigham  City  honored  him  with  their  presence.  About 
one  hundred  guests  sat  down  to  his  birthday  dinner.  The  Saints 
of  that  region  were  greatly  devoted  to  Apostle  Woodruff,  and 
some  named  their  children  after  him.  His  sojourn  in  Arizona  dur- 
ing those  months  of  exile  disclosed  more  than  anything  else  in  later 
years  of  his  life  the  spirit  that  actuated  the  man.  Far  removed 
from  the  busy  life  which  the  leaders  of  the  Church  were  leading 
at  the  time,  his  mind  was  touched  by  the  visions  of  God,  and  it 
was  a  time  of  spiritual  enjoyment. 

On  the  3rd  of  March,  in  company  with  Lot  Smith,  he  left  for 
St.  George,  which  he  reached  on  the  18th.  On  his  way,  at  Kanab, 
Elder  Woodruff  mentions  the  fact  that  Elder  David  K.  Udall  of 
that  place  was  wanted  to  be  bishop  of  St.  Johns,  Arizona,  a  posi- 
tion which  Elder  Udall  subsequently  filled,  and  later  he  became  the 
president  of  the  stake,  a  position  he  now  holds.  During  his  stay 
at  St.  George  he  refers  to  the  many  happy  hours  he  passed  in 
connection  with  Erastus  Snow,  James  G.  Bleak,  Moses  F.  Farns- 
worth,  John  D.  T.  McAllister  and  others.  On  the  24th  of  March, 
in  company  with  Erastus  Snow,  he  left  St.  George  and  reached 
Salt  Lake  City,  after  holding  meetings  en  route,  on  the  2nd  of 
April.  On  the  4th  and  5th  of  the  month  meetings  were  held  by 
the  Council  in  the  Assembly  Hall  preparatory  to  the  conference 
which  began  on  the  6th  of  April. 

The  April  conference  of  1880  was  one  of  the  most  important 
in  the  history  of  the  Church.  Ffty  years  had  passed  since  its  or- 
ganization. President  Taylor  felt  inspired  to  make  it  a  year  of  ju- 
bilee to  the  Latter-day  Saints.  The  people  were,  therefore,  forgiver 
their  debts  to  the  Church  to  the  extent  of  eight  hundred  thousand 
dollars,  money  chiefly  due  to  the  emigration  fund.  Unpaid  tithing 
was  also  forgiven  to  the  amount  of  seventy-six  thousand  eight 
hundred  and  ninety-nine  dollars.  Hundreds  of  cows  and  thou- 
sands of  sheep  were  given  to  the  widows  and  other  worthy  poor. 
The  discourses  at  the  conference  were  especially  effective  in  bring- 
ing comfort  and  consolation  to  the  Latter-day  Saints  who  were  in 
financial  need.  On  the  27th  of  May  following,  Elder  Woodruff 
wrote  his  last  will  and  testament,  as  he  felt  that  at  any  time  he 
might  be  called  to  the  great  beyond;  yet  he  lived  subsequently 
eighteen  years. 

On  the  24th  of  July  following  he  wrote :    "We  had  the  great- 


REMARKABLE  EXPERIENCES  IN  ARIZONA,  1880.      533 

est  celebration  to-day  in  commemoration  of  the  entrance  of  the 
pioneers  into  this  valley  that  we  ever  held  in  Utah.  A  procession 
two  miles  long  was  arranged.  It  passed  through  the  streets  of 
the  City  as  an  object  lesson  in  Church  history.  It  is  recorded  in 
full  in  the  Deseret  News  of  July  26th. 

On  the  6th  of  October  the  fall  conference  was  held.  It  was 
the  third  time  in  the  history  of  the  Church  that  the  Presidency 
had  been  organized.  President  John  Taylor,  George  Q.  Cannon 
and  Joseph  F.  Smith  were  ordained  to  that  position.  The  vacan- 
cies in  the  quorum  thus  created  were  rilled  by  the  appointment  of 
Francis  M.  Lyman,  president  of  the  Tooele  Stake,  and  John  Henry 
Smith,  bishop  of  the  Seventeenth  Ward.  On  that  occasion  the 
voting  was  done  by  the  different  quorums  and  the  scene  was  most 
impressive  upon  all  present.  Elder  Woodruff  was  called  at  this 
time  to  be  the  President  of  the  Twelve  Apostles.  The  ordination 
of  the  new  Apostles,  however,  in  consequence  of  Elder  Lyman's 
absence,  was  postponed  until  October  27th,  that  year.  It  had 
been  the  practice  theretofore  for  the  President  of  the  Church  tc 
ordain  when  there  was  only  one  Apostle  to  be  ordained.  When 
two,  the  second  was  ordained  by  the  first  counselor,  and  the  third, 
where  there  were  three,  by  the  second  counselor.  Apostle  John 
Henry  Smith,  speaking  of  the  circumstance,  said :  "I  had  secret- 
ly asked  the  Lord  that  President  Woodruff  might  ordain  me,  and 
that  if  he  did  so  I  would  accept  it  as  a  special  testimony  that  my 
call  to  the  apostleship  came  from  the  Lord." 

His  prayer  was  answered.  Elder  Woodruff  records  the  fact 
that  at  the  close  of  that  year,  December  28th,  he  was  inspired  to 
write  a  prayer  to  be  presented  before  the  Lord  in  keeping  with  the 
revelation  given  him  in  the  wilderness  of  Arizona.  The  prayer  was 
approved  by  President  Taylor  and  was  recorded  in  the  journal  of 
Apostle  Woodruff  and  presented  to  the  Lord  in  accordance  with 
divine  command.  It 'was  answered  by  the  blessing  and  protection 
of  God's  people.  The  close  of  the  year  brought  the  Saints  nearer 
to  those  eventful  chapters  that  began  in  the  year  1882.. 


CHAPTER  49. 
YEARS  OF  GREAT  AGITATION,   1881,  1882. 

Leonard  Hardy's  Birthday  Party. — Prophecy  Concerning  Joseph  F. 
Smith. — Death  of  Orson  Pratt. — Visit  to  St.  George. — The  Ed- 
munds Law. — Oscar  Wilde. — Conditions  at  St.  Johns,  Arizona. — 
Call  of  President  George  Teasdale,  Heber  J.  Grant  and  Seymour  B. 
Young. — Death  of  Captain  William  H.  Hooper. 

In  the  beginning  of  the  year  1881  Elder  Woodruff  found  it 
possible  to  enjoy  the  quietude  of  his  home,  free  from  the  threats 
and  undisturbed  by  the  agitation  of  his  enemies.  He  appreciated 
the  liberties  he  now  enjoyed,  and  so  far  as  his  own  life  was  con- 
cerned, he  characterized  the  New  Year  not  by  personal  resolutions, 
but  by  prayer.  He  had  no  will  of  his  own  to  carry  out,  but  wanted 
to  be  in  a  position  to  do  God's  will.  There  is  something  about  the 
prayers  of  Elder  Wodruff  that  was  on  his  part  an  intense  interest 
in  the  welfare  and  happiness  of  others.  He  is  always  zealous  for 
God  and  the  Church ;  and  those  who  were  true  to  their  calling  had 
a  special  claim  upon  his  friendship  and  love. 

January  1st  was  the  anniversary  of  Bishop  Leonard  W. 
Hardy's  birth.  The  venerable  leader  had  a  well-earned  reputation 
for  integrity  to  God  and  to  his  fellow-men.  In  the  sunset  of  life 
his  family  came  to  appreciate  more  and  more  the  arduous  labors  of 
an  honored  sire,  the  anniversary  of  whose  birth  they  now  cele- 
brated by  a  surprise  party.  Elder  Woodruff  was  present  and 
joined  in  the  congratulations  of  the  family  and  friends.  Such  oc- 
casions always  made  him  reminiscent.  In  learning  so  thoroughly 
the  history  of  the  Church,  he  had  also  learned  the  history  of  those 
who  were  its  representative  men.  He  also  knew,  too,  when  their 
spirit  was  in  harmony  with  the  spirit  of  the  great  latter-day  work. 

As  long  as  Elder  Woodruff  stood  at  the  head  of  the  Young 
Men's  Mutual  Improvement  Associations  he  devoted  himself  spe- 
cially to  their  interest.  Like  all  those  who  are  full  of  enthusiasm 
and  have  hope  constantly  enkindled  within  their  hearts,  he  was  na- 
turally young  in  spirit.  On  January  16th  that  year  he  attended  a 
conference  of  the  young  men  in  Ogden  City,  where  he  explained 
to  them  the  importance  of  divine  authority,  and  showed  the  mean- 


YEARS  OF  GREAT  AGITATION,  1881,  1882.       535 

ing  of  those  keys  which  unlock  the  door  of  salvation  to  the  human 
family.  Those  keys,  he  explained,  had  been  in  the  keeping  of 
God's  trusted  servants  from  the  most  ancient  times;  by  them  dif- 
ferent dispensations  were  opened.  He  exhorted  the  young  men 
to  study  the  Scriptures.  They  were  of  all  books  the  most  im- 
portant to  the  welfare  and  happiness  of  mankind.  He  also  rec- 
ommended to  them  the  study  of  ancient  history,  wherein  they 
might  see  the  hand  dealings  of  God  with  the  human  family. 

On  the  19th  of  January,  1881,  the  President  and  the  Twelve, 
the  Patriarch,  Bishop  Hunter,  L.  John  Nuttall,  the  President's 
secretary,  met  in  solemn  council  and  prayer  by  which  they  repre- 
sented to  the  Lord  the  needs  of  His  people.  They  implored  His 
protection  against  the  enemy,  whose  growing  power  was  an  in- 
creasing menace  to  the  peace  of  the  Church.  This  meeting  was  in 
obedience  to  the  Lord's  command,  given  in  the  revelation  to  Elder 
Woodruff  in  the  wilderness  of  Arizona.  "It  was  truly  a  solemn 
occasion,"  writes  Elder  Woodruff,  in  his  journal. 

On  the  21st  he  went  to  Ogden,  where  he  took  part  in  a  social 
party,  gotten  up  in  honor  of  Eliza  R.  Snow,  it  being  the  anniver- 
sary of  her  birth. 

The  Quarterly  Conference  there,  convened  on  the  22nd  and 
23rd,  and  it  was  on  this  occasion,  after  an  address  to  the  people  by 
Joseph  F.  Smith,  that  Elder  Woodruff  arose  and  prophesied  that 
the  man  to  whom  they  had  just  listened  would  yet  become  the 
President  of  the  Church  in  all  the  world.  In  his  journal  he  asks 
that  the  prophecy  be  made  a  note  of,  and  that  it  be  made  a  matter 
of  special  record  when  its  fulfillment  was  realized,  which  was 
October  17th,  1901,  more  than  twenty  and  a  half  years  after  the 
prophecy  was  uttered,  and  more  than  thirty  years  from  the  time  he 
made  the  same  prediction  in  Nephi. 

"NEPHI,  March  22nd,  1909. 

"About  the  year  1869,  two  Apostles  visited  Nephi  and  held 
meeting  there.  They  were  Wilford  Woodruff  and  Joseph  F. 
Smith.  On  Sunday  morning  they  attended  Sunday  School,  which 
was  held  in  the  old  Social  Hall.  Elder  Woodruff  interested  the 
children  by  speaking  of  incidents  in  the  life  of  the  Prophet  Joseph 
Smith  and  of  his  labors.  He  then  turned  to  Elder  Joseph  F. 
Smith  and  asked  him  to  arise  to  his  feet.  Elder  Smith  complied. 


536  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

'Look  at  him,  children,'  Wilford  Woodruff  said,  'for  he  resembles 
the  Prophet  Joseph  more  than  any  man  living.  He  will  become 
the  President  of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints. 
I  want  you,  every  one  of  you,  to  remember  what  I  have  told  you 
this  morning.'  After  this  Brother  Woodruff  called  on  Elder 
Smith  to  speak.  The  latter  said  he  could  remember  the  Prophet, 
although  he  was  then  very  young.  He  remembered  sitting  upon 
his  knees.  I  was  present  on  this  occasion. 
Respectfully, 

LANGLEY  A.  BAILEY." 

Early  in  the  month  of  February  we  find  him  in  Smithfield, 
where  he  was  building  a  new  home  for  his  family.  His  journal 
shows  considerable  impatience  over  the  delay  in  the  work  on  his 
house.  He  was  himself  a  man  of  action.  Whatever  he  had  to  do, 
he  went  at  with  all  his  might.  His  presence,  however,  had  the  de- 
sired effect,  and  it  was  not  long  before  his  home  was  completed 
and  his  wife  and  children  thereby  made  more  comfortable. 

On  his  return  to  Salt  Lake  he  manifested  great  interest  in 
the  condition  of  Orson  Pratt  and  Charles  C.  Rich,  who  were  both 
in  a  critical  condition  physically.  On  the  20th,  feeling  that  Elder 
Pratt's  mission  in  this  life  was  nearly  ended,  and  to  the  end  that 
his  last  days  might  close  in  peace,  he  gave  him  a  blessing  of  com- 
fort that  he  might  be  resigned  to  the  will  and  purposes  of  God 
concerning  life  and  death. 

It  was  a  practice  with  Wilford  Woodruff  whenever  he  gave 
an  important  blessing,  to  record  it  in  his  journal.  In  blessing  El- 
der Pratt,  he  says :  "It  has  been  your  lot  to  dwell  as  an  Apostle 
in  the  flesh  and  stand  in  the  Church  and  Kingdom  of  God  longer 
than  any  other  man  in  this  generation.  It  has  been  your  lot  to 
cross  the  ocean  to  proclaim  the  words  of  salvation  more  than  any 
other  man.  Let  your  heart  be  comforted.  Let  your  soul  be  full 
of  joy,  for  the  Heavenly  hosts  are  watching  over  you." 

Before  the  close  of  February,  Elder  Woodruff  started  again 
for  St.  George.  His  associations  there  were  always  to  his  mind 
those  of  the  most  heavenly  character.  There  was,  perhaps,  no 
place  in  the  Church  ever  settled  by  a  choicer  class  of  men  than 
those  who  were  called  to  St.  George.  The  men  and  women  of  that 
place  possessed  spiritual  natures  that  were  in  harmony  with  the 


YEARS  OF  GREAT  AGITATION,  1881,  1882.        537 

life  and  aspirations  of  Elder  Woodruff.  St.  George  has,  there- 
fore, in  his  journal,  a  very  prominent  place.  On  the  anniversary  of 
his  birth,  in  St.  George  that  year,  he  says:  "I  have  passed  my 
birthdays  in  this  Temple  in  the  years  1870,  71,  72,  and  74.  My  sev- 
enty-third birthday  I  passed  in  Sunset,  Arizona.  This  is  one  of  the 
most  glorious  days  of  my  life.  This  morning  there  appeared  at 
the  Temple  two  hundred  and  thirty-nine  persons  for  endowments. 
Many  of  these  had  come  to  assist  him  in  his  Temple  work.  He 
also  records  the  fact  that  for  his  dead  there  had  been  performed 
two  thousand  seven  hundred  and  forty-nine  baptisms,  two  thou- 
sand and  thirty-seven  had  been  endowed,  and  seven  hundred  and 
five  couples  sealed. 

On  March  22nd  he  returned  to  Salt  Lake.  After  the  spring 
Conference  of  that  year  Elder  Woodruff  was  prostrated  by  a  sick- 
ness which  lasted  most  of  the  month  of  April.  On  May  1st,  how- 
ever he  attended  the  Quarterly  Conference  in  Logan  and  held 
meetings  in  Smithfield,  Franklin,  and  other  places.  The  summer 
months  of  that  year  he  was  occupied  in  visiting  the  leading  stakes 
of  Zion,  both  north  and  south  of  Salt  Lake  City. 

On  the  2nd  of  July  he  expressed  his  horror  at  the  shocking 
news  of  the  assassination  of  President  Garfield.  Respecting  the 
celebration  of  the  Fourth  of  July  that  year  he  writes,  that  as  a 
people  they  do  not  consider  it  proper  to  be  celebrating  while  the 
President  of  the  United  States  lies  in  the  agonies  of  death,  brought 
about  by  the  hand  of  an  assassin. 

On  the  16th  he  records  the  death  of  Joseph  Young,  aged 
eighty-seven  years,  three  months  and  nine  days.  Joseph  Young 
was  at  the  time  of  his  death  senior  president  of  the  Seventies,  and 
had  been  from  the  first  organization  of  the  first  council  to  the  end 
of  his  life. 

October  3rd  he  records  the  death  that  day  of  Apostle  Orson 
Pratt.  At  the  funeral  Elder  Woodruff  spoke  at  some  length  on 
the  life  of  Elder  Pratt,  and  read  the  revelation  given  through 
Joseph  Smith  to  Orson  Pratt  in  1830.  "Brother  Orson  Pratt  has 
lived  in  the  Church  longer  than  any  other  man,  perhaps  he  has 
lived  in  it  longer  than  any  former  man  could  ever  live  in  the 
Church.  He  has  crossed  the  Atlantic  Ocean  sixteen  times  and 
has  traveled  more  miles  than  any  other  man  in  the  Church.  He 
has  preached  more  sermons ;  he  has  brought  many  thousands  to  a 


538  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

knowledge  of  the  truth.  He  had  this  revelation  given  to  him 
which  I  have  read  in  your  hearing.  He  has  lifted  up  his  voice  long 
and  loud.  He  has  done  a  great  work  and  I  cannot  mourn  his 
death.  I  cannot  mourn  over  the  death  of  inspired  men  who  have 
died  in  the  faith.  Any  man  or  woman  who  has  kept  the  Celestial 
Law  of  God  on  the  earth  and  has  died  in  the  faith  will  open  his 
or  her  eyes  to  a  scene  of  glory  and  blessings  and  eternal  life  that 
men  cannot  obtain  from  any  other  principle." 

After  the  October  conference,  Elder  Woodruff  accompanied 
President  Taylor  and  party  to  all  the  stakes  in  the  southern  part 
of  the  Territory.  They  were  absent  three  weeks.  That  visit  gave 
to  the  Saints  new  courage  and  awakened  a  stronger  desire  to  at- 
tend to  their  duties.  Elder  Woodruff  was  present  the  early  part 
of  January,  when  the  Gardo  House  was  opened  and  a  reception 
given  on  that  occasion  by  President  John  Taylor,  who  shook  hands 
with  something  like  two  thousand  people.  On  the  8th  he  was 
also  in  the  Assembly  Hall  when  the  Temple  Block  was  dedicated. 

In  the  early  part  of  1882  the  Saints  began  to  feel  the  effects 
of  the  agitation  abroad  against  them,  and  Congress  was  beset  by 
the  enemies  of  the  Church,  who  importuned  that  body  to  pass  the 
most  drastic  measures  against  the  Mormons.  Throughout  the 
United  States  the  most  vicious  and  absurd  stories  were  circulated. 
The  President  and  the  Twelve  made  special  efforts  to  get  the 
facts  before  the  country,  and  especially  before  the  Congress  of  the 
United  States.  The  spirit,  however,  of  anti-Mormonism  had 
worked  itself  into  a  state  of  frenzy.  Ministers  of  the  United 
States  held  frequent  meetings  in  all  parts  of  the  country. 

Under  date  of  February  15th,  1882,  Elder  Woodruff  says: 
"There  has  never  been  a  time  since  the  organization  of  this  Church 
when  such  a  universal  howl  was  raised  against  us.  The  whole 
land  is  flooded  with  lies  against  the  people  of  God.  The  govern- 
ment seems  determined  on  the  destruction  of  the  faithful  Latter- 
day  Saints." 

In  the  midst,  however,'  of  the  political  excitement,  Elder 
Woodruff  took  comfort  in  that  spiritual  nature  with  which  God 
had  so  richly  endowed  him.  Nor  was  he  forgotten  by  his  faith- 
ful co-workers  in  St.  George.  On  March  the  first  there  came  to 
him  the  following  telegram:  "President  Woodruff:  Temple 


YEARS  OF  GREAT  AGITATION,  1881,  1882.        539 

workers  of  St.  George  greet  and  congratulate  you  on  this  your 
natal  day,  praying  peace,  length  of  days,  continued  usefulness,  and 
the  increasing  power  of  the  heavens  to  rest  upon  you."  His  re- 
ply reads:  "Thanks  for  the  greeting  of  my  friends.  May  our 
friendship  and  union  increase  and  continue  throughout  time  and 
eternity."  Such  exchanges  of  friendship  and  such  assurances  of 
love  meant  much  to  him.  He  was  a  man  of  a  most  friendly  nature 
and  those  friendships  of  life  which  his  integrity  won,  he  never 
lost. 

The  month  of  March,  1882,  was  an  important  landmark  in  the 
history  of  God's  people.  After  years  of  constant  agitation,  and 
after  the  circulation  of  the  most  pernicious  falsehoods,  and  after  a 
campaign  by  the  ministers  of  the  country  against  the  Latter-day 
Saints,  Congress  passed  a  law  most  drastic  in  its  terms,  and  doubly 
so  in  the  manner  of  its  execution.  From  that  period  dates  what 
has  been  properly  styled,  the  Crusade. 

On  the  14th  of  March,  1882,  the  Edmunds  Bill  passed  the 
House  of  Representatives  by  a  vote  of  one  hundred  and  ninety  to 
forty-two.  Elder  Woodruff  records  in  his  journal,  to  their  credit, 
the  names  of  those  who  voted  against  the  bill,  and  the  states  whicii 
they,  represented.  Of  the  bill  itself  he  writes:  "It  is  entirely  a 
breach  of  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States;  condemns  men 
before  trial  or  conviction  by  court  or  jury ;  takes  away  the  right 
of  trial  by  a  jury  of  their  peers;  makes  an  ex  post  facto  law  and 
a  bill  of  attainder;  takes  away  from  the  Latter-day  Saints,  be- 
cause of  their  religious  convictions,  the  franchise,  and  deprives 
them  from  sitting  on  juries  because  of  their  opinions;  but  if  the 
nation  can  stand  it,  we  can.  It  is  taking  a  stand  against  God, 
against  Christ  and  His  kingdom,  and  against  His  people." 

Ten  days  later,  the  24th,  the  bill  became  a  law  by  the  signa- 
ture of  President  Arthur.  The  words  of  President  Woodruff  will 
be  debated  and  contradicted.  It  will  be  pointed  out  that  the  Su- 
preme Court  of  the  United  States,  in  passing  upon  the  constitution- 
ality of  that  law,  is  the  final  arbiter ;  and  so  it  is,  so  far  as  this  na- 
tion is  concerned ;  but  the  Latter-day  Saints  held  then,  as  they  do 
now,  that  there  is  One  who  holds  in  His  keeping  the  destinies  of 
nations ;  One  who  is  raising  up  a  people  to  Himself,  who  shall 
practice  virtue  and  righteousness.  Whether  the  words  of  Fkler 


540  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

Woodruff  were  prophetic,  or  merely  the  expression  of  disappoint- 
ment and  anger,  must  be  left  to  Him  in  whose  name,  and  in  whose 
name  only,  men  have  authority  to  prophesy.  One  thing  is  certain : 
the  Latter-day  Saints,  in  a  spirit  of  resignation,  have  left  the  con- 
duct of  this  nation  toward  them  in  the  hands  of  God.  At  the  same 
time,  they  have  no  desire  to  hinder  the  progress  of  this  nation  or 
thwart  any  patriotic  purpose.  On  the  contrary,  they  hope  for  the 
best,  teach  loyalty,  patriotism,  and  uphold  the  Constitution  of  their 
country.  They  feel  that  men  must  come  sooner  or  later  to  recog- 
nize the  hand  of  God  in  His  judgments. 

When  the  spring  conference  convened,  on  the  6th  of  April, 
that  year,  there  was"  considerable  anxiety  among  the  people;  for 
with  them  there  was  a  general  desire  to  submit  themselves  to  the 
will  of  God ;  and  it  is  a  part  of  their  religious  training,  indeed,  their 
conviction  and  testimony  that  there  are  properly  appointed  chan- 
nels through  which  divine  guidance  comes  to  them.  The  words 
of  their  leaders  at  this  conference  were  received  with  solemn  atten- 
tion and  heartfelt  determination.  President  Taylor  spoke  with 
great  power  and  determination,  counseled  the  Saints  to  keep  the 
commandments  of  God  and  honor  the  constitutional  laws  of  the 
land.  On  that  occasion  a  reporter  of  the  New  York  World  and  a 
correspondent  of  the  London  Times  were  present  and  listened  to 
the  proceedings  of  the  conference. 

Elder  Woodruff  was  a  many-sided  man.  He  never  surren- 
dered himself  or  his  interests  to  one  thing  exclusively.  To  him 
the  program  of  life  was  made  up  of  all  sorts  of  conditions  and  ex- 
periences. From  the  affairs  of  the  conference  he  records  in  his 
journal  the  lecture  delivered  on  the  10th  of  the  month  by  Oscar 
Wilde  on  "Art  and  Beauty."  Elder  Woodruff  was  slow  to  judge 
men  and  then  only  upon  the  most  impressing  convictions.  How- 
ever, of  Oscar  Wilde  he  said :  "It  was  a  very  singular  lecture,  in- 
deed, and  he  seemed  a  very  singular  man."  His  subsequent  his- 
tory proved  him  to  be  very  singular  indeed. 

On  the  13th  he  met  with  his  council,  when  it  was  voted  to  call 
twenty  young  Indians  and  educate  them  in  the  Brigham  Young 
Academy  at  Provo,  that  they  might  be  missionaries  among  their 
own  people.  His  heart  was  in  the  Indian  mission, — the  great  pos- 
sibilities of  that  people  were  so  clear  to  his  mind  as  to  make  him 
somewhat  impatient  concerning  their  future. 


YEARS  OF  GREAT  AGITATION,  1881,  1882.        541 

On  the  20th  he  said :  "We  received  a  telegram  this  morning 
from  George  Q.  Cannon,  saying  that  a  vote  was  taken  on  his  case 
in  the  House  of  Representatives.  One  hundred  and  twenty-three 
votes  were  cast  for  his  expulsion,  and  seventy-nine  against  it. 
Ninety  did  not  vote  at  all.  His  seat  in  Congress  was  therefore 
declared  vacant." 

Shortly  after  this  he  referred  to  his  visit  to  the  quarterly  con- 
ference in  Logan  with  President  Taylor,  whom  he  quotes  at  that 
time  as  follows :  "When  we  go  to  the  spirit  world,  we  go  naked, 
as  we  came  into  the  world,  or  if  we  get  any  clothing  it  is  as  much 
by  our  dependence  upon  others  as  when  we  were  born  into  this 
world.  If  we  get  a  mansion  in  our  Father's  Kingdom  we  shall 
also  be  dependent  upon  Him  for  it." 

Of  Joseph  F.  Smith's  sermon,  he  quotes :  "Can  we  say  that 
that  which  is  perfect  has  not  come?  Are  not  the  revelations  and 
commandments  of  God  perfect?  Is  not  the  gospel  of  Christ,  with 
the  priesthood  which  God  has  revealed,  perfect?  Although  we 
ourselves  have  not  arrived  at  that  stage  of  perfection  which  it  is 
our  privilege  to  obtain,  yet  the  means  of  perfection  has  been  given 
us."  At  the  close  of  the  meeting  Elder  Woodruff  said :  "I  went  to 
the  tower  of  the  Temple  in  a  rain  storm  and  found  the  work 
there  progressing  very  nicely." 

Elder  Woodruff  kept  in  close  touch  with  affairs  in  Arizona. 
His  recent  experiences  there  had  endeared  the  Saints  to  him,  and 
the  opportunities  among  the  Indians  had  made  that  Territory  im- 
fortant  from  the  standpoint  of  Church  history.  A  number  of 
Saints  located  in  St.  Johns,  which  was  a  Mexican  town.  In  those 
days  the  people  were  surrounded  by  a  class  of  ruffians  known  there 
as  cowboys.  There  was  also  some  friction  between  the  Saints 
and  the  Mexicans,  and  altogether  the  people  of  St.  Johns  were  sub- 
jected to  considerable  anxiety  because  of  the  contentious  spirit 
around  them. 

In  Elder  Woodruff's  journal  we  take  the  following  account  of 
a  disturbance,  which  came  to  him  through  private  correspondence. 
The  event  mentioned  occurred  June  24th,  1882.  "The  Mexicans 
were  celebrating  St.  John's  day,  when  several  men  rode  into  town 
armed  with  pistols  and  guns.  The  Mexicans  ordered  them  to  leave 
town  or  put  away  their  arms.  They  refused  to  do  either,  when 
fighting  broke  out  between  the  two  parties.  The  Mexicans  gath- 


542 


WILFORD  WOODRUFF 


ered  their  arms  and  drove  the  cowboys  into  some  unfinished 
houses.  Three  of  the  leaders  were  then  taken  prisoners,  one 
killed  and  another  wounded.  It  was  on  this  occasion  that  Elder 
Nathan  C.  Tenney,  one  of  the  Saints  there,  was  killed  while  try- 
ing to  make  peace  and  stop  the  fight." 

On  the  27th  of  the  following  September  they  met  in  council 
to  consider  fully  all  the  vacancies  in  the  Quorum  of  the  Twelve 
and  the  First  Council  of  Seventies.  It  was  decided  to  leave  the 
nominations  entirely  to  the  President  of  the  Church,  which  has 
been  largely  the  custom  from  the  beginning.  A  little  later  .Elder 
Abraham  H.  Cannon  was  chosen  to  fill  the  vacancy  in  the  First 
Council  of  Seventies. 

On  the  13th  of  October  the  First  Presidency  and  the  Twelve 
met  to  receive  the  revelation  of  God  to  President  Taylor,  in  which 
the  duties  of  the  Priesthood  and  of  the  Saints  were  set  forth.  In 
that  same  revelation  appears  the  call  of  President  George  Teasdale 
of  the  Juab  Stake,  and  President  Heber  J.  Grant  of  the  Tooele 
Stake  to  the  vacancies  in  the  Quorum  of  the  Twelve.  Elder  Sey- 
mour B.  Young  was  called  to  fill  the  vacancy  in  the  First  Council 
of  Seventies  and  requested  to  keep  the  whole  law  of  God  as  a 
preparation  for  his  new  calling  and  labors. 

Concerning  the  Patriarchal  Order  of  Marriage,  President 
Taylor  said :  "If  we  do  not  embrace  that  principle  soon,  the  keys 
will  be  turneji  against  us.  If  we  do  not  keep  the  same  law  that 
our  Heavenly  Father  has  kept,  we  cannot  go  with  Him.  A  man 
obeying  a  lower  law  is  not  qualified  to  preside  over  those  who 
keep  a  higher  law."  In  harmony  with  the  remarks  of  President 
Taylor  Elder  Woodruff  observed :  "The  reason  why  the  Church 
and  Kingdom  of  God  cannot  advance  without  the  Patriarchal 
Order  of  Marriage  is  that  it  belongs  to  this  dispensation  just  as 
baptism  for  the  dead  does,  or  any  law  or  ordinance  that  belongs 
to  a  dispensation.  Without  it  the  Church  cannot  progress.  The 
leading  men  of  Israel  who  are  presiding  over  stakes  will  have  to 
obey  the  law  of  Abraham,  or  they  will  have  to  resign." 

On  the  30th  of  December  Elder  Woodruff's  journal  contains 
the  following:  "I  dreamed  last  night  that  Captain  William  H. 
Hooper  was  dead.  I  told  my  family  this  morning  that  when  I 
heard  from  Eim  I  should  hear  that  he  was  dead.  Later,  Brother 


YEARS  OF  GREAT  AGITATION,  1881,  1882.        543 

Jacques  informed  me  at  the  Historian's  office  that  the  captain  died 
at  twenty  minutes  past  eight.  I  saw  Captain  Hooper  in  the  spirit 
world  in  my  dream.  I  saw  a  few  of  the  mansions  in  the  Celestial 
Kingdom  of  God  which  were  composed  of  beautiful  stones  and  of 
materials  that  were  as  real  as  anything  on  earth,  and  that  the  best 
architects  in  heaven  were  employed  in  the  construction  of  these 
buildings." 


CHAPTER  50. 

THE  CRUSADE  OPENS,  1883-1885. 

Exemplary  Deacons. — Adam-ondi-Ahman. — Visit  to  Colorado. — The 
Patriarchal  Order  of  Marriage. — Andrew  Burt. — Farm  Life. — The 
Crusade  Opens. — The  Family  Celebration  of  His  Birthday. — Call  of 
Jno.  W.  Taylor.— Call  of  Wm.  B.  Preston.— Land  Troubles  in  Ari- 
zona.— Dedication  of  the  Logan  Temple. — A  Visit  to  Snake  River 
Country,  Idaho. — Growth  of  Children  After  the  Resurrection. — Call 
of  John  Morgan. — In  Exile. — Conference  at  Fish  Lake. 

On  the  2nd  of  January,  1883,  President  Woodruff  and  Joseph 
F.  Smith  spoke  at  the  funeral  of  Captain  William  H.  Hooper. 
He  had  occupied  a  prominent  place  in  the  history  of  Utah.  Be- 
sides representing  the  people  in  Congress  he  was  one  of  a  small 
number  of  strong  financiers,  who  had  much  to  do  with  the  ma- 
terial development  of  the  Territory.  On  the  20th  of  the  same 
month  he  makes  mention  of  the  appointment  of  L.  W.  Shurtliff, 
bishop  of  Plain  City,  to  succeed  David  H.  Peery  as  the  president 
of  the  Weber  Stake  of  Zion,  at  the  same  time  Elders  Chas.  F. 
Middleton,  and  N.  C.  Flygare  were  chosen  as  counselors. 

On  the  27th  of  the  same  month  Elder  Woodruff  attended  a 
Stake  Quarterly  Conference  at  Nephi  where  George  Teasdale 
had  been  called  to  preside.  A  circumstance  took  place  on  Satur- 
day at  that  conference  which  was  exceptionally  gratifying  to 
Elder  Woodruff  and  he  desires  that  it  have  a  place  in  his  journal 
and  history.  He  said,  "As  the  meeting-house  was  not  large 
enough  to  hold  all  the  people,  some  fifteen  deacons  gave  up  their 
seats.  Leaving  the  meeting-house  they  obtained  axes  and  went 
directly  to  President  Teasdale's  home  where  they  cut  up  several 
cords  of  wood.  They  then  went  to  the  homes  of  some  half  dozen 
widows  in  the  place  where  they  cut  up  the  wood  they  found  there. 
They  also  cut  up  the  wood  at  the  home  of  one  of  the  deacons  who 
had  met  with  an  accident  so  that  he  was  unable  to  cut  his  own 
wood.  They  continued  in  this  employment  throughout  the  day. 
When  Brother  Teasdale  arrived  home,  to  his  surprise  he  found 
all  his  wood  pile  missing,  but  was  much  gratified  to  find  it  all  cut 
Up  and  in  his  wood  shed.  God  bless  such  dea.const" 


THE  CRUSADE  OPENS,  1883-1885.  545 

During  the  early  months  of  1883  a  number  of  prominent  men 
throughout  the  Church  died.  It  was  always  a  gratification  to 
Elder  Woodruff  to  record  his  testimony  to  the  character  of  men 
who  died  devoted  to  the  Church,  true  to  their  covenants  and  faith- 
ful to  the  last.  He  makes  special  mention  of  the  death  of  John 
Van  Cott,  Bishop  William  Bringhurst  of  Springville,  Harrison 
Burgess,  Bishop  L.  E.  Harrington,  and  David  Evans.  The  latter 
two,  however,  died  about  the  last  of  June. 

On  the  22nd  of  February  Elder  Woodruff  was  present  at 
the  dedication  of  the  Gardo  House.  The  prayer  was  offered  by 
Franklin  D.  Richards.  This  residence  had  been  in  process  of  con- 
struction for  some  time  and  its  use  was  delayed  in  •  consequence 
of  litigations  begun  by  the  heirs  of  President  Young  against  his 
executors.  President  Taylor  was  therefore  its  first  occupant. 
That  he  himself  might  be  in  position  to  ward  off  the  persecutions 
of  himself  as  head  of  the  Church,  he  left  his  families  in  the  homes 
he  had  built  for  them  and  made  his  sister  matron  of  the  new  offi- 
cial residence.  His  care,  however,  proved  unavailing  since  perse- 
cution was  aimed  specially  at  him. 

During  their  lifelong  experiences  in  the  Church,  President 
A.  O.  Smoot  of  Provo,  and  Elder  Woodruff  were  devoted  friends. 
Their  associations  had  been  intimate,  and  in  the  trying  times  of 
early  Church  history  their  relations  were  the  most  cordial  and 
brotherly.  The  home  of  President  Smoot  in  Provo  always  gave 
the  fullest  hospitality  to  Elder  Woodruff  on  his  visits  to  that 
town.  On  the  12th  of  May  he  records  the  circumstance  that 
President  Smoot's  wife  began  immediately  to  regain  her  speech, 
after  it  had  been  lost  through  paralysis,  by  the  special  administra- 
tion of  Elder  Woodruff  and  others.  At  that  time  his  old  friend 
related  a  peculiar  circumstance  of  history  that  occurred  at  Adam- 
ondi-Ahman.  President  Smoot  said  that  he  and  Alanson  Ripley, 
while  surveying  at  that  town,  which  was  about  22  miles  from 
Jackson  County,  Missouri,  came  across  a  stone  wall  in  the 
midst  of  a  dense  forest  of  underbush.  The  wall  was  30  feet  long, 
3  feet  thick,  and  4  feet  high.  It  was  laid  in  mortar  or  cement. 
When  Joseph  Smith  visited  the  place  and  examined  the  wall  he 
said  it  was  the  remains  of  an  altar  built  by  Father  Adam  and 
upon  which  he  offered  sacrifices  after  he  was  driven  from  the 
Garden  of  Eden.  He  said  that  the  Garden  of  Eden  was  located 

36 


546 


WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 


in  Jackson  County,  Missouri.  The  whole  town  of  Adam-ondi- 
Ahman  was  in  the  midst  of  a  thick  and  heavy  forest  of  timber  and 
the  place  was  named  in  honor  of  Adam's  altar.  The  Prophet  ex- 
plained that  it  was  upon  this  altar  where  Adam  blessed  his  sons 
and  his  posterity,  prior  to  his  death. 

On  the  5th  of  June  Apostle  Woodruff  with  President  Smith, 
Brigham  Young,  and  President  John  Morgan,  paid  a  visit  to  the 
Saints  in  San  Louis  Valley,.  Colorado.  The  Saints  there  were 
emigrants  largely  from  the  Southern  States.  It  was  during  this 
visit  that  Silas  S.  Smith  was  sustained  as  stake  president.  While 
traveling  on  the  Denver  and  Rio  Grande  Railroad,  Elder  Wood- 
ruff felt  and"  expressed  his  admiration  for  the  beauty  of  the  scenery. 
Whenever  he  contemplated  the  laws  of  God  or  his  Creator's  mar- 
velous works  it  intensified  his  religious  devotion  and  his  sense  of 
gratitude.  It  was  to  him  also  a  source  of  satisfaction  that  much 
of  the  work  in  the  construction  of  the  railroad  over  which  he 
passsed  was  the  work  of  his  brethren. 

On  his  return  to  Salt  Lake  City  the  next  important  circum- 
stance he  mentions  was  the  threatened  destruction  of  the  great 
Tabernacle  by  a  spark  of  fire  which  had  been  thrown  by  an  ex- 
plosinn  from  the  old  wagon  yard  just  across  the  road  south  of 
the  Temple  block.  On  the  21st  of  June  this  year  the  old 
Council  House  and  Savages  Art  Gallery  were  burned  to  the 
ground.  This  threatened  destruction  of  the  great  Tabernacle 
led  to  the  removal  of  its  old  shingled  roof  and  the  substi- 
tution therefor  of  an  iron  one. 

Soon  after  this  we  find  him  at  a  conference  in  Nephi.  As 
plural  marriage  was  then  attacked  from  all  sides,  it  received  special 
attention  from  the  leaders  of  the  Church  who  maintained  the  im- 
portance as  well  as  the  divinity  of  the  institution.  In  his  discourse 
at  Nephi  he  quoted  himself  as  having  made  the  following  re- 
marks, "The  law  of  the  Patriarchal  Order  of  marriage  belongs 
to  this  dispensation,  and  after  it  was  revealed  to  the  Prophet  Jos- 
eph, he  was  commanded  to  receive  it.  If  he  and  the  people  had 
rejected  it,  the  Church  and  Kingdom  of  God  would  have  advanced 
no  further  and  God  would  have  taken  it  from  them  and  given  it 
to  another  people.  It  has  been  said  that  the  Patriarchal  Order  of 
marriage  has  caused  more  sorrow  to  the  daughters  of  Eve  than 
any  other  principle  ever  revealed  from  Heaven  to  men,  but  this 


THE  CRUSADE  OPENS,  1883-1885.  547 

is  not  true.  No  divine  principle  brings  trouble  to  those  who 
faithfully  obey  it.  If  they  who  are  in  it  have  troubles  it  is  not  the 
fault  of  the  principle  but  because  of  weakness  and  of  the  false  tra- 
ditions which  surround  them.  The  Lord  never  gave  a  law  to  the 
children  of  men  which  will  give  to  them  exaltation  and  glory  ex- 
cept through  the  observance  of  that  law.  The  Lord's  people 
who  abide  that  law  are  entitled  to  His  protection  by  the  oath  and 
covenant  which  He  has  made  with  them.  From  the  day  that  the 
apostles  and  elders  published  that  law  to  the  world  with  the  de- 
termination to  maintain  it,  the  Lord  has  fought  their  battles." 

The  24th  of  that  year  was  celebrated  in  the  Tabernacle  with 
great  enthusiasm.  Ten  thousand  people  were  present.  On  the 
anniversary  of  that  day  Wilford  Woodruff  was  always  reminis- 
cent. As  time  went  on,  the  earlier  impressions  of  his  mind  were 
confirmed  in  the  fulfillment  of  God's  promises  which  year  after 
year  were  to  his  mind  more  plainly  fulfilled.  He  felt  that  the 
observance  of  that  day  was  a  duty  which  the  people  owed  to  their 
God  because  of  the  care  He  had  manifested  over  them  and  the 
wonderful  manner  in  which  He  had  made  the  desert  blossom  like 
the  rose. 

In  his  journal  of  August  27th  he  mentioned  regretfully  the 
death  of  Andrew  Burt  who  had  been  killed  on  the  25th  by  a 
mulatto.  At  Bishop  Burt's  funeral  there  were  about  nine  thou- 
sand people,  and  it  is  said  that  before  the  exercises  something 
like  fifteen  thousand  viewed  the  remains.  Captain  Burt's  splen- 
did integrity,  his  simple  life  and  unassuming  demeanor  had  won 
for  him  a  respect  quite  universal.  He  was  bishop  of  the  21st 
ward. 

Wilford  Woodruff's  love  for  men  whose  friendship  was  tried 
avid  true  and  whose  devotion  to  the  things  of  God  was  above 
question,  was  again  verified.  It  made  no  difference  to  him  what 
their  standing  in  life  was,  he  saw  above  the  honors  of  men  that 
which  he  esteemed  true  greatness,  such  greatness  as  he  sincerely 
believed  God  recognized. 

In  reading  his  journal  one  learns  to  esteem  more  highly  the 
practice  of  manual  labor.  He  exalted  work  by  the  interest  he 
took  in  the  workmanship  of  his  own  hands.  If  he  ever  felt  the 
temptation  to  leave  his  ministry  for  any  length  of  time  it  was 
the  temptation  which  came  to  him  in  his  love  of  manual  labor. 


548  WlLFORD  WOODRUFF. 

All  through  his  journal  he  was  telling  about  the  things  that  he 
did  on  his  farm.  He  wrote  about  his  horses,  his  cows,  his  or- 
chards, his  crops,  he  spoke  of  them  in  detail,  they  all  meant  much 
to  him.  One  is  constantly  reminded  in  reading  his  journal  of  the 
life  and  doctrines  of  Tolstoi,  the  great  Russian  author,  whose 
simple  life  and  labors  upon  his  farm  with  the  Russian  peasants 
have  won  the  admiration  of  millions  of  admirers. 

As  the  year  1883  was  drawing  to  a  close  the  times  became 
more  trying.  The  hatred  of  the  enemy  was  greatly  intensified. 
The  brethren  felt  the  impending  storm  coming  upon  them,  there 
was  often  a  spirit  of  gloom  which  it  was  not  easy  to  cast  aside. 
Elder  Woodruff's  journal  of  October  12th  that  year  contained  an 
account  of  a  meeting  of  the  Presidency  and  Twelve,  a  meeting 
of  fasting  and  prayer  that  the  troubles  which  were  coming  upon 
them  might  be  diverted  if  it  were  the  will  of  God,  and  if  they 
were  not  to  be  diverted  that  they  might  have  the  strength  to  bear 
them  and  the'  wisdom  and  patience  and  spirit  to  do  the  will  of  the 
Father.  To  all  these  unhappy  forebodings  was  added  the  sorrow 
that  comes  from  separation  of  old  friends.  On  the  19th  of  that 
month  Bishop  Edward  Hunter  died,  and  on  the  17th  of  the  month 
following  he  was  joined  by  Charles  C.  Rich. 

During  the  year  1883  he  traveled,  according  to  the  summary 
which  he  made  in  his  journal,  over  six  thousand  miles,  held  213 
meetings  and  preached  144  discourses. 

The  year  1884  was  the  beginning  in  the  Church  of  a  great 
crusade.  It  was  a  land-mark  in  history.  What  began  that  year 
is  likely  to  be  told  from  generation  to  generation.  The  hard- 
ships that  it  brought  to  the  Church  and  the  trials  which  the  people 
underwent  were  themes  for  household  conversation  throughout 
the  entire  Church.  The  Edmunds  law  of  1882  had  been  put  into 
effect  so  far  as  it  related  to  the  imprisonment  of  the  Saints.  The 
enemy  were  at  first  occupied  in  its  political  phases.  As  time  went 
on  it  was  seen  that  the  disappointment  of  the  enemy  in  the  politi- 
cal advantages  to  be  derived  from  the  law  became  more  apparent. 
The  law  was  really  a  disappointment  to  them.  The  Utah  com- 
mission which  it  established  was  filled  by  appointees  from  the  East 
and  those  who  were  grasping  for  political  power  in  the  Territory 
found  their  hopes  unrealized.  This  disappointment  led  to  a  spirit 
of  intensified  anger  and  the  criminal  part  of  the  law  began  to 


THE  CRUSADE  OPENS,  1883-1885.  549 

receive  its  enforcement  in  the  most  drastic,  spiteful,  and  revenge- 
ful manner.  Everything  possible  was  done  to  prepare  the  people 
for  dark  days  to  come.  The  revelations  of  God  were  to  the  effect 
that  men  should  set  their  families  in  order. 

Elder  Woodruff  on  his  birthday,  March  1st,  had  a  family 
gathering.  Of  the  46  members  of  his  family,  39  were  present. 
This  included  his  daughters-in-law  and  grandchildren.  As  a 
token  of  respect  on  the  part  of  his  family,  an  address  to  him  was 
read  by  his  little  grandson,  Elias  Smith  Woodruff :  "To  our  be- 
loved Grandfather, — we  greet  you  on  this  your  seventy-seventh 
birthday.  We  wish  you  many  happy  returns  of  the  day,  for  this 
and  more  we  ever  pray.  We  all  shall  strive  to  walk  in  your 
footsteps  and  listen  to  your  counsel  as  you  are  a  man  of  God.  We 
likewise  hope  to  be  like  you  by  the  help  of  our  Heavenly  Father. 
You  have  done  a  vast  amount  of  good,  both  for  the  living  and  the 
dead.  Your  days  have  been  many  and  many  call  you  blessed. 
You  have  been  in  the  hands  of  God,  the  savior  of  thousands. 
Through  the  blessings  of  the  Lord  your  life  has  been  preserved 
in  many  dangers  through  which  you  have  been  called  to  pass. 
You  have  accomplished  a  great  work  and  we  all  with  one  voice 
say :  'Peace  and  blessings  be  with  you  to  the  end  of  your  days/ 
Please  accept  this  tribute  of  love  and  respect.  From  your  little 
grandson.  Written  for  him  by  Julia  Woodruff."  The  family 
little  imagined  at  that  time  that  President  Woodruff  would  con- 
tinue with  them  in  life  yet  fourteen  years. 

The  6th  of  March  he  became  very  much  interested  in  the 
visit  to  Salt  Lake  City  of  the  great  singer,  Adelina  Patti.  Her 
world-renown  fame  made  her  a  person  of  great  interest.  She  in 
turn  recognized  the  important  stand  occupied  by  the  leaders  of  the 
Church,  and  invited  President  Taylor  and  Elder  Woodruff  to  visit 
her  private  car  which  had  cost  something  like  sixty  thousand  dol- 
lars. Its  conveniences  and  beautiful  apartments  greatly  inter- 
ested Elder  Woodruff  whose  powers  to  observe  were  always 
strong. 

As  the  year  went  on  reports  of  the  activity  of  the  enemy  and 
the  intense  anti-Mormon  hatred  came  to  the  Presidency  of  the 
Church.  Miles  Romney  brought  word  from  St.  Johns,  Arizona, 
of  the  opposition  there  from  both  the  Mexicans  and  the  whites. 
The  April  conference  witnessed  the  call  of  John  W.  Taylor  to  fill 


550 


WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 


the  vacancy  occasioned  by  the  death  of  Charles  C.  Rich.  Williai 
B.  Preston  was  made  the  presiding  bishop  of  the  Church.  That 
same  month  word  also  came  from  Arizona  of  the  attempt  to  rob 
the  people  there  of  their  lands  by  means  of  a  purchase  of  rail- 
road land  which  the  Saints  had  occupied  and  cultivated  long  be- 
fore the  railroad  was  built  and  before  any  grant  had  been  received 
6y  the  railroad.  Presidents  Taylor  and  Cannon  were  absent  at 
die  time,  but  a  telegram  signed  by  President  Woodruff  and  others 
was  sent  to  General  Williamson,  Washington,  D.  C.,  the  general 
agent  of  the  railroad  lands,  asking  him  not  to  sell  the  land  in 
question  before  receiving  a  letter  from  them.  The  method  here 
referred  to  of  robbing  the  Saints  was  due  to  the  fact  that  the 
enemy  was  taking  advantage  of  special  information  of  which  the 
Saints  were  ignorant.  The  lands  granted  to  the  railroad  in  that 
part  of  Arizona  were  of  little  value  except  as  they  had  been  made 
valuable  by  the  labor  of  the  Latter-day  Saints.  It  was  a  specie 
of  robbery,  but  those  who  engaged  in  it  thought,  no  doubt,  that 
their  unscrupulous  methods  would  be  condoned  by  exciting  preju- 
dice against  the  Saints. 

The  next  circumstance  of  importance  was  the  dedication  of 
the  Logan  Temple,  May  17th,  18th,  and  19th.  The  services  were 
attended  by  thousands  of  people  and  were  repeated  in  order  to 
accomodate  all  who  desired  the  privilege  and  were  entitled  to  be 
present.  People  were  admitted  to  the  services  by  tickets  of  rec- 
ommendation given  them  by  their  bishops.  On  that  occasion  a 
circumstance  happened  analagous  to  that  of  Annanias  and  Sap- 
phira  who  lied  to  the  Lord  and  to  Peter  in  the  days  of  the  an- 
cient apostles.  As  the  hosts  of  people  were  climbing  the  stairs 
to  the  assembly  room  of  the  Temple,  President  Taylor  discerned 
in  the  multitude  one  woman  unworthy  of  admission.  He  did  not 
know  her  but  said  to  President  C.  O.  Card,  "Turn  that  woman 
back."  "Why?"  asked  President  Card,  "She  has  come  with  a 
ticket  of  recommendation  as  well  as  all  the  others."  "I  don't 
know  why,"  replied  President  Taylor,  "only  that  the  spirit  of 
the  Lord  says,  'Turn  that  woman  back.'  "  President  Card  observed 
the  instructions  to  him  and  upon  special  investigation  learned 
that  the  lady  was  altogether  an  improper  person,  and  by  con- 
nivance with  another  she  had  procured  the  ticket  for  the  price  of 
one  dollar.  In  commenting  upon  this  circumstance  later,  Presi- 


THE  CRUSADE  OPENS,  1883-1885.  551 

dent  Taylor  said :  "You  may  deceive  the  bishop,  the  president  of 
the  stake,  the  apostles,  the  president  of  the  Church,  but  you  can't 
deceive  the  Lord,  Jesus  Christ,  nor  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  sooner 
or  later  the  unworthy,  the  hypocrites  and  unrepenting  transgres- 
sors will  be  found  out  and  separated  from  the  assembly  of  the 
righteous."  At  that  time  M.  W.  Merrill  was  chosen  by  revelation 
to  preside  over  the  Logan  Temple,  a  place  he  held  up  to  the  time 
of  his  death  in  February,  1906.  The  first  baptisms  were  per- 
formed there  by  Elder  David  H.  Cannon  of  St.  George,  and  the 
first  recipients  of  them  were  Franklin  D.  Richards,  and  Rachael 
Grant. 

In  his  journal  relating  to  that  occasion,  Elder  Woodruff 
wrote :  "While  attending  the  dedication  of  this  Temple  my  mind 
was  carried  back  to  the  many  hours  of  prayer  I  had  passed  in  my 
early  manhood  days.  I  prayed  that  I  might  see  the  Church  of 
Christ  established  on  the  earth  and  that  I  might  see  a  people  raised 
up  who  would  receive  the  ancient  gospel  and  contend  for  the  faith 
once  delivered  to  the  Saints.  The  Lord  then  promised  me  that  I 
should  live  to  see  that  day,  to  find  the  people  of  God  and  have 
a  name  and  place  within  His  House,  a  name  that  should  not  be 
cut  off.  To-day  I  rejoice  in  the  fulfillment  of  that  promise,  I 
rejoice  in  the  opportunity  of  assisting  in  the  dedication  of  another 
Temple  to  His  most  Holy  Name,  to  God  and  the  Lamb.  Praises 
be  to  His  name  for  ever  more." 

On  the  29th,  in  company  with  Heber  J.  Grant,  he  left  on  an 
extended  tour  of  the  settlements  in  the  Snake  River  and  Teton 
Valleys.  In  those  days  that  part  of  Idaho  was  in  process  of  set- 
tlement by  the  Saints,  under  the  leadership  of  Thomas  E.  Ricks, 
who  met  Elders  Woodruff  and  Grant  and  conveyed  them  by 
team  from  Market  Lake  to  Rexburg.  When  the  brethren  on  that 
occasion  visited  those  parts  not  much  had  yet  been  done  in  bring- 
ing that  district  of  country  under  cultivation.  In  1884  there  was 
but  one  stake  of  the  Church  extending  from  Paradise  in  Cache 
Valley  on  the  south,  to  the  Montana  line  on  the  north.  To-day 
there  are  ten  stakes,  six  of  which  are  along  the  Snake  River  Val- 
ley; namely,  Pocatello,  Blackfoot,  Bingham,  Rigby,  Fremont, 
and  Yellow  Stone.  To-day  there  are  also  in  that  region  of  country 
three  large  factories  in  operation. 

Congress  adjourned  that  year  without  passing  special  bills 


552 


WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 


that  were  inimicable  to  the  Latter-day  Saints.  The  anti-Mormons 
of  Utah  were  like  hungry  wolves  clamoring  for  prey.  They 
wanted  all  the  offices  and  were  constantly  importuning  Congress 
to  disfranchise  in  a  body  the  Latter-day  Saints.  When  congress 
therefore  adjourned  without  further  legislation  Wilford  Woodruff 
exclaims  in  his  journal,  "Thank  the  Lord  for  another  breathing 
spell." 

Later  he  attended  the  Sevier  Stake  Quarterly  Conference  held 
at  Fish  Lake.  Hundreds  of  teams  had  conveyed  the  people  to  that 
place.  While  administering  Sacrament  there  he  said  it  was  the 
first  time  it  had  taken  place  since  the  ancient  Nephites  had  had 
a  similar  feast  in  those  parts.  He  manifested  on  this  and  other 
occasions  a  special  interest  in  the  material  welfare  of  the  people. 
He  examined  their  farms  and  orchards,  visited  their  canals,  made 
a  critical  examination  of  their  water  dams  and  head  gates,  and  it 
may  perhaps  be  said  of  him  as  truthfully  as  of  any  man  that  ever 
lived,  that  he  subordinated  his  own  personal  interests  to  the  gen- 
eral interest  of  the  Church. 

Evil  days  were  soon  to  fall  upon  the  Church.  The  failure 
of  Congress  that  year  to  pass  anti-Mormon  legislation  inten- 
sified the  rage  of  the  anti-Mormons.  A  campaign  of  slander  and 
falsehood  was  taken  up  by  the  anti-Mormon  press  of  Salt  Lake 
City,  and  press  dispatches  to  embitter  the  minds  of  the  people  in 
the  East  were  sent;  and  in  making  this  campaign  it  was  well 
understood  by  those  who  engineered  it  that  Congressmen  might 
be  made  to  fear  their  constituency  and  pass  laws  their  own  judg- 
ment condemned. 

The  Tribune  published  and  sent  out  an  alleged  "Red  Hot 
Address."  It  purported  to  be  an  inflamatory  address  by  Bishop 
West  of  Juab.  The  purport  of  the  address  was  the  recommended 
assassination  of  the  Governor  of  Utah.  There  was  no  meeting 
held  in  Juab  on  the  occasion  referred  to,  there  was  no  Bishop 
West,  and  of  course  no  such  address.  The  lie,  however,  inflamed 
the  public  mind  abroad;  and  to  those  who  love  a  lie  and  dark- 
ness rather  than  light,  it  had  the  desired  effect. 

On  the  10th  of  August  following  in  Lewis  County,  Tennes- 
see, Elders  Berry  and  Gibbs,  and  two  members  of  the  local 
Church  their  names  being  James  Riley  Hudson,  and  Martin 
Condor,  were  shot  and  killed  by  a  mob  as  they  were  about  to  be- 


THE  CRUSADE  OPENS,  1883-1885.  553 

gin  their  Sabbath  services.  Mrs.  Condor,  the  mother  of  the 
mudered  boys,  was  also  shot  but  not  killed. 

The  Church  was  making  history  during  those  days  and  spe- 
cial care  was  taken  to  give  an  axact  record  of  current  events. 
Hubert  H.  Bancroft  was  publishing  his  history  of  the  Pacific 
Coast  and  included  Utah  among  his  volumes.  Elder  Woodruff 
opened  to  him  the  records  of  Church  history  that  he  might  give 
both  sides  of  the  question  and  draw  fair  and  impartial  conclu- 
sions. 

September  3rd  he  visited  Provo  where  he  attended  the  fun- 
eral of  Margarette  T.  Smoot.  On  that  occasion  he  gave  it  as 
his  opinion  that  children  would  grow  and  develop  after  the  resur- 
rection and  obtain  all  the  blessings  of  adult  persons.  The  visit 
to  Provo  was  followed  by  the  October  conference,  which  that  year 
was  chiefly  noted  by  the  call  of  John  Morgan  to  be  one  of  the 
presiding  seventies.  Elder  Morgan  had  been  a  missionary  in  the 
South  for  twelve  years,  and  for  ten  years  the  distinguished  presi- 
dent of  the  Saints  in  the  South.  Elder  Morgan  was  a  man  of 
strong  character,  a  conspicuous  preacher,  and  a  fearless  advo- 
cate. He  was  ordained  to  his  new  calling  on  October  7th,  1884. 

The  last  part  of  the  year  1884  found  the  storm  of  perse- 
cution growing  in  intensity.  Men  and  women  to  escape  prison 
went  into  exile.  Men  and  women  were  pursued  by  a  spirit  of 
vindictiveness  and  hatred  perhaps  never  known  in  a  civilized  age. 
Stories  of  the  Mountain  Meadow  Massacre,  the  Bishop  West 
address,  and  other  malicious  inventions  had  done  their  work. 
Public  opinion  in  the  East  had  been  so  aroused  as  to  justify  any 
sort  of  cruelty  that  the  anti-Mormons  in  Utah  might  inflict  upon 
the  Saints.  All  efforts  to  run  down  falsehoods  by  the  circulation 
or  truth  seemed  a  hopeless  task.  Elder  Woodruff  also  found  it 
necessary  to  go  into  exile  and  he  said:  "I  am  a  wanderer  from 
home  because  of  my  religion.  It  is  not  the  first  time  I  have  been 
a  wanderer  in  the  wilderness  for  the  gospel's  sake."  However,  he 
appeared  in  public  at  special  occasions  for  a  short  season. 

On  the  first  of  January,  1885,  'he  took  part  in  the  dedication 
of  the  Brigham  Young  College,  at  Logan,  but  on  the  14th  he 
found  it  necessary  to  go  again  into  exile  with  all  the  Presidency 
and  most  of  the  Twelve  Apostles.  Stake  presidents,  bishops  of 
wards,  and  other  leading  men  were  rapidly  filling  up  prisons  or 


554  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

concealing  themselves  among  friends.  It  was  not  a  movement 
to  suppress  immorality.  Men  were  not  harangued  and  imprisoned 
because  of  lacivious  cohabitation  as  it  obtains  throughout  the 
Christian  world,  but  because  men  had  accepted  from  the  Lord 
a  principle  which  would,  if  universally  carried  out,  give  to  every 
woman  in  the  world  a  husband  and  a  home,  the  opportunity  of 
honored  wifehood  and  motherhood,  conditions  desired  by  every 
right-feeling  and  sound-minded  woman.  Under  these  persecutions 
President  Woodruff  was  among  the  number  sought  for.  After  a 
few  days  of  seclusion  in  his  own  home  and  neighborhood  he 
boarded  a  south  bound  train  for  southern  Utah.  At  Nephi  he 
was  joined  by  George  Teasdale,  and  together  they  made  their 
way  by  private  conveyance  and  without  publicity  to  Saint  George 
where  they  labored  for  some  time  in  the  Temple.  He  also  made 
a  trip  down  the  Virgin  River  to  the  Muddy  country.  During  his 
absence  he  read  Josephus  and  Cassell's  History  of  E  igland. 

On  one  occasion  during  those  times  we  find  him  making  cal- 
culations from  history  of  what  the  civil  war  had  cost  his  country 
in  the  loss  of  human  lives,  and  the  expenditure  of  money.  That 
war  he  looked  upon  as  a  judgment  of  God  upon  the  country  be- 
cause of  the  wrong  doings  of  the  people.  "This  shows,"  he  wrote, 
"in  a  measure,  what  it  costs  a  nation  to  shed  the  blood  of  the 
prophets,  apostles,  and  the  Lord's  anointed."  He  sincerely  be- 
lieved that  before  very  many  years  the  judgments  of  God  would 
follow  the  persecutions  which  he  was  then  undergoing. 

In  July  he  visited  the  stakes  of  the  southern  part  of  'the 
Territory,  and  was  at  a  conference  October  18th,  and  19th,  at 
Fish  Lake.  Conference,  he  wrote,  was  amended  by  1,136  per- 
sons. There  were  187  vehicles,  and  517  ctnin.«ils.  While  there, 
he  with  others,  sounded  the  depths  of  the  lake  which  measured 
all  the  way  from  three  feet  near  the  shore  to  168J  feet  in  the  deep- 
est places.  He  thought  the  lake  was  the  largest  depository  of  trout 
in  the  mountain  valleys.  It  is  located  about  9,000  feet  above  the 
sea  level.  After  going  as  far  north  as  Manti  he  returned  again 
to  St.  George. 

In  his  journal  he  makes  special  mention  of  an  effort  on  the 
part  of  the  federal  officers  to  create  a  disturbance  on  the  4th  of 
July,  because  certain  persons  manifested  their  sorrow  for  de- 
parted liberty  by  placing  the  flag  at  half-mast  on  certain  buildings 


THE  CRUSADE  OPENS,  1883-1885.  555 

owned  chiefly  by  Mormons.  At  the  same  time  threats  were  made 
that  if  the  flag  were  placed  at  half-mast  on  the  24th,  war  would 
be  waged  against  the  Mormons  with  the  utmost  bitterness.  The 
flag,  however,  on  that  date  was  placed  at  half-mast  by  order  of 
the  President  of  the  U.  S.  in  honor  of  General  Grant  who  died 
July  23rd.  There  was  no  likelihood  that  any  of  the  leaders  would 
encourage  any  one  to  place  the  flag  at  half-mast  upon  the  24th, 
but  the  threat  of  the  anti-Mormons  was,  in  the  end,  all  a  chal- 
lenge that  brought  to  the  enemy  chagrin  because  of  the  peculiar 
circumstance. 

As  a  rule  nearly  all  who  were  indicted  under  the  law  went  to 
prison  rather  than  promise  the  abandonment  of  their  wives  and 
children.  Occasionally  a  man  would  enter  court  and  make  the 
required  promise  to  escape  punishment.  As  a  rule  the  practices 
of  such  men  were  not  in  harmony  with  the  requirements  of  the 
gospel  and  those  times  gave  them  an  opportunity  to  demonstrate 
their  unworthiness  rather  than  a  lack  of  courage.  Later,  such 
men  undertook  to  draw  comfort  from  the  circumstance  that  the 
leaders  counseled  men  under  indictment  to  give  the  demanded 
promise.  They  failed,  however,  to  make  the  distinction  between 
an  order  for  retreat  coming  from  those  at  the  head  and  the  act 
of  desertion  while  in  the  ranks. 

Indictments  in  those  days  were  followed  as  a  matter  of  the 
course  by  convictions.  Juries  were  made  to  order.  Judges 
considered  themselves  missionaries  and  the  greater  their  trespass 
on  justice  the  more  they  were  honored  by  the  anti-Mormon  ele- 
ment. Their  vindictiveness  became  an  object  of  honor,  and  the 
leaders  in  the  crusade  walked  the  streets  of  Salt  Lake  City  with 
feelings  of  special  pride.  They  were  pointed  out  to  the  curious 
and  were  the  objects  of  adulation  of  those  whose  religious  hatreds 
were  most  intense.  Leaders  of  the  persecution  were  making  a  rec- 
ord over  which  they  were  not  only  proud  but  boastful,  although 
in  the  beginning  the  feelings  of  antagonism  between  the  perse- 
cutors and  the  persecuted  were  most  intense.  As  time  went  on, 
feelings  of  resignation  sprang  up  in  the  hearts  of  the  Latter- 
day  Saints  who  more  and  more  became  disposed  to  leave  in  the 
hands  of  God  the  future  of  those  who  despitefully  used  them.  In 
passing,  it  may  here  be  remarked  that  the  persecutors  of  the 
Latter-day  Saints  will,  in  days  to  come,  be  left  to  the  Latter- 


556 


WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 


day  Saints  for  the  estimation  in  which  they  will  be  held  by  those 
to  whom  their  lives  will  be  of  no  consequence ;  in  other  words, 
those  whom  they  persecuted  will  in  turn  become  their  judges 
whose  verdicts  will  go  down  to  history. 

Elder  Woodruff,  after  returning  to  the  south,  took  an  active 
part  in  the  daily  lives  of  the  people.  In  Pine  Valley  he  assisted 
Brother  Thompson  in  repairing  his  grist  mill.  He  dressed  the 
Burr  stones,  since  by  trade  he  was  a  miller.  However,  it  had 
been  fifty-five  years  since  he  had  done  such  work  and  in  some  re- 
spects such  labor  was  restful  to  him  and  would  have  been  health- 
ful had  it  not  been  for  the  constant  strain  which  those  evil  days 
placed  him  under. 

In  October  he  received  word  that  his  wife  Phoebe  was  in 
poor  health  and  he  therefore  hastened  home  to  Salt  Lake  City 
where  he  arrived  on  the  5th  of  November.  He  remained,  how- 
ever, in  seclusion  in  his  home  and  neighborhood.  On  the  10th 
of  November  she  died.  He  was  greatly  affected  by  her  death  and 
painfully  humiliated  by  the  circumstance  under  which  her  funeral 
was  held.  He  stood  concealed  in  the  Historian's  Office  as  he 
watched  the  funeral  procession  pass  by  on  its  way  to  the  city  of 
the  dead.  "I  am,"  said  he,  "passing  through  a  strange  chapter 
in  the  history  of  my  life.  Persecution  is  raging  against  the 
Latter-day  Saints.  I  hope  I  may  prove  true  and  faithful  to  the 
end  and  that  I  may  join  her  in  the  celestial  Kingdom  of  God  and 
have  part  in  the  first  resurrection." 


CHAPTER   51. 
ELEVATION  TO  PRESIDENCY  OF  THE  CHURCH,  1889. 

Arrest  of  George  Q.  Cannon. — Governor  Murray's  Dismissal. — Death 
of  President  Taylor. — President  Woodruff  Appears  in  the  Taber- 
nacle.—Change  in  Federal  Officers.— April,  1889,  Wilford  Woodruff 
Became  President  of  the  Church. — Visit  to  California. — M.  W. 
Merrill,  A.  H.  Lund,  and  Abraham  H.  Cannon  Called  to  Apostleship. 
— Senator  Morgan  Visits  President  Woodruff. 

The  highest  point  of  intensity  in  the  crusade  against  the  Lat- 
ter-day Saints  was  reached  during  the  year  1886.  Although  Pres- 
ident Woodruff  had  been  in  exile  previous  years  he  had  always 
enjoyed  in  some  measure  the  privilege  of  meeting  with  the  Saints 
and  of  exercising  himself  in  the  vindication  of  his  calling  as  an 
Apostle  of  the  Lord,  Jesus  Christ.  Persecution  became  most 
bitter,  the  whole  atmosphere  of  anti-Mormon  association  was 
charged  with  intense  hatred.  Hundreds  were  in  prison  and  in  ex- 
ile and  leading  men  were  hunted  down  with  a  fury  perhaps  un- 
surpassed by  the  Roman  persecutions  in  the  days  of  the  early 
Christians.  During  that  year  he  did  not  appear  once  in  public 
nor  did  he  preach  a  single  discourse.  He  passed  some  time  in 
Ashley  Valley  and  enjoyed  such  diversion  in  fishing  and  hunting 
as  his  circumstances  would  permit.  At  the  opening  of  the  new 
year  he  recounted  the  experiences  of  the  past  year  and  prophecied 
concerning  the  year  to  come.  He  felt  that  the  Lord  would  fight 
the  battles  of  the  Saints  and  that  those  who  were  prominent  in  the 
persecution  would  be  humiliated.  On  the  13th  of  February  that 
year  President  George  Q.  Cannon  was  arrested  in  Nevada.  A 
few  days  later  he  was  brought  to  Salt  Lake  City  in  the  custody  of 
United  States  officers.  To  intensify  excitement  abroad  and  to 
make  it  apear  that  the  Territory  was  on  the  verge  of  revolt,  Gov- 
ernor Murray  sent  troops  to  guard  the  prisoner  to  Salt  Lake  City. 
Upon  George  Q.  Cannon  were  heaped  various  indignities  and  on 
his  arrival  in  Utah  he  was  placed  under  forty-five  thousand  dol- 
lar bonds.  John  Sharp  and  Feramorz  Little  went  on  his  bonds 
for  twenty-five  thousand,  and  Francis  Armstrong  and  H.  S.  Eld- 
redge  for  twenty  thousand.  In  view  of  the  extreme  bitterness  then 


558  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

manifested  toward  him  and  in  view  of  the  fact  that  offenses 
might  be  segregated  to  imprisonment  for  life,  President  Cannon 
decided  to  forfeit  the  bonds.  Sharp  and  Little  paid  promptly  the 
twenty-five  thousand,  while  Armstrong  and  Eldredge  declined  to 
pay  until  the  question  of  excessiveness  of  bail  should  be  deter- 
mined by  the  courts.  When  the  case  was  carried  to  the  supreme 
court  at  Washington  it  was  finally  dismissed.  Later,  by  action  of 

Congress,  the  25,000  dollars  was  returned.. 

> 

Governor  Murray  was  removed  front  office,  and  under  the 
restraining  influence  at  Washington,  the  persecution  in  Utah  be- 
came less  offensive.  Murray's  conduct  had  for  some  time  been 
unsatisfactory  to  President  Cleveland,  especially  in  view  of  the 
misrepresentation  of  conditions  in  Utah.  When  Murray  vetoed 
the  general  appropriation  bill  passed  by  the  Territorial  Legislature 
the  President  of  the  United  States  decided  to  remove  him.  The 
President  further  considered  Murray's  effort  to  coerce  legislation 
wholly  unjustifiable,  and  his  attempt  to  appoint  officers  by  proc- 
lamation as  revolutionary.  He  also  remembered  that  he  had  been 
twice  deceived  by  Murray  on  the  "Mormon  Uprising." 

While  the  close  of  the  year  did  not  by  any  means  witness  the 
end  of  the  crusade,  the  hand  of  God  was  visible  in  defeating  certain 
purposes  of  the  enemy.  President  Taylor  and  his  associates  were 
vindicated.  The  course  taken  by  them  and  the  changed  attitude 
of  the  general  government  marked  the  fulfillment  of  prophecy 
uttered  by  President  Woodruff  at  the  beginning  of  the  year. 

At  the  close  of  the  year  Edward  M.  Dalton  of  Parowan  was 
shot  and  killed  by  Deputy  Marshal  Thompson.  The  feelings  of 
resentment  among  the  people  were  high.  They  felt  more  and 
more  the  force  of  President  Taylor's  words  at  the  beginning  of  the 
crusade  when  he  informed  the  people  that  nothing  was  to  be  done 
except  to  turn  up  their  coat  collars  and  as  much  as  possible  turn 
their  back  to  the  storm  until  it  passed  over.  Outrages  were  daily 
increasing  and  there  was  an  evident  determination  on  the  part  of 
the  federal  officers  to  stand  by  one  another  and  manipulate  the 
machinery  of  government  for  their  own  protection  as  well  as  for 
the  oppression  of  the  Mormons.  However,  federal  zeal  in  Utah 
exceeded  so  far  the  bounds  of  all  propriety  that  the  authorities  in 
Washington  determined  to  exercise  some  restraint  over  their 
agents  in  Utah. 


ELEVATION  TO  PRESIDENCY,  1S89.  559 

General  McCook  was  transferred  to  another  post.  Marshal 
Ireland  and  Judge  Powers  went  out  of  office. 

On  the  8th  of  February,  1886,  a  circumstance  transpired  by 
which  President  Woodruff  and  Apostle  Erastus  Snow  escaped 
arrest.  President  Woodruff  thought  the  circumstance  worthy  of  a 
place  in  history.  Early  in  the  morning  of  that  day  he  and  Erastus 
Snow  went  to  the  Historian's  office  in  pursuance  of  an  appointment 
to  meet  a  number  of  the  brethren  there.  Before  he  had  been  long 
in  the  building  it  was  surrounded  by  deputy  marshals.  He  and 
Elders  Snow  and  Richards  had  been  watching  the  officers  from 
the  windows  as  they  searched  the  Guardo  House.  They  had  also 
observed  the  raid  made  upon  the  President's  office  and  the  tithing 
office.  When  the  marshals,  however,  came  to  the  Historian's  of- 
fice, President  Woodruff  offered  a  silent,  fervent  prayer  in  his 
heart  that  the  Lord  would  blind  his  enemies.  He  then,  in  com- 
pany with  Andrew  Jenson,  went  into  the  street  in  the  midst  of 
nearly  twenty  officers.  They  were  apparently  dazed  as  he  walked 
before  them  and  he  attracted  no  attention.  He  crossed  the  street 
to  the  President's  office,  passed  through  the  east  gate,  entered  a 
buggy  with  Seymour  B.  Young,  and  was  driven  to  the  home  of 
Elder  Young's  mother.  In  the  evening  he  made  his  way  to  his 
home  in  Farmers  Ward,  then  took  his  departure  for  a  year  of  ex- 
ile from  his  family  and  associates  in  office.  During  the  year  he 
traveled  about  sixteen  hundred  miles  and  closed  the  year  in  the  city 
of  St.  George,  accompanied  by  his  wife  Emma  and  some  of  her 
children. 

He  found  St.  George  a  comparatively  safe  place,  as  the  peo- 
ple there  were  almost  wholly  Latter-day  Saints  and  offered  him 
every  opportunity  to  visit  his  friends  and  to  enjoy  immunity  from 
arrest.  The  sufferings  of  those  times  were  enhanced  by  the  con- 
stant threats  of  more  drastic  legislation  and  the  confiscation  of 
Church  property. 

While  in  St.  George  and  on  the  4th  of  February,  1887,  he 
wrote  an  eight  page  letter  to  David  Whitmer,  one  of  the  witnesses 
to  the  Book  of  Mormon,  and  bore  to  the  latter  a  strong  testimony 
to  the  continuance  of  the  work  of  God  under  the  administration  of 
Presidents  Young  and  Taylor. 

A  considerable  time  before  the  death  of  President  John  Tay- 
lor his  demise  was  shown  to  Wilford  Woodruff  in  a  dream. 


560  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

When,  therefore,  word  came  to  him  in  St.  George  from  President 
George  Q.  Cannon  and  Elder  John  Jacques  on  the  16th  of  July 
that  President  Taylor's  condition  afforded  no  hope  of  recovery  he 
at  once  set  out  on  the  following  day  for  Salt  Lake  City.  He 
traveled  most  of  the  way  by  team  and  while  at  a  Brother  Bar- 
tholomew's in  Fayette,  Sanpete  County,  on  the  26th,  he  received 
the  sad  news  of  John  Taylor's  death  which  had  occurred  the  day 
before  at  about  eight  p.  m.  That  night  he  lay  awake  sorrowing 
over  the  mourning  that  had  come  to  all  Israel  in  the  departure  of 
their  great  leader.  Elder  Woodruff's  mind  was  greatly  troubled 
by  the  responsibilities  which  he  felt  crowded  upon  him.  In  his 
journal  he  wrote  of  President  Taylor  as  follows :  "Thus  another 
President  of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints  has 
passed  away.  President  John  Taylor  is  twice  a  martyr.  He  was 
shot  four  times  in  Carthage  Jail  when  Joseph  and  Hyrum  were 
slain,  and  there  he  mingled  his  blood  with  the  marytrs ;  this  was 
in  1844.  Now,  in  1887,  driven  into  exile  by  United  States  officers 
in  consequence  of  his  religion,  he  lays  down  his  life  for  the  truth. 
All  honor  to  the  name  and  memory  of  President  John  Taylor. 
'Leave  judgment  with  me  for  it  is  mine  and  I  will  repay,'  saith  the 
Lord,  God." 

Continuing,  he  wrote:  "President  John  Taylor's  death  places 
the  chief  responsibility  and  care  of  the  Church  of  Latter-day 
Saints  upon  my  shoulders,  in  connection  with  the  Twelve,  which 
now  become  the  presiding  authority  of  the  Church.  This  places 
me  in  a  very  peculiar  situation.  It  is  a  position  I  have  never  looked 
for,  but  in  the  providence  of  God  this  new  responsibility  is  thrown 
upon  me.  I  pray  God,  my  heavenly  Father,  to  give  me  grace 
equal  to  my  day.  It  is  a  high  responsibility  for  any  man  and  it 
is  a  position  which  requires  great  wisdom.  I  never  expected  to 
outlive  President  Taylor,  but  God  has  ordained  otherwise. 

"Bishop  Hunter  said  on  several  occasions  that  I  would  outlive 
President  Taylor  and  become  President  of  the  Church.  On  these 
occasions  I  rebuked  the  Bishop  and  asked  him  not  to  prophesy 
of  me  such  a  thing.  Each  time  he  answered,  'Nevertheless  it  is 
true  and  will  come  to  pass.'  It  certainly  has  come  to  pass.  I  can 
only  say,  Marvelous  are  Thy  ways,  O  Lord  Almighty,  for  Thou 
hast  truly  chosen  weak  instruments  to  perform  in  Thy  hand  Thy 
vork  on  the  earth.  May  Thy  servant,  Wilford,  be  prepared  for 


ELEVATION  TO  PRESIDENCY,  1889.  561 

whatever  is  required  at  his  hands  by  the  God  of  heaven.  I  ask 
this  blessing  of  my  heavenly  Father  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ, 
the  Son  of  the  living  God,  even  so,  Amen." 

Those  acquainted  with  the  modesty  and  humility  of  President 
Woodruff  can  easily  understand  his  feelings  of  grave  concern  and 
deep  anxiety  at  such  a  time.  While  he  sought  no  honors  for  him- 
self and  would  always  "prefer  his  brethren  to  him,"  he  was  never- 
theless quick  to  maintain  himself  or  any  other  man  in  the  calling 
to  which  the  Lord  by  revelation,  or  by  the  order  established  in  the 
priesthood,  placed  upon  him. 

On  the  28th  of  March,  1887,  he  wrote  to  one  of  the -brethren 
in  answer  to  these  questions :  "Do  you  know  of  any  reason  in  case 
of  the  death  of  the  President  of  the  Church  why  the  Twelve 
Apostles  should  not  choose  some  other  person  than  the  president 
of  the  Twelve  to  be  the  President  of  the  Church,"  as  follows :  "I 
know  several  reasons  why  he  should  not.  First,  at  the  death  of 
the  President  of  the  Church  the  Twelve  Apostles  become  the  pre- 
siding authority  of  the  Church,  and  the  president  of  the  Twelve  is 
really  the  President  of  the  Church  by  virtue  of  his  office  as  much 
while  presiding  over  the  Twelve  Apostles  as  while  presiding  over 
his  two  counselors.  In  the  appointment  of  Brigham  Young  and 
John  Taylor  to  the  presidency  of  the  Church  it  never  entered  the 
heart  of  any  one  of  the  Twelve  Apostles  to  claim  the  right  to  pre- 
side over  Brigham  Young  or  John  Taylor,  as  they  were  all  the 
presidents  of  the  Church,  and  if  they  were  not  fit  to  preside  over 
the  Church  they  were  not  fit  to  preside  over  the  Twelve  Apostles. 
Second,  in  case  of  the  death  of  the  President  of  the  Church  it  takes 
the  majority  of  the  Twelve  Apostles  to  appoint  the  President  of  the 
Church,  and  it  is  very  unreasonable  to  suppose  that  the  majority 
of  that  Quorum  could  be  converted  to  depart  from  the  course 
marked  gut  by  inspiration  and  followed  by  the  Apostles  at  the 
death  of  Christ  and  by  the  Twelve  Apostles  at  the  death  of  Joseph 
Smith.  I  see  no  reason  for  discussing  this  subject  until  there  is 
some  reason  for  it." 

Whether  or  not  this  statement  of  President  Woodruff  is 
taken  as  doctrine,  it  shows  very  clearly  his  sentiment  of  respect 
for  the  line  of  action  which  had  been  taken  and  his  determination 
not  to  depart  from  it  as  a  matter  of  policy.  He  felt  that  man  was 
at  best  but  a  weak  instrument  in  the  hands  of  God.  As  this  was 

37 


562  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

God's  work  the  man  that  lived  most  humbly  and  contrite  beforv. 
his  Maker  was  most  entitled  to  divine  guidance.  He  had  striven 
in  the  humility  of  his  heart  to  gain  divine  favor.  He  had  been  the 
recipient  of  that  favor  and  had  done  nothing  of  which  he  was  con- 
scious to  forfeit  it. 

On  the  12th  of  March  he  recorded  the  following  in  his  jour- 
nal :  "I  dreamed  last  night  that  the  Latter-day  Saints  were  hold- 
ing a  great  conference  in  the  Salt  Lake  Temple.  I  saw  a  great 
rush  to  finish  the  Temple.  I  was  called  upon  to  open  the  confer- 
ence, and  I  was  given  the  keys  of  the  Temple  to  open  it.  •  I  saw 
thousands  assembling  and  I  met  President  Young,  who  asked  me 
what  was  the  matter  with  the  great  multitude  at  the  door.  Some 
one  answered  that  the  elders  did  not  want  to  let  the  people  into 
the  Temple.  He  exclaimed,  'Oh,  oh,  oh;'  he  then  leaned  over 
to  me  and  said,  'Let  all  come  into  the  Temple  who  seek  salvation.' 
I  saw  several  who  were  dead,  among  them  my  wife,  Phoebe.  I 
believe  there  is  some  special  meaning  in  this  dream."  The  dream 
is  explained  by  what  happened  when  the  Temple  was  dedicated. 

On  th  29th  of  July  the  funeral  of  President  Taylor  was  held 
in  the  Tabernacle.  As  most  of  the  elders  were  in  exile,  only  a  few 
were  in  attendance.  These  were  Lorenzo  Snow,  Franklin  D. 
Richards,  Heber  J.  Grant  of  the  Twelve.  Also  President  Daniel 
H.  Wells,  A.  O.  Smoot,  Lorenzo  D.  Young,  Joseph  B.  Noble,  and 
Angus  M.  Cannon.  One  hundred  and  two  carriages  followed  the 
remains  to  their  final  resting  place.  There  were  several  bands  of 
music  in  atendance.  The  occasion  was  indeed  solemn,  mourning 
was  silent  and  deep;  men  with  bowed  heads  and  in  the  deepest 
sorrow  wondered  at  God's  providences  and  prayed  for  deliverance. 

From  the  President's  office  Wilford  Woodruff  watched  the 
procession  as  it  passed.  President  Woodruff  says  that  to  himself 
he  remarked,  as  he  stood  in  silent  gaze,  "There  goes  to  his  final 
rest  the  third  President  of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter- 
day  Saints." 

Immediately  President  Woodruff  and  the  Twelve  entered  up- 
on the  duties  of  the  presidency.  These  duties  were  numerous  and 
pressing.  President  Woodruff  was  not  yet  free  from  the  prob- 
ability of  arrest  and  therefore  did  not  appear  in  public.  He  signed 
hundreds  of  recommends  to  the  Temple  as  they  came  to  him  from 
day  to  day.  On  the  9th,  however,  of  October,  at  the  general  semi- 


ELEVATION  TO  PRESIDENCY,  1889.  563 

annual  conference  of  that  year,  in  company  with  Lroenzo  Snow 
and  Franklin  D.  Richards,  he  entered  the  building  at  the  afternoon 
session.  As  the  people  recognized  their  venerable  President  they 
greeted  him  with  a  round  of  hearty  applause  which  did  not  cease 
until  he  arose  and  waved  his  hand  in  salutation.  He  addressed 
the  multitude  for  thirty  minutes  and  then  quietly  retired  before 
the  singing,  as  he  deemed  it  unwise  to  expose  himself  to  arrest. 
During  the  rest  of  the  year  he  remained  quietly  at  his  home. 

The  duties  of  President  Woodruff  now  called  his  special  atten- 
tion to  the  general  affairs  of  the  Church  so  that  he  remained  con- 
stantly near  headquarters.  While  the  presidency  of  the  Church 
devolved  upon  the  Twelve,  President  Woodruff  now  looked  to 
Presidents  Cannon  and  Smith  for  information  and  assistance,  on 
account  of  their  familiarity  with  Church  affairs  during  the  presi- 
dency of  John  Taylor. 

While  the  crusade  was  by  no  means  at  an  end,  its  extreme  bit- 
terness was  gradually  vanishing.  During  the  year  Judge  Zane 
was  succeeded  by  Judge  Elliott  Sanford  of  New  York.  Mr.  San- 
ford  was  a  man  of  refinement  and  of  moral  courage.  He  manifest- 
ed no  personal  bias  and  no  excessive  zeal  in  the  administration  of 
the  law.  During  his  tenure  of  office  George  Q.  Cannon  was  sen- 
tenced to  185  days'  imprisonment  and  a  fine  of  $450.00.  Apostle 
F.  M.  Lyman  and  others  were  also  sentenced  by  him.  Judge  Judd, 
another  federal  appointee,  acted  in  harmony  with  Judge  Sanford 
in  dealing  with  the  Latter-day  Saints. 

Those  days  were  trying  to  President  Woodruff,  especially  in 
view  of  the  waste  of  property  going  on  through  the  process  of 
confiscation.  Private  individuals  were  enriching  themselves  at 
the  expense  of  the  Church,  and  to  the  discredit  of  the  government. 
Men  unable  to  provide  for  more  than  the  daily  wants  of  life  sud- 
denly came  into  possession  of  moderate  private  fortunes.  The 
Latter-day  Saints  beheld  the  travesty  of  this  gross  injustice  as 
men,  under  the  guise  of  law  and  as  reformers,  showed  an  un- 
righteous zeal  to  lay  their  hands  upon  Church  property. 

During  the  year  1888  Elder  Woodruff  records  the  death  of  a 
number  of  prominent  men  with  whom  he  had  been  closely  associ- 
ated for  many  years.  Erastus  Snow  died  May  27th  at  the  age  of 
sixty-nine  years.  On  June  the  24th  Judge  Elias  Smith  passed 
away,  at  eighty-three.  Horace  Eldredge  also  died  on  September 


564  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

6th  at  the  age  of  seventy-two.  Azmon  Wodruff  died  at  the  ad- 
vanced age  of  eighty-six  years.  President  Woodruff  was  now 
eighty-two,  but  still  active.  He  found  pleasure  in  manual  labor 
whenever  he  could  snatch  away  some  time  in  which  to  devote  him- 
self to  his  garden  and  to  his  field.  One  day  during  the  summer 
of  1888,  while  hoeing  corn  by  the  side  of  a  grandson,  who  was  too 
swift  for  his  grandfather  in  the  corn  field,  the  latter  observed  in 
his  journal:  "Well,  this  is  the  first  time  in  my  life  that  any  of  my 
children  have  beaten  me  hoeing  corn  or  at  any  other  manual  la- 
bor." 

February  21st  of  that  year  President  George  Q.  Cannon  was 
liberated  from  prison.  Gradually  the  leading  men  began  to  obtain 
their  freedom  and  to  appear  in  the  public  assemblies  of  the  Saints. 
On  Washington's  birthday  some  fifty  Hawaiians  met  at  the  Pres- 
ident's office  for  a  social  reunion.  The  Tabernacle  Choir  was  pres- 
ent and  rendered  inspiring  music.  On  the  Sunday  following  ten 
thousand  people  were  gathered  in  the  Tabernacle  and  were  ad- 
dressed by  Presidents  Cannon  and  Woodruff. 

On  the  1st  of  March  Elder  Woodruff's  birthday  was  cele- 
brated. On  a  cake  presented  to  him  by  Elder  John  Gallagher  tile 
following  sentiment  was  given  and  a  copy  of  it  taken  from  Pres- 
ident Woodruff's  journal.  It  reads  as  follows : 

''Fourscore  years  and  two  have  fled  in  the  work  for  Zion's  cause 

on  earth. 
This  day  we  greet  our  honored  head  to  show  our  love  and  tel!  his 

worth. 

We  pray  that  heaven  may  long  extend  your  life  to  testify  unmoved, 
As  with  your  family,  in  the  end  find  welcome  by  God  approved." 

At  the  April  conference  of  1889  and  on  the  seventh  of  the 
month,  Wilford  Woodruff  was  sustained  as  President  of  the 
Church,  with  George  Q.  Cannon  and  Joseph  F.  Smith  as  his  coun- 
selors. "This  7th  day  of  April,  1889,"  he  said,  "is  one  of  the  most 
important  days  in  my  life,  for  I  was  made  President  of  the  Church 
of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints  by  the  unanimous  vote  of  ten 
thousand  of  them.  The  vote  was  first  taken  by  quorums  and  then 
by  the  entire  congregation  as  in  the  case  of  President  John  Tavlor. 
This  is  the  highest  office  ever  conferred  upon  any  man  in  the 


ELEVATION  TO  PRESIDENCY,  1889.  565 

flesh.  It  came  to  me  in  the  eighty-third  year  of  my  life.  I  pray 
God  to  protect  me  and  give  me  power  to  magnify  my  calling  to 
the  end  of  my  days.  The  Lord  has  watched  over  me  until  the  pres- 
ent time.  I  wish  to  counsel  my  wives  and  my  children  and  who- 
ever may  read  this  journal  to  honor  God  and  keep  His  command- 
ments to  the  end  of  their  lives  that  they  may  receive  eternal  life 
and  celestial  glory  in  the  presence  of  God  and  the  Lamb." 

About  the  middle  of  April  President  Woodruff,  accompanied 
by  his  wife,  Emma,  and  President  Cannon,  Charles  H.  Wilcken, 
H.  B.  Clawson  and  his  daughter,  and  President  Woodruff's  daugh- 
ter, left  Salt  Lake  City  on  a  trip  to  California.  Their  purpose 
was  twofold.  One,  to  look  after  the  interest  and  welfare  of  the 
people,  and  the  other  to  obtain  recuperation  after  a  long  exile. 
Here  the  party  met  old-time  friends  who  received  them  cordially 
and  extended  to  them  the  hospitality  of  their  homes.  Senator 
Stanford  had  long  been  friendly  to  the  Mormon  people  and  their 
leaders.  On  this  occasion  they  met  a  Doctor  McDonald,  formerly 
of  Nauvoo  and  a  friend  to  the  Latter-day  Saints. 

They  returned  to  Salt  Lake  City  on  the  26th  of  April,  when 
President  Woodruff  took  up  his  labors  and  began  a  visit  to  a 
number  of  stakes  of  Zion.  At  the  October  conference  of  that  year 
Elder  M.  W.  Merrill  and  A.  H.  Lund  and  Abraham  H.  Cannon 
were  chosen  to  fill  the  vacancies  created  in  the  Quorum  of  the 
Twelve. 

On  the  12th  of  that  month  President  Woodruff  records  an 
interesting  interview  which  he  had  with  Senator  Morgan  of  Ala- 
bama. The  Senator  was  passing  through  Utah  and  asked  Pres- 
ident Woodruff,  who  was  then  at  Provo,  to  meet  him  at  the  sta- 
tion there.  The  invitation  was  complied  with,  and  the  Senator 
held  the  train  for  an  hour  while  in  conversation  with  Presidents 
Woodruff  and  Cannon.  Mr.  Morgan  was  very  friendly.  He  was 
one  of  those  who,  in  the  United  States  Senate,  had  taken  a  strong 
stand  against  the  Edmunds-Tucker  Law.  He  was  pronounced  not 
only  in  his  opposition  to  the  law  itself,  but  against  the  manner  of 
its  enforcement. 

On  the  21st  of  October  that  year  President  Woodruff  again 
made  a  tour  of  the  Pacific  Coast  and  to  Canada. 

Notwithstanding  the  improved  condition  of  the  people  with 
respect  to  the  crusade  which  began  in  the  most  drastic  manner  in 


566  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

1884,  there  were  those  who  urged  some  compromise  that  would  en- 
sure, as  they  believed,  the  favor  of  the  government  and  the  com- 
plete cessation  of  hostilities  by  the  enemies  of  the  Church.  Ap- 
peals were  therefore  made  to  President  Woodruff  to  exercise  the 
authority  conferred  upon  him  by  revelation  and  suspend  thereby 
the  further  extension  of  plural  marriages. 

In  concluding  his  journal  for  the  year  1889  he  wrote:  "This 
ends  the  year.  The  word  of  the  Prophet,  Joseph  Smith,  has  been 
fulfilled  wherein  he  declared  that  the  whole  nation  would  turn 
against  Zion  and  make  war  upon  the  Saints.  The  nation  has  never 
been  so  full  of  lies  against  the  Saints  as  it  is  today. 


CHAPTER  52. 

THE  MANIFESTO  AND  EVENTS  OF  1890-'91. 

The  Political  Situation. — Visit  to  California. — The  Manifesto.— Its  Ef- 
fects.— Sug^r  Industry. — Henry  M.  Stanley. — Deaths  of  Prominent 
Men. — Earthquake  in  Southern  Utah. — Address  to  Irrigation  Con- 
gress.— Interpretation  of  Manifesto. — Remarks  at  Brigham  City  on 
the  Manifesto. 

The  year  1890  saw  a  continuation  of  the  bitter  struggle  that 
had  been  going  on  for  political  supremacy  in  Salt  Lake  City.  On 
the  10th  of  the  month  President  Woodruff  witnessed  from  an 
upper  room  in  the  Deseret  National  Bank  building  the  People's 
party  in  parade.  It  was  conducted  in  the  evening  by  torch  lights 
and  bands  of  music  in  such  a  manner  as  to  make  the  affair  one 
of  the  most  brilliant  ever  witnessed  in  Salt  Lake  City.  He  de- 
clared that  it  was  the  finest  display  of  the  character  that  he  had 
ever  seen.  The  Liberal  party  made  a  similar  display  and  suc- 
ceeded in  carrying  the  election  the  following  month. 

The  political  success  of  the  Liberal  party  at  this  time  gave 
strength  to  its  efforts  to  secure  more  adverse  legislation  for  Utah. 
The  Cullom  Bill  was  a  most  drastic  measure  and  had  it  passed 
in  pursuance  of  the  wishes  of  the  anti-Mormons,  the  Latter-day 
Saints  would  have  been  shorn  practically  of  their  political  and 
material  rights.  Senator  Edmunds,  who  had  been  skillful  in  the 
adroit  measures  which  he  succeeded  in  carrying  against  the  Lat- 
ter-day Saints  and  by  which  they  had  suffered  so  much,  was  un- 
willing to  go  the  length  of  the  measures  provided  for,  in  the  Bill. 

The  imprisonment  of  Latter-day  Saints  under  the  Edmunds 
act  of  1882  was  not  bringing  the  results  politically  that  the  anti- 
Mormons  hoped  for.  What  they  wanted  was  absolute  political 
control  of  the  Territory.  They  had  used  a  popular  prejudice 
against  polygamy  to  further  their  political  ends,  but  there  was  a 
great  sentiment  throughout  the  nation  that  as  long  as  violators 
of  the  Edmunds  Law  were  being  punished,  and  the  law  was  vig- 
orously enforced  further  measures  were  hardly  necessary. 

March    1st   of   that   year   witnessed    President   Woodruff's 


568  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

eighty-third  birthday.  His  mind  was  active,  and  he  enjoyed  all 
his  faculties  to  a  remarkable  extent.  As  the  birthday  of  his  wife 
Emma  also  came  on  March  1st,  that  day  became  in  his  family  life 
an  important  one  and  was  celebrated  in  a  becoming  manner. 

However,  his  advanced  age  told  on  his  vital  powers.  The 
excessive  heat  of  the  summer  was  very 'debilitating  to  him  and  it 
frequently  became  necessary  throughout  the  subsequent  years  of 
his  administration  to  seek  a  change  of  climate  or  go  into  retire- 
ment where  he  could  find  relief  from  the  heavy  responsibilities 
which  were  difficult  to  bear  at  his  age  of  life. 

In  August,  in  company  with  his  counselors  and  Charles  H. 
Wilcken,  he  made  a  tour  of  Arizona,  first  going  by  way  of  the 
Colorado  Stakes  of  Zion. 

On  his  return  he  visited  Joseppa,  a  settlement  in  the  western 
part  of  Tooele  County,  which  had  been  organized  for  the  ac- 
commodation of  the  Sandwich  Islands  Saints  who  had  gathered  to 
a  considerable  extent  in  and  about  Salt  Lake  City.  For  the  pur- 
pose of  aiding  them  a  large  tract  of  land  had  been  selected,  so 
that  they  might  enjoy  the  opportunities  of  agricultural  pursuits. 
On  that  occasion  Joseph  F.  Smith,  his  counselor,  acted  as  inter- 
preter and  offered  the  dedicatory  prayer. 

In  early  September  President  Woodruff  went  to  California 
where  he  attended  on  the  9th  of  the  month  a  celebration  of  the 
pioneers  of  that  state.  It  was  conducted  in  San  Francisco  where 
about  twenty  thousand  men  in  uniform  took  part  in  the  procession. 
The  purpose  of  this  visit  to  California  was  to  transact  some  busi- 
ness matters  relating  to  the  interests  of  the  Church.  During  the 
stay  of  President  Woodruff  and  party  they  were  treated  with 
great  courtesy  by  Colonel  Trumbo,  Judge  Estee,  Mr.  Living- 
stone, and  other  friends  of  the  Mormon  people. 

On  the  19th  of  the  month  the  Southern  Pacific  tendered 
President  Woodruff  and  party  a  private  car  by  which  they  were 
taken  to  Sacramento  for  the  purpose  of  visiting  the  state  fair 
which  was  in  session  there  at  that  time.  President  Woodruff's 
devotion  to  agriculture  and  fruit  growing  made  the  wonderful 
exhibit  at  this  fair  a  matter  of  uncommon  interest  to  him.  He 
had  also  found  on  the  coast  a  generous  sentiment  which  he  greatly 
appreciated,  a  sentiment  indeed  favorable  considering  the  con- 
ditions in  Utah  for  the  past  five  years. 


THE  MANIFESTO  AND  EVENTS  OF  1890-'91.      569 

During  the  agitation  in  Washington  for  more  drastic  meas- 
ures against  the  Latter-day  Saints,  Utah's  representative  at  the 
Capitol  had  not  unfrequently  declared  that  polygamy  was  a  dead 
issue.  There  were  strong  political  sentiments  in  favor  of  some 
sort  of  a  compromise,  and  President  Woodruff  had  been  im- 
portuned to  recede  from  his  former  attitude  on  that  important 
principle. 

On  the  24th  of  September  he  met  in  council  with  his  coun- 
selors and  with  several  of  the  Twelve  and  under  existing  con- 
ditions he  issued  with  their  consent  the  manifesto,  which  reads  as 
follows : 

OFFICIAL  DECLARATION. 

To  Whom  It  May  Concern: 

Press  dispatches  having  been  sent  for  political  purposes  from 
Salt  Lake  City,  which  have  been  widely  published,  to  the  effect 
that  the  Utah  Commission,  in  their  recent  report  to  the  Secre- 
tary of  the  Interior,  allege  that  plural  marriages  are  still  being 
solemnized  and  that  forty  or  more  such  marriages  have  been  con- 
tracted in  Utah  since  last  June  or  during  the  past  year ;  also  that 
in  public  discourses  the  leaders  of  the  Church  have  taught,  en- 
couraged, and  urged  the  continuance  of  the  practice  of  polygamy ; 

I,  therefore,  as  President  of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of 
Latter-day  Saints,  do  hereby,  in  the  most  solemn  manner,  declare 
that  these  charges  are  false.  We  are  not  teaching  polygamy  or 
plural  marriage,  nor  permitting  any  person  to  enter  into  its  prac- 
tice, and  I  deny  that  either  forty  or  any  other  number  of  plural 
marriages  have,  during  that  period,  been  solemnized  in  our  tem- 
ples or  in  any  other  place  in  the  Territory. 

One  case  has  been  reported,  in  which  the  parties  alleged  that 
the  marriage  was  performed  in  the  Endowment  House,  in  Salt 
Lake  City,  in  the  spring  of  1889,  but  I  have  not  been  able  to  learn 
who  performed  the  ceremony.  Whatever  was  done  in  this  matter 
was  done  without  my  knowledge.  In  consequence  of  this  alleged 
occurrence  the  Endowment  House  was,  by  my  instructions,  taken 
down  without  delay. 

Inasmuch  as  laws  have  been  enacted  by  congress  forbidding 
plural  marriages,  which  laws  have  been  pronounced  constitutional 


570  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

by  the  court  of  last  resort,  I  hereby  declare  my  intention  to  sub- 
mit to  those  laws,  and  to  use  my  influence  with  the  members  of 
the  Church  over  which  I  preside  to  have  them  do  likewise. 

There  is  nothing  in  my  teachings  to  the  Church  or  in  those 
of  my  associates,  during  the  time  specified,  which  can  be  reason- 
ably construed  to  inculcate  or  encourage  polygamy,  and  when  any 
elder  of  the  Church  has  used  language  which  appeared  to  convey 
any  such  teaching,  he  has  been  promptly  reproved.  And  I  now 
publicly  declare  that  my  advice  to  the  Latter-day  Saints  is  to  re- 
frain from  contracting  any  marriage  forbidden  by  the  law  of  the 
land. 

WILFORD   WOODRUFF, 
President  of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ 

of  Latter-day  Saints. 

In  his  private  journal  he  made  no  particular  mention  of  the 
circumstances  leading  up  to  the  Manifesto,  neither  did  he  make 
any  comment  upon  it  further  than  to  say:  "I  have  been  called 
upon  this  day  to  act  for  the  Church." 

It  was  a  solemn  day  to  all  Israel.  The  thought  of  suspend- 
ing the  practice  of  a  principle  for  which  they  had  already  suf- 
fered so  much,  was  indeed  painful  to  thousands  of  the  people. 
The  responsibility,  however,  the  Prophet  of  God  placed  upon  the 
nation  for  rejecting  a  principle  which  had  within  it  the  power  to 
redeem  the  world  from  the  greatest  of  social  evils  and  according 
to  Isaiah,  to  take  away  the  reproach  of  women  who  have  been 
unjustly  dealt  with  by  ungodly  men. 

On  the  6th  of  October,  1890,  the  Manifesto  was  presented  to 
the  Saints  assembled  at  the  semi-annual  conference,  and  unani- 
mously adopted.  Following  its  presentation,  President  Woodruff 
made  these  remarks  i  especting  the  action  he  had  taken : 

"I  want  to  say  to  all  Israel  that  the  step  which  I  have  taken 
in  issuing  this  Manifesto  has  not  been  done  without  earnest 
prayer  before  the  Lord.  I  am  about  to  go  into  the  spirit  world, 
like  other  men  of  my  age.  I  expect  to  meet  the  face  of  my  Heav- 
enly Father — the  Father  of  my  spirit;  I  expect  to  meet  the  face 
of  Joseph  Smith,  of  Brigham  Young,  of  John  Taylor,  and  of  the 
Apostles,  and  for  me  to  have  taken  a  stand  in  anything  which  is 
not  pleasing  in  the  sight  of  God,  or  before  the  heavens,  I  would 


THE  MANIFESTO  AND  EVENTS  OF  1890-'91.      571 

rather  have  gone  out  and  been  shot.  My  life  is  no  better  than 
other  men's.  I  am  not  ignorant  of  the  feelings  that  have  been 
engendered  through  the  course  I  have  pursued.  But  I  have  done 
my  duty,  and  the  nation  of  which  we  form  a  part  must  be  respon- 
sible for  that  which  has  been  done  in  relation  to  this  principle. 

"The  Lord  has  required  at  our  hands  many  things  that  we 
have  not  done,  many  things  that  we  were  prevented  from  doing. 
The  Lord  required  us  to  build  a  temple  in  Jackson  County.  We 
were  prevented  by  violence  from  doing  it.  He  required  us  to 
build  a  temple  in  Far  West,  which  we  have  not  been  able  to  do. 
A  great  many  things  have  been  required  of  us,  and  we  have  not 
been  able  to  do  them  because  of  those  that  surround  us  in  the 
world. 

"It  is  not  wisdom  for  us  to  make  war  upon  sixty-five  mil- 
lions of  people.  It  is  not  wisdom  for  us  to  go  forth  and  carry  out 
this  principle  against  the  laws  of  the  nation  and  receive  the  conse- 
quences. That  is  in  the  hands  of  God,  and  He  will  govern  and 
control  it. 

"I  want  the  prayers  of  the  Latter-day  Saints.  I  thank  God 
that  I  have  seen  with  my  eyes  this  day,  that  this  people  have  been 
ready  to  vote  to  sustain  me  in  an  action  that  I  know,  in  one  sense, 
has  pained  their  hearts.  Brother  George  Q.  Cannon  has  laid  be- 
fore you  our  position.  The  Lord  has  given  us  commandments 
concerning  many  things,  and  we  have  carried  them  out  as  far  as 
we  could;  but  when  we  cannot  do  it,  we  are  justified.  The  Lord 
does  not  require  at  our  hands  things  that  we  cannot  do.  Our 
nation  is  in  the  hands  of  God.  He  holds  its  destiny.  He  holds 
the  destinies  of  all  men.  I  will  say  to  the  Latter-day  Saints,  as 
an  Elder  in  Israel  and  as  an  Apostle  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
we  are  approaching  some  of  the  most  tremendous  judgments  God 
ever  poured  out  upon  the  world.  You  watch  the  signs  of  the 
times,  the  signs  of  the  coming  of  the  Son  of  Man.  They  are 
beginning  to  be  made  manifest  both  in  heaven  and  on  earth. 

"I  pray  God  that  He  will  bless  these  apostles,  prophets,  and 
patriarchs,  these  seventies,  high  priests,  and  elders  of  Israel,  and 
these  Latter-day  Saints,  who  have  entered  into  covenant  with  our 
God.  You  have  a  great  future  before  you.  I  ask  my  Heavenly 
Father  to  pour  out  His  spirit  upon  me,  as  His  servant,  that  in  my 
advanced  age,  and  during  the  few  days  I  have  to  spend  here  in 


572  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

the  flesh,  I  may  be  led  by  the  inspiration  of  the  Almighty.  I  say 
to  Israel,  the  Lord  will  never  permit  me  nor  any  other  man  who 
stands  as  the  President  of  this  Church,  to  lead  you  astray.  It  is 
not  in  the  programme.  It  is  not  in  the  mind  of  God.  If  I  were 
to  attempt  that,  the  Lord  would  remove  me  out  of  my  place, 
and  so  He  will  any  other  man  who  attempts  to  lead  the  children 
of  men  astray  from  the  oracles  of  God  and  from  their  duty.  God 
bless  you.  Amen." 

Upon  the  subject  of  the  Manifesto  he  also  spoke  at  a  con- 
ference in  Brigham  on  the  25th  of  October. 

The  effect  of  the  Manifesto  upon  the  more  radical  anti- 
Mormon  element  was  one  of  chagrin  and  disappointment.  It  re- 
moved their  chief  pretext  for  continued  agitation. 

While  the  Manifesto  was  a  concession  but  few  ever  expected 
to  witness,  there  were,  nevertheless,  many  who  had  but  little  con- 
fidence in  any  continued  good  effect  it  would  have  upon  the  bitter 
anti-Mormon  element. 

For  years  the  sugar  industry  had  been  a  subject  of  some  in- 
vestigation, and  Arthur  Stayner,  of  Farmington,  had  made  a 
number  of  experiments  sufficiently  satisfactory  to  justify  the 
venture  of  its  manufacture  in  Utah  on  a  large  scale. 

In  January,  1891,  President  Woodruff  in  his  journal  wrote: 
"The  President  and  Twelve  met  and  were  in  harmony  in  their 
conversation  upon  the  manufacture  of  sugar.  The  President  and 
Twelve,  as  the  leaders  of  the  people,  have  to  shoulder  the  re- 
sponsibility of  this  question."  Men  of  wealth  in  the  community 
were  afraid  of  such  an  enterprise  and  were  especially  fearful  should 
it  be  started  it  would  be  crushed  at  the  outset  by  the  great  sugar 
trust. 

Upon  the  question,  however,  President  Woodruff  was  so  pro- 
nounced that  he  felt  inspired  to  say  that  it  was  the  will  of  the 
Lord  that  the  sugar  industry  should  be  established  among  the 
Saints.  The  matter  of  raising  money  for  this  great  enterprise 
was,  of  course,  an  important  question.  Elder  Heber  J.  Grant 
was  sent  to  New  York  to  borrow  of  wealthy  men  money  for  this 
new  enterprise.  When  he  was  asked  by  them  what  security  could 
be  given,  he  replied  that  the  factory  itself  and  certain  bank  stocks 
would  be  given  to  secure  the  loans.  "No,"  replied  they,  "we 
don't  want  that,  if  Wilford  Woodruff,  the  President  and  Trustee- 


THE  MANIFESTO  AND  EVENTS  OF  1890-'91.      573 

in-Trust  of  your  Church  will  give  his  name  as  security  it  is  all 
we  ask."  He  accordingly  signed  his  name.  It  was  about  the 
first  debt  he  had  ever  contracted,  but  he  did  that  for  what  he  con- 
sidered the  good  of  the  people.  $300,000  was  obtained  and  the 
Lehi  sugar  factory  became  a  living,  paying,  industry.  Since  then 
among  the  Saints  there  have  been  one  established  in  Ogden,  two 
in  Cache  Valley,  one  in  Garland,  one  in. Oregon,  one  in  Canada, 
and  four  in  Idaho.  The  establishment  of  the  sugar  factory  in 
Canada  was  a  venture  perhaps  greater  than  even  the  one  first 
built  at  Lehi.  Conditions  in  that  new  country  did  not  appear  at 
all  favorable,  even  in  the  light  of  all  that  had  been  done  in  Utah. 
Apostle  John  W.  Taylor,  however,  gave  to  this  new  Canadian 
industry  his  enthusiastic  and  detailed  attention.  Jesse  Knight, 
who  built  the  factory  at  Raymond,  was  wont  to  say  that  the  enter- 
prise was  outside  all  his  interests  and  the  fields  of  his  operation. 
In  building  his  factory  in  Canada  he  had  acted  solely  upon  his 
impressions  and  against  the  business  advice  of  many  of  his 
friends. 

Nothing  has  done  more  in  this  inter-mountain  region  to  pro- 
mote the  financial  well  being  of  the  people  than  the  sugar  in- 
dustry. It  has  been  the  means  of  distributing  very  generally  its 
wealth  among  the  people. 

The  Church  at  that  time  felt  the  severe  losses  which  the  con- 
fiscation of  its  property  had  brought  to  it  and  it  was  not  in  a 
condition  to  lose  any  money  in  an  unsuccessful  enterprise.  In  his 
journal  President  Woodruff  said :  "We  are  passing  through  a 
great  financial  difficulty,  the  Lord  alone  can  help  us  out." 

His  birthday  that  year  found  him  somewhat  indisposed,  but 
on  the  9th  he  was  able  to  enjoy  the  pleasant  interview  with  the 
great  African  explorer,  Henry  M.  Stanley.  He  attended  Mr. 
Stanley's  lecture  and  pronounced  it  the  most  interesting  one  he 
had  ever  attended. 

The  latter  part  of  1890  and  the  first  part  of  1891  marked  the 
death  of  a  number  of  President  Woodruff's  old-time  friends. 
Among  these  were  Bishop  Millen  Atwood,  George  W.  Hill,  the 
Indian  interpreter,  and  on  March  25th,  1891,  President  Daniel  H. 
Wells.  The  funeral  of  Daniel  H.  Wells  was  held  on  the  29th. 
President  Woodruff  was  one  of  the  speakers  on  that  occasion. 

The  April  conference  of  1891  was  noted  for  the  large  num- 


574 


WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 


her  of  Twelve  Apostles  and  the  First  Presidency  that  could  be 
in  attendance.  The  Manifesto  .had  helped  to  bring  about  this 
new  condition  and  to  give  a  greater  liberty  to  the  leading  men  of 
the  Church  than  they  had  for  some  years  enjoyed. 

On  the  20th  of  that  month  Elder  Woodruff  recorded  in  his 
journal  the  visitation  of  a  slight  earthquake  to  southern  Utah.  It 
was  sufficiently  strong  to  shake  the  houses  and  overthrow  some 
of  the  chimneys.  The  general  damage,  however,  was  slight.  The 
volcanic  evidences  in  the  region  of  St.  George  indicate  that  that 
section  of  country  in  the  past  had  been  subject  to  violent  erup- 
tions. 

On  the  23rd  he  also  recorded  a  visit  of  the  Reverend  Doctor 
Shehadri,  an  Indian  from  Bombay.  The  gentleman  had  been  a 
Brahmin,  but  was  now  a  convert  to  Christianity.  President  Wood- 
ruff attended  the  Reverend  Gentleman's  address  in  the  Assembly 
Hall. 

On  the  8th  of  the  following  month  Salt  Lake  enjoyed  for 
the  third  time  a  visit  from  a  President  of  the  United  States. 

In  his  journal  President  Woodruff  said :  "President  Har- 
rison visited  Salt  Lake  City.  There  was  a  great  demonstra- 
tion and  a  large  procession  marched  to  the  Park  where  speeches 
were  made.  President  Cannon  and  myself  headed  the  pioneers. 
We  were  introduced  to  President  Harrison  and  shook  hands  with 
him." 

A  few  days  later  he  also  recorded  in  his  journal  the  inter- 
view with  former  Governor  George  W.  Emery.  "He  was  gov- 
ernor of  this  territory  when  President  Grant  visited  this  city. 
Governor  Emery  told  me  that  while  riding  up  from  the  depot  with 
President  Grant  and  while  the  two  were  beholding  the  multi- 
tude of  Sunday  school  children  who  lined  the  streets,  President 
Grant  said  to  him:  'I  have  been  deceived  with  regard  to  these 
people,  the  children  are  as  nice  and  clean  as  any  children  I  ever 
saw.'  'Before  he  left  Utah/  said  Governor  Emery,  'the  President 
said  to  me :  'See  that  the  Mormon  people  are  fairly  treated.'  Gov- 
ernor Emery  has  always  treated  the  Mormon  people  well." 

On  the  21st  of  May,  that  year,  President  Woodruff  laid 
the  foundation  for  a  new  house  on  his  farm,  not  far  from  the 
old  homestead  he  had  occupied  for  years,  and  on  the  5th  of  June 


THE  MANIFESTO  AND  EVENTS  OF  1890-'91.      575 

he  was  made  president  of  Zion's  Savings  Bank  and  Trust  Com- 
pany. 

That  summer  Presidents  Woodruff  and  Cannon  again  vis- 
ited California  for  a  short  time.  On  this  occasion  they  met  Judge 
Estee  and  other  prominent  men. 

Matters  of  political  interest  were  at  that  time  pressing  upon 
the  people.  After  the  Manifesto  the  People's  Party  dissolved  and 
the  members  of  that  party  cast  their  lot  with  the  one  or  the  other 
of  the  great  national  parties. 

Judge  Estee  and  Roswell  G.  Horr,  of  Michigan,  as  well  as 
other  prominent  men,  paid  a  visit  to  Utah  and  discussed  before 
the  people  the  issues  of  the  great  political  parties. 

In  September  the  Irrigation  Congress  met  in  Utah.  On 
that  occasion  Presidents  Woodruff  and  Cannon  addressed  the 
Congress.  Their  words  made  a  good  impression  upon  the  dele- 
gates in  attendance.  President  Woodruff  was  a  New  England 
miller  and  farmer,  and  a  pioneer  in  irrigation ;  he  was  the  man 
who,  in  1847,  planted  the  first  potatoes  in  Salt  Lake  Valley.  His 
advanced  years,  his  rugged  honesty,  and  freedom  from  affecta- 
tion made  splendid  impression  upon  those  whom  he  addressed  on 
that  occasion  as  well  as  upon  other  strangers  who  were  visiting 
the  City  of  the  Saints.  The  work  of  a  pioneer  came  now  to  be 
more  and  more  appreciated.  Governor  Rickards,  of  Montana,  de- 
clared in  speaking  of  President  Woodruff :  "To  the  pioneer  and 
the  soldier  who  fought  for  the  flag  I  always  take  off  my  hat." 

President  Wilford  Woodruff  addressed  the  Irrigation  Con- 
gress, September  16th,  1891,  as  follows: 

"Gentlemen  of  the  Irrigation  Congress :  I  feel  myself  very 
thankful  that  I  have  lived  in  the  flesh  long  enough  in  this  Ter- 
ritory to  behold  the  faces  of  such  a  congregation  of  gentlemen  as 
I  see  here  today.  It  is  not  my  purpose  to  occupy  your  time  or 
attention  in  arguing,  or  talking,  or  conversing  particularly  upon 
the  subjects,  or  at  least  those  principles  for  which  you  have  as- 
sembled; but  what  I  will  say  will  be  a  few  words  concerning  our 
arrival  here,  and  upon  the  experience  in  irrigation.  Fifty-one 
years  ago,  the  24th  of  last  July,  I  entered  this  Valley  with  one 
hundred  and  forty-three  emigrants,  or  in  other  words,  pioneers. 
We  were  led  by  President  Young.  This  country,  upon  our  ar- 
rival, was  called  the  Great  American  Desert,  and  certainly,  as  far 


576 


WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 


as  we  could  see,  it  did  not  discredit  its  name  in  the  least.  There 
was  no  mark  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  race,  no  mark  of  the  white  man 
— everything  was  barren,  dry,  and  desolate. 

"We  pitched  our  camp  a  little  distance  to  the  southeast  from 
here  about  11  o'clock  in  the  day.  We  had  a  desire  to  try  the  soil, 
to  know  what  it  would  produce.  Of  course  all  this  company— 
nearly  the  whole  of  us — were  born  and  raised  in  the  New  Eng- 
land States,  Vermont,  Maine,  Massachusetts,  Connecticut — had  no 
experience  in  irrigation.  We  pitched  our  camp,  put  some  teams 
on  to  our  ploughs  (we  brought  our  ploughs  with  us),  and  under- 
took to  plough  the  earth,  but  we  found  neither  wood  nor  iron 
was  strong  enough  to  make  furrows  here  in  this  soil.  It  was  like 
stone.  We  had  to  turn  water  on  it.  When  we  came  to  put  our 
teams  upon  the  ground  again  they  sank  down  to  their  bellies  in 
mud.  We  had  to  wait  until  the  land  dried  enough  to  hold  up  our 
teams.  We  put  in  our  crops  and  we  stayed  here  one  month.  Dur- 
ing that  time  President  Young  laid  out  this  city,  as  you  see  it 
today,  in  the  midst  of  sagebrush,  with  not  a  house  within  a  hun- 
dred miles  of  us.  We  built  a  fort  around  ten  acres,  three  side? 
of  adobe,  walls  eighteen  feet  high,  and  one  side  with  logs  out  of 
the  canyon.  We  then  returned  to  the  Missouri  and  some  two  thou- 
sand men  came  later.  President  Cannon  here  was  one  of  the 
company  that  came  in  after  us. 

"Now  what  I  wish  to  say  is  this :  You  gentlemen  come  here 
today;  you  see  the  city,  you  go  through  the  country.  Here  are 
a  thousand  miles,  I  might  say,  through  these  mountains,  filled  with 
cities,  towns,  villages,  gardens,  and  orchards,  and  the  produce 
of  the  earth  that  sustains  the  people.  Without  this  water,  this 
irrigation  for  which  you  have  met  here  today,  this  country  would 
be  as  barren  as  it  was  in  1847,  as  we  found  it.  Irrigation  is  what 
you  have  met  to  discuss.  Whatever  you  decide  upon  in  this  mat- 
ter, and  unite  upon,  will,  I  am  sure,  prove  a  great  blessing,  not 
only  to  Utah,  but  to  every  state  and  Territory  where  these  arid 
lands  are  found.  We  have  had  to  learn  by  experience,  and  all  that 
we  have  obtained  in  these  mountains  has  been  by  irrigation.  There 
are  portions  yet  which  have  not  been  irrigated,  and  as  one  gentle- 
man said  here,  if  you  can  make  two  drops  of  water  where  there 
was  one,  or  two  spears  of  grass  where  there  was  one,  you  are  a 


THE  MANIFESTO  AND  EVENTS  OF  1890-'91.      577 

benefactor  to  mankind.  I  say,  God  bless  you  in  your  delibera- 
tions. (Applause.) 

On  the  19th  of  October,  1891,  President  Woodruff  was  cited 
before  the  Master  and  Chancery  to  testify  to  the  scope  of  the 
Manifesto  in  the  Escheat  cases.  The  question  there  involved  was 
the  subject  of  unlawful  cohabitation.  He  had  issued  the  Manifesto 
and  was  therefore  best  qualified  to  interpret  the  meaning  which  it 
had  to  his  mind,  or  which  was  conveyed  by  his  language. 

In  November  he  recorded  a  visit  to  Utah  of  Mr.  Norton, 
a  member  of  the  British  Parliament.  He  speaks  of  Mr.  Norton's 
interview  with  him  as  a  pleasant  conversation.  On  the  last  day 
of  that  month  he  moved  the  Church  office  from  the  Gardo  House 
to  the  old  President's  Office,  across  the  road  north.  This  was 
done  to  save  the  rent  which  the  Church  was  obliged  to  pay  the 
government  for  the  use  of  its  own  property. 

During  that  year  he  said  he  traveled  3,570  miles,  attended 
22  conferences,  signed  3,875  recommends,  wrote  303  letters,  and 
received  2,045. 


CHAPTER  53. 

DEDICATION  OF  THE  SALT  LAKE  TEMPLE,  1892. 

New  Home. — Visit  of  President  Eliot  to  Salt  Lake  City. — Completing 
the  Temple. — Amnesty. — Dedication  of  the  Salt  Lake  Temple. — 
Visit  to  the  World's  Fair,  Chicago.— Liberal  Party  Disbands. 

By  the  opening  of  the  year  1892  President  Woodruff  had  well 
in  hand,  not  only  the  routine  duties  of  his  office,  but  the  general 
administrative  needs  of  the  Church.  He  was  in  good  state  of 
health  and  grateful  for  the  peaceful  conditions  which  then  pre- 
vailed. The  prosecution  for  plural  manage  had  literally  ceased, 
though  the  Liberals  still  had  control  of  the  city. 

He  had  for  some  time  been  interested  in  the  completion  of 
his  new  home  in  Waterloo,  a  home  which  was  to  be  called  the 
Woodruff  Villa.  It  was  a  comfortable  brick  house,  though  not 
at  all  pretentious.  While  his  home  surroundings  in  the  past  had 
afforded  him  the  needed  comforts  of  life,  they  were  simple  and  in 
harmony  with  his  neighbors'  homes,  and  with  his  own  unpreten- 
tious character. 

On  the  1st  of  March  he  reached  his  eighty-fifth  year,  and  his 
wife  Emma  her  fifty-fourth.  That  day  was  selected  for  the  dedi- 
cataion  of  the  new  home,  an  event  to  which  he  looked  forward 
with  a  large  measure  of  satisfaction. 

On  March  6th  he  made  a  record  of  the  visit  of  President  Eliot 
to  Salt  Lake  City.  President  Eliot  was  accompanied  by  his  wife. 
During  the  day  President  Woodruff  dined  with  them  and  listened 
to  an  address  delivered  in  the  Tabernacle  by  Harvard's  eminent 
President.  Of  the  occasion  President  Woodruff  wrote :  "He  spoke 
about  forty-five  minutes  in  a  beautiful  and  pleasing  manner,  and 
advocated  the  rights  of  all  people  to  the  free  enjoyment  of  every 
religious  and  political  guarantee.  I  made  a  few  remarks  and  then 
thanked  President  Eliot  for  his  liberal  views." 

It  will  be  remembered  that  in  the  course  of  President  Eliot's 
remarks  he  compared  the  pioneer  journey  of  the  Mormon  people 
to  Salt  Lake  Valley  and  the  hardships  of  those  early  experiences 
with  the  Pilgrim  Fathers  and  their  early  settlement  on  the  New 


DEDICATION  OF  THE  SALT  LAKE  TEMPLE,  1892.      579 

England  coast.  This  was  more  than  the  good  people  of  Puritan 
descent  could  endure;  to  compare  the  Mormon  people  with  the 
Pilgrim  Fathers  was  a  specie  of  profanity  that  touched  the  right- 
eous conscience  of  many  New  Englanders  in  and  about  Boston. 
Many  of  the  newspapers  of  that  city  cried  out  in  loud  lamentation 
against  such  sacrilege.  A  few  conservative  papers,  however,  were 
not  so  sure  aoout  the  great  disparity  between  the  Pilgrim  Fathers 
and  the  Mormons,  even  in  the  matter  of  morals.  President  Eliot, 
however,  made  no  reply.  He  was  accustomed  frequently  to 
arouse  the  ire  of  his  New  England  brethren;  and  conscious  that 
he  was  on  the  right  side  of  a  question,  he  was  as  loath  to  yield  as 
he  was  free  to  'tell  them  the  naked  truth. 

About  this  time,  on  the  21st  of  March,  President  Woodruff 
expressed  a  special  interest  he  felt  in  the  court  proceedings  that 
had  been  inaugurated  in  Missouri  by  the  Reorganites  for  the  pur- 
pose of  ousting  the  Hedrickites  from  their  ownership  and  control 
of  the  Temple  Block  at  Independence,  Jackson  County.  On  that 
day  he  gave  evidence  in  court  relative  to  Church  authority,  and 
the  interests  of  our  people  in  the  controversy.  In  the  decision 
of  the  Supreme  court  of  the  State  of  Missouri  the  Hedrickites  re- 
ceived a  decision  favorable  to  their  claims  and  thus  the  Temple 
Block  was  left  in  statu  quo. 

April  conference  of  that  year  was  unusually  well  attended. 
It  was,  perhaps,  the  largest  that  had  hitherto  assembled  in  the 
Church.  It  was  at  that  conference  that  Jonathan  G.  Kimball,  son 
of  President  Heber  C.  Kimball,  was  chosen  to  fill  the  vacancy 
created  in  the  First  Council  of  Seventies,  made  vacant  by  the 
death  of  Henry  Herriman.  During  this  conference,  on  April  6, 
the  capstone  of  the  Salt  Lake  Temple  was  laid  by  President  Wood- 
ruff, in  the  presence  of  a  large  assembly  gathered  to  witness  the 
ceremony. 

On  the  llth  of  the  month  President  Woodruff,  with  a  portion 
of  his  family,  paid  a  visit  to  the  Salt  Lake  Temple.  They  as- 
cended to  the  top  of  the  Temple  tower,  where  they  deposited 
some  coins  in  the  upper  stone,  and  then  inspected  every  room  in 
the  building. 

About  this  time  he  made  a  purchase  of  the  history  of  Hart- 
ford, Connecticut,  the  state  in  which  he  was  born.  During  that 
summer  Elder  Junius  F.  Wells  obtained  for  the  President  portraits 


580  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

of  his  old  home  and  of  his  birthplace,  also  the  homes  of  some  of 
his  kindred  and  ancestors. 

In  May  of  that  year,  although  now  so  well  advanced  in  years, 
he  paid  a  visit  to  St.  George,  holding  meetings  in  the  various 
settlements  on  the  way.  One  hundred  and  twenty  miles  had  to 
be  covered  by  means  of  private  conveyances.  The  road  through 
Washington  County  was,  perhaps,  one  of  the  most  difficult  to 
travel  in  the  entire  state,  but  Elder  Woodruff  always  had  in  his 
affections  a  special  fondness  for  St.  George,  its  people,  and  its 
Temple.  During  his  absence  he  suffered  from  a  severe  attack  of 
sickness  which  created  some  misgivings  as  to  his  recovery,  but  he 
was  immediately  healed  by  the  power  of  God  and  returned  home 
in  safety. 

On  the  4th  day  of  January,  1893,  President  Harrison  granted 
amnesty  to  the  Latter-day  Saints  who  were  under  certain  political 
disabilities  in  consequence  of  the  Federal  statutes  prescribing  pun- 
ishment for  polygamy.  About  that  time  the  President's  wife  lay 
at  the  point  of  death.  President  Woodruff  recorded  in  his  journal 
the  following  telegram,  received  from  Bishop  H.  B.  Clawson: 
"General  amnesty  will  positively  be  announced  this  week."  Pres- 
ident Harrison  asked  for  the  forebearance  and  prayers  of  the  Pres- 
idency of  the  Church  in  his  behalf  for  himself  and  wife  in  their 
troubles.  President  Woodruff  thought  it  not  a  little  remarkable 
that  the  President  of  the  nation  should  desire  the  pvayers  of  the 
Presidency  of  the  Church.  Such  a  friendly  manifestation  was  in- 
deed to  them  a  touching  circumstance,  especially  in  view  of  the  af- 
flictions that  they  had  undergone.  The  response  was  heartfelt  and 
devout,  but  in  the  providence  of  God  it  was  not  ordained  that 
Mrs.  Harrison  should  recover.  When  she  passed  away  President 
Woodruff  sent  to  President  Harison  the  following  telegram  of 
sympathy:  "President  Benjamin  Harrison,  Washington,  D.  C. : — 
The  death  of  your  beloved  companion  came  home  to  us  individu- 
aly  as  if  it  were  our  own  personal  loss.  We  sincerely  and  deeply 
sympathize  with  you,  and  appeal  to  the  Supreme  Being,  who  holds 
the  destiny  of  us  all  in  His  hands,  to  bless,  comfort,  and  sustain 
you  in  this  your  hour  of  great  trial  and  sorrow." 

It  was  during  the  year  1892  that  political  excitement  through- 
out the  Church  ran  high  and  gave  rise  to  many  animosities  which 
time  had  great  difficulty  in  mitigating.  There  had  been  a  more  or 


DEDICATION  OF  THE  SALT  LAKE  TEMPLE,  1892.      581 

less  wide  spread  opinion  that  the  Latter-day  Saints  were  demo- 
cratic in  their  party  sympathies.  Such  an  idea  had  naturally  been 
the  outgrowth  of  the  favorable  consideration  given  to  the  Mor- 
mon people  in  the  halls  of  Congress  by  democratic  leaders.  That 
political  preferences  should  be  based  upon  religious  sympathies 
was  foreign  to  the  minds  of  most  of  the  leaders  in  those  days. 
The  Presidency  of  the  Church  was,  therefore,  beset  by  partisans 
of  both  classes  in  the  contentions  of  those  times.  The  Church 
Authorities  had  stated  in  the  most  unequivocal  maner  that  men 
must  cast  their  political  lot  in  response  to  the  dictates  of  their  own 
conscience.  It  was  not  an  easy  mater,  however,  to  move  politically 
in  a  fixed  direction.  Church  interests  and  political  interests  often 
ran  along  cross  roads. 

In  his  journal  of  November  3,  1892,  President  Woodruff 
wrote:  "I  had  a  visit  today  from  certain  prominent  politicians 
who  were  not  members  of  the  Church.  They  seemed  anxious  to 
sew  up  the  month  of  the  Presidency  so  that  the  latter  should 
have  nothing  to  say  in  political  matters.  Presidents  Cannon, 
Smith,  and  I  answered  them."  President  Woodruff  further  ex- 
pressed his  right  as  an  American  citizen  to  exercise  his  franchise 
in  the  interest  of  any  political  party  with  which  he  saw  fit  to  ally 
himself.  He  was  unwilling  to  concede  that  there  could  be  any 
circumstance  whatever,  politically,  in  which  he  might  not  raise  his 
voice  for  the  protection  of  the  people.  He  claimed  also  the  right 
to  warn  the  people  against  the  rule  of  the  unrighteous.  The  po- 
litical destinies,  however,  of  the  state,  he  did  not  regard  as  bound 
up  in  the  religious  destiny  of  the  Church.  He  recognized  the  dis- 
tinction between  the  two ;  nor  did  he  assume  an  unfriendly  attitude 
toward  those  who  did  not  see  as  he  saw,  politically.  However, 
he  thought  it  both  the  privilege  and  the  duty  of  Church  men 
to  exercise  their  political  judgment.  He  never  yielded  to  the  ar- 
gument that  because  the  political  influence  of  a  Church  leader  was 
likely  to  be  too  great  he  should  therefore  not  be  permitted  to  exer- 
cise any  political  influence  whatever. 

The  year  1893  was  specially  noted  for  the  dedication  of  the 
Salt  Lake  Temple  on  the  6th  of  April,  the  sixty-third  anniver- 
sary of  the  organization  of  the  Church.  The  early  part  of  the  year 
had  been  occupied  by  the  Church  leaders  in  the  preparations  made 
for  that  grand  event. 


582  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

The  conference  opened  on  the  4th.  It  was.  largely  attended, 
and  there  was  an  inspired  joy  in  the  hearts  of  the  Latter-day 
Saints  who  had  gathered  from  all  parts  of  the  Church  to  take  part 
in  the  dedicatory  services.  In  his  journal  President  Woodruff 
wrote :  "I  attended  the  dedication  of  the  Temple.  The  spirit  and 
power  of  God  rested  upon  us.  The  spirit  of  prophecy  and  reve- 
lation was  upon  us,  and  the  hearts  of  the  people  were  melted  and 
many  things  were  unfolded  to  our  understanding."  President 
Woodruff  offered  the  dedicatory  prayer  at  the  first  meeting. 

On  the  7th  of  the  month  three  meetings  were  held  in  the 
Temple,  and  the  services  were  continued  from  that  time  until  the 
24th  of  April,  in  order  that  the  people  from  every  stake  in  Zion 
could  attend  and  participate  in  the  blessings  of  that  occasion 
President  Woodruff  attended  twenty-one  of  those  meetings,  but 
before  the  end  of  these  daily  services  had  been  reached  he  was 
obliged  to  retire,  and  was  confined  to  his  bed  for  a  number  of 
days,  indeed  his  sickness  brought  him  to  the  point  of  death. 

In  the  dedication  of  the  Salt  Lake  Temple  he  witnessed  the 
fulfillment  of  a  dream  recorded  in  his  journal  many  years  before. 
In  his  dream  he  had  received  from  President  Young  the  keys  of 
the  Temple  and  was  told  by  him  to  go  in  and  dedicate  it  to  the 
Lord  and  to  admit  all  who  were  seeking  salvation.  The  opportu- 
nity, therefore,  was  given  to  all  who  were  in  the  least  worthy  to 
attend  these  services.  It  is  not  too  much  to  say  that  the  dedica- 
tion of  that  Temple  had  an  important  effect  on  the  faith  and  con- 
duct of  a  great  many  Latter-day  Saints  who  had  heretofore  been 
indifferent. 

There  had  been  a  general  interest  among  all  classes  through- 
out the  City  in  the  completion  of  the  Temple.  It  had  been  in 
process  of  construction  for  more  than  a  generation.  The  day  of 
its  completion  was,  therefore,  a  land  mark  in  the  history  of  the 
state.  Its  architecture  was  striking  and  to  the  non-Mormons  the 
ceremonies  and  religious  devotions  of  the  people,  who  would  go 
there  to  worship,  were  peculiar.  Thousands  of  strangers  within 
the  city  of  the  Saints  would  desire  to  see  the  great  Mormoi? 
Temple.  It  would  thereafter  become  one  of  the  wonders  of  the 
world,  an  object  of  curiosity  and  wonderment  to  thousands  of 
people  who  in  years  to  come  would  gaze  upon  it.  There  had  been 
in  the  early  nineties  a  fraternal  interest  among  all  classes.  The 


DEDICATION  OF  THE  SALT  LAKE  TEMPLE,  1892.      583 

Gentiles  of  Salt  Lake  City  were  therefore  invited  to  inspect  the 
Temple  just  prior  to  its  dedication.  Many  prominent  men  were 
conducted  through  its  various  rooms  and  permitted  to  inspect  its 
internal  adornments  and  admire  its  rich  architectural  designs. 
Among  the  remarks  made  by  President  Woodruff  at  that  time 
was  that  the  power  of  the  adversary  should  be  broken,  and  from 
that  time  on,  the  enemy  would  have  less  power  over  the  Saints 
and  meet  with  greater  failures  in  oppressing  them.  He  also  said 
that  from  that  time  a  renewed  interets  in  the  gospel  message 
would  be  awakened  throughout  the  world- 

Lorenzo  Snow  was  appointed  as  first  President  of  the  new 
Temple.  He  selected  as  his  counselors  Bishop  John  R.  Winder, 
and  Adolph  Madsen. 

The  Salt  Lake  Temple  now  became  the  most  striking  and 
interesting  building  in  the  Church.  Its  spirit,  like  that  of  other 
Temples,  has  had  a  far  reaching  influence  upon  the  lives  of  those 
who  accepted  its  sacred  teachings.  That  influence  is,  of  course, 
incomprehensible  to  those  not  of  the  Mormon  faith. 

The  28th  of  August  that  year  was  one  of  peculiar  interest  to 
President  Woodruff  and  the  people  generally.  On  that  day  he 
left  with  the  Tabernacle  Choir,  which  was  to  take  part  in  a  great 
musical  contest  in  the  World's  Fair  at  Chicago.  President  Wood- 
ruff and  his  counselors  were  provided  with  a  Pullman  car  and 
everything  was  done  to  make  the  journey  for  him  comfortable,  as 
he  was  in  a  poor  state  of  health  at  the  time  and  hardly  fitted  for 
such  a  journey.  En  route  they  visited  Denver  and  Kansas  City. 
At  the  former  place  the  Choir  sang  in  one  of  the  churches. 

At  Independence,  Missouri,  they  were  received  by  the  mayor 
and  other  prominent  men.  On  the  Temple  block  the  Choir  rend- 
ered sweet  music.  President  Woodruff  wrote  in  his  journal,  as 
follows :  "The  mayor  of  Independence  had  lost  one  arm  in  the 
war,  but  the  one  he  had  left  was  kindly  given  to  me  while  I  was 
with  him.  One  striking  incident  worthy  of  record  is  this :  I  went 
through  Jackson  County  with  Harry  Brown  in  1834  on  a  mission 
to  the  Southern  States.  At  that  time  we  traveled  secretly  lest  our 
lives  should  be  taken  by  mobocrats;  now  in  1893,  the  mayor  of 
Independence  and  hosts  of  others  bid  us  welcome  to  the  city. 
How  great  the  contrast,  and  we  ascribe  the  honor  and  praise  to 
God,  our  Heavenly  Father." 


584 


WILFORD   WOODRUFF. 


During  their  stay,  and  on  September  9th,  President  Woodruff, 
as  a  western  pioneer  addressed  in  the  festive  hall  a  large  as- 
sembly. He  spoke  with  vigor  and  with  a  clear,  strong  voice,  and 
was  listened  to  with  rapt  attention.  President  Cannon  also  spoke, 
and  the  Salt  Lake  Choir  rendered  music  for  the  occasion.  Presi- 
dent Woodruff  reached  home  on  the  17th  of  September. 

In  October  of  that  year,  Congress  passed  a  bill  restoring  the 
property  of  the  Church.  This  act  brought  some  financial  relief 
and  was  a  source  of  satisfaction  to  the  Saints  generally.  Litiga- 
tion, however,  over  Church  property  had  been  a  source  of  great 
waste  to  it.  Many  who  had  urged  the  confiscation  of  Church 
property  had  realized  some  of  their  hopes  in  the  dispossession  of  it 
as  the  litigation  over  the  property  had  been  a  source  of  wealth  to 
them,  and  although  their  hopes  had  been  realized,  their  motives 
had  been  revealed. 

The  situation,  at  this  time,  was  further  relieved  at  the  No- 
vember election  by  the  triumph  of  a  citizen's  ticket.  The  loss 
of  the  City  to  the  anti-Mormon  element  was  a  source  of  great 
disappointment.  It  did  much,  however,  to  check  the  opposition 
and  bring  about  a  greater  measure  of  peace. 

On  the  7th  of  December  President  Woodruff  recorded  tht 
visit  of  Alexander  Nickelsen,  a  dignitary  of  the  Russian  govern 
ment.  President  Woodruff  gave  him  a  photo  of  himself  and  two 
volumes  of  the  history  of  Utah.  On  this  occasion  he  wrote : 
"We  are  being  visited  by  the  great  men  of  the  earth.  The  reve- 
lations of  God  are  being  fulfilled  concerning  Zion." 

On  the  19th  of  December  the  Liberal  party  of  Utah  dissolved, 
a  circumstance  which  gave  further  assurances  of  peace  and  good 
will  in  the  Territory.  This  action,  no  doubt,  was  brought  about 
by  the  recent  action  of  the  House  of  Representatives  in  passing 
a  bill  for  the  admission  of  Utah  as  a  state.  The  Ministers  of 
Utah,  by  a  decision  of  the  majority,  discontinued  their  opposition 
to  Utah's  statehood.  In  summing  up  the  events  of  the  year  1893, 
he  wrote  in  his  journal :  "The  greatest  event  of  the  year  is  the 
dedication  of  the  Salt  Lake  Temple.  Great  power  was  manifest 
on  that  occasion.  Nearly  fifty  years  ago  while  in  the  City  of 
Boston  I  had  a  vision  of  going  to  the  Rocky  Mountains  to  build 
a  Temple  there  and  to  dedicate  it  to  the  Lord." 


CHAPTER  54. 
ADMINISTRATIVE  WORK,  1894. 

Electric  Power  Plant  in  Ogden  Canyon. — Saltair. — Death  of  His 
Brother,  Thompson. — Temple  Work  for  Benjamin  Franklin. — An 
Optimist. — Death  of  A.  O.  Smoot  of  Provo. — Utah  Stake  Organ- 
ized.— Trip  to  Alaska. 

During  the  early  years  of  President  Woodruff's  administra- 
tion financial  pressure  rested  heavily  upon  the  Church.  Some- 
thing like  four  hundred  thousand  dollars,  however,  of  personal 
property,  which  had  been  confiscated,  was  by  the  order  of  the 
supreme  court  turned  over  to  the  President  of  the  Church.  The 
Church  had  given  its  support  to  certain  enterprises  and  was, 
about  the  year  1904,  under  financial  responsibilities  for  the  elec- 
tric power  plant  in  Ogden  Canyon  and  the  Saltair  pavilion.  The 
power  plant  was  planned  to  command  in  part  the  great  and  grow- 
ing resources  in  this  inter-mountain  region.  The  capitalization 
necessary  to  launch  it  was  beyond  private  capital  which  at  this  time 
could  be  obtained  for  such  a  purpose.  As  time  went  on  the 
scheme  proved  both  feasible  and  profitable. 

The  Saltair  Beach,  President  Woodruff  was  persuaded, 
would  afford  the  people  a  resort  which  might  be  kept  under  some 
measure  of  control  and  be  run  in  the  interests  of  good  morals. 
He  looked  upon  innocent  recreation  as  a  part  of  the  daily  life 
of  men,  and  that  amusement  was  harmful  only  when  it  became 
excessive  and  associated  with  undesirable  companionship.  Presi- 
dent Woodruff  in  his  own  life  never  made  any  great  distinction 
between  things  spiritual  and  things  temporal.  His  spirituality 
was  so  characteristic  a  feature  of  his  own  life  that  it  was  asso- 
ciated with  all  that  he  did  and  said.  With  him,  God  was  so  as- 
sociated in  the  affairs  of  men  that  their  daily  conduct  was  under 
His  constant  supervision. 

In  January  of  '94,  he  recorded  the  death  of  his  brother, 
Thompson  Woodruff,  who  had  lived  to  the  ripe  old  age  of  eighty- 
nine  years.  Wilford  was  younger  than  his  two  brothers,  but 
lived  to  a  greater  age  than  either  of  them.  His  eighty-seventh 


586  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

birthday  this  year  was  celebrated  in  the  Salt  Lake  Temple  where 
he  was  surrounded  by  his  faithful  associates,  by  the  general  auth- 
orities of  the  Church,  and  such  members  of  his  numerous  family 
as  could  come  together.  There  were  about  two  hundred  and 
thirty  present. 

At  his  advanced  age  of  life  he  took  great  interest  in  the 
journey  of  his  friends  to  the  other  side.  They  were  going  to  the 
spiritual  world,  an  abode  to  which  he  looked  forward,  himself, 
with  great  expectations  and  some  measure  of  satisfaction.  He 
bids  his  old-time  and  departed  friends,  in  his  journal,  a  heart- 
felt and  loving  good-by.  He  expected  to  see  them  before  very 
long.  During  that  year  his  sister-in-law,  Sarah  B.  Foss,  about 
ninety-three  years  of  age,  died ;  likewise  Jessie  W.  Fox,  the  pion- 
eer surveyor;  likewise  President  John  Morgan,  a  federal  soldier 
of  the  Civil  War,  and  one  of  the  seven  presidents  of  Seventy. 

Much  of  President  Woodruff's  meditations,  as  well  as  his 
hopes  and  ambitions,  were  associated  with  the  world  beyond  the 
veil,  and  yet  he  was  not  in  the  least  sense  a  fanatically  visionary 
man.  When  he  had  important  dreams  they  were  in  harmony  with 
his  religious  conceptions  and  a  part  of  his  duty,  both  to  man  and 
God.  On  the  night  of  Marchl9th,  1894,  he  had  a  dream  which 
followed  his  meditations  upon  the  future  life  and  the  work  that 
he  had  done  for  the  dead.  In  his  dream  there  appeared  to  him 
Benjamin  Franklin  for  whom  he  had  performed  important  cere- 
monies in  the  House  of  God.  This  distinguished  patriot,  accord- 
ing to  his  dream,  sought  further  blessings  in  the  Temple  of  God 
at  the  hands  of  his  benefactor.  President  Woodruff  wrote :  "I 
spent  some  time  with  him  and  we  talked  over  our  Temple  ordi- 
nances which  had  been  administered  for  Franklin  and  others.  He 
wanted  more  work  done  for  him  than  had  already  been  done.  I 
promised  him  it  should  be  done.  I  awoke  and  then  made  up  my 
mind  to  receive  further  blessings  for  Benjamin  Franklin  and 
George  Washington." 

It  may  be  well  here  to  record  the  fact  that  President  Wood- 
ruff and  John  D.  T.  McAllister,  at  the  early  opening  of  the  St. 
George  Temple  were  baptized  for  the  signers  of  the  Declaration 
of  Independence,  and  for  nearly  all  the  Presidents  of  the  United 
States.  The  appearance,  therefore,  in  his  dream,  of  Franklin, 
was  to  him  a  satisfying  conclusion  that  he  had  at  least  received 


ADMINISTRATIVE  WORK,  1894.  587 

joyfully  the  blessings  that  came  to  him  from  the  ordinances  of  the 
Lord's  House. 

There  is  noticeable  in  the  journal  of  President  Woodruff  a 
singular  satisfaction  which  he  always  took  in  the  missionary 
labors  of  his  sons.  He  had  been  a  missionary  himself — a  zealous, 
indeed  an  ideal  missionary,  like  Paul  of  old.  The  missionary 
spirit  never  left  him,  he  was  always  zealous  for  the  spread  of  his 
faith  and  rejoiced  in  the  zeal  of  his  sons,  when  like  him  they  were 
laboring  to  spread  the  truth.  He  refers  with  special  pleasure  to 
the  zeal  of  his  son  Owen  who  was  then  on  a  mission  in  Germany. 
He  liked  the  spirit  of  the  boy  as  it  manifested  itself  in  letters 
to  his  mother.  His  writings  had  a  wholesome,  spiritual  ring  to 
them  that  characterized  his  own  missionary  life.  Indeed,  the 
young  missionary  who  was  devoting  himself  faithfully  to  the  ser- 
vice of  the  Master,  whether  he  was  of  his  own  household  or  from 
some  other  home,  was  always  a  source  of  pleasure  to  him  and 
in  his  journal  he  pays  his  compliments  to  these  young  ambassa- 
dors of  the  truth. 

There  is  one  peculiar  characteristic  noticeable  in  the  journal 
of  Wilford  Woodruff,  it  is  that  hopeful,  joyful  spirit  that  dwells 
with  ever  increasing  satisfaction  upon  the  things  that  are  good 
and  uplifting.  He  had  a  spirit  of  appreciation  for  the  good  things  of 
life,  he  loved  to  dwell  upon  the  good  deeds  of  others,  and  though 
now  and  then  he  spoke  out  in  prophetic  utterance  against  the  evils 
of  the  world,  he  was  nevertheless  prone  to  see  the  good  quicker 
than  the  evil.  He  said  in  his  journal  of  October,  that  year, 
that  "Aunt  Jane,"  the  colored  sister,  had  been  to  see  him.  She 
was  anxious  to  go  through  the  Temple  and  receive  the  higher 
ordinances  of  the  gospel.  President  Woodruff  blessed  her  for 
her  constant,  never  changing  devotion  to  the  gospel,  but  ex- 
plained to  her  her  disadvantages  as  one  of  the  descendants  of 
Cain. 

In  after  years  when  President  Joseph  F.  Smith  preached  the 
funeral  sermon  of  this  same  faithful  woman  he  declared  that  she 
would  in  the  resurrection  attain  the  longings  of  her  soul  and  be- 
come a  white  and  beautiful  person. 

President  Woodruff's  writings  generally  reflect  the  spirit  of 
the  times.  He  was  always  in  sympathetic  touch  with  the  inter- 
ests of  humanity.  In  large  measure  the  sorrows  of  his  fellow 


588 


WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 


men  were  his  sorrows,  and  their  joys  his  joys.  It  was  not  in  him 
to  live  separate  and  apart  in  the  world  and  indulge  in  a  selfish 
life.  We  may  naturally  expect  him,  therefore,  in  1894  to  feel 
and  sense  the  troubles  that  were  brooding  over  the  country. 
There  were  railroad  strikes  and  there  were  Coxey's  armies ;  men 
were  suffering  for  the  necessities  of  life  and  undergoing  great 
hardship  in  consequence  of  the  panic  of  1893. 

One  of  the  events  of  this  year,  which  was  perhaps  the  most 
pleasing  of  anything  he  enjoyed  in  those  days  was  the  admission 
of  Utah  to  statehood.  The  enabling  act  was  signed  by  President 
Cleveland  on  the  17th  of  July,  1894.  Of  this  event  he  wrote :  "The 
struggle  has  been  a  hard  one.  It  has  seemed  as  though  all  earth 
and  hell  were  combined  against  the  Saints  having  a  state  govern- 
ment. Now  we  must  give  God  the  glory." 

He  joined  in  the  general  celebrations  of  that  year.  Pioneer 
day  brought  with  it  additional  joy  as  it  did  fuller  appreciation. 
In  connection  with  Utah's  prospective  admission  to  statehood  he 
received  a  lengthy  letter  from  General  Clarkson  who  gave  at  con- 
siderable length  the  story  of  Utah's  recent  admission  into  the 
Union.  The  General  gives  the  names  and  attitude  of  those  who 
used  their  influence  against,  as  well  as  those  who  used  theirs  for 
Utah's  admission  into  the  Union.  There  were  those  who  labored, 
no  doubt,  with  sinister  motives  for  statehood.  They  pressed  their 
claims  upon  Church  authority  for  recognition,  they  sought  politi- 
cal preferment  and  some,  no  doubt,  were  deeply  disappointed. 

In  October  of  that  year  a  circumstance  took  place  which  re- 
vealed the  generous  and  forgiving  nature  of  the  subject  of  this 
biography.  On  the  25th  of  October,  Mary  Jackson  Ross  died. 
She  had  been  the  first  plural  wife  of  President  Woodruff.  By 
him  she  had  one  son  named  James.  Through  disappointment  and 
dissatisfaction  she  left  her  husband  and  married  another  man. 
In  her  later  and  declining  years  she  realized  the  mistake  of  a 
hasty  and  unwise  decision.  She  came  to  President  Woodruff  with 
a  desire  that  he  take  her  back  again  into  his  family  for  eternity. 
He  attended  her  funeral,  laid  her  away  in  his  own  burial  lot,  and 
was  in  every  way  thoughtful  and  magnanimous  to  her  and  to  the 
children  she  had  borne  by  her  second  husband. 

Summing  up  the  labors  of  that  year  he  said  that  he  attended 
ten  conferences,  preached  twenty-three  discourses,  wrote  nearly 


ADMINISTRATIVE  WORK,  1894.  589 

one  hundred  important  letters,  and  traveled  twenty-six  hundred 
miles.  All  this  he  did  in  the  87th  year  of  his  life. 

The  beginning  of  the  year  1895  witnessed  the  continuation 
of  the  distressing  financial  situation  throughout  the  nation.  The 
effects  of  the  panic  were  not  easily  overcome  and  there  was  con- 
siderable suffering  throughout  the  country.  To  meet  the  special 
needs  of  the  suffering  poor  in  Nebraska,  President  Woodruff  in 
January  contributed  in  behalf  of  the  Church  two  thousand  five 
hundred  pounds  of  flour.  The  Church  had  so  grown  in  its  inter- 
ests and  wealth  that  it  was  then  in  a  position  to  take  cognizance 
to  some  extent  of  the  poverty  and  depressing  conditions  through- 
out the  country. 

His  birthday  of  that  year  was  again  celebrated  in  the  Tem- 
ple. Including  the  Presidency,  Twelve,  and  leading  men,  and 
his  family,  with  special  friends,  there  were  about  two  hundred 
and  fifty  present.  Among  those  who  had  come  to  pay  him  honor 
on  this  occasion  was  his  old  life-long  friend,  President  A.  O. 
Smoot,  of  Provo.  This  was  the  last  gathering  the  latter  ever  at- 
tended as  he  died  in  less  than  a  week  at  the  ripe  old  age  of  eighty 
years.  Speaking  of  President  Smoot's  funeral  procession  he  said : 
"It  is  the  longest  I  have  ever  seen  in  Utah." 

On  the  20th  of  the  April  following  he  was  again  in  Provo 
for  the  purpose  of  reorganizing  the  Utah  Stake.  Of  that  cir- 
cumstance he  wrote :  "We  met  in  council  for  the  purpose  of 
taking  into  consideration  the  appointment  of  a  Stake  President. 
We  had  no  one  in  our  minds  when  we  came  together.  While  dis- 
cussing the  subject  the  spirit  of  the  Lord  rested  upon  us  and 
designated  Edward  Partridge  as  president,  with  David  John  and 
Reed  Smoot  as  his  counselors.  In  this  we  were  all  united." 

On  the  20th  of  March  the  mine  explosion  at  Alma,  Wyoming 
brought  the  distressing  news  that  sixty-one  men  had  been  killed. 
Thirty-two  of  these  were  members  of  the  Church.  The  circum- 
stance was  most  distressing  to  the  authorities  and  of  course 
brought  forth  expressions  of  heartfelt  sympathy  for  those  be- 
reaved. 

The  summer  of  1895  was  excessively  hot,  and  President 
Woodruff  at  his  advanced  age  felt  the  effects  of  the  heat  more 
severely  than  ever.  It  was  finally  decided  that  he  pay  a  visit  to 
the  western  coast,  and  on  the  25th  of  June,  in  company  with  his 


590 


WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 


counselors  he  left  for  Portland,  where  he  embarked  on  a  visit  to 
Alaska. 

On  his  return  to  Utah  he  paid  a  visit  to  the  Lake,  in  August, 
in  company  with  Joseph  Bannigan.  After  taking  a  bath  in  the 
water  he  said  it  was  the  first  time  he  had  bathed  there  since  1847. 
It  was  from  Bannigan  that  the  Church  borrowed  a  large  sum  of 
money. 

During  the  year,  political  excitement  ran  high  and  consid- 
erable sensitiveness  was  manifested  about  Church  influence.  Ru- 
mors and  alleged  influences  by  leading  men  were  constantly 
brought  to  the  attention  of  the  President.  These  reports  were  a 
source  of  considerable  annoyance.  President  Woodruff  said  in 
his  journal :  'Tapers  are  publishing  lies  against  the  Presidency 
of  the  Church.  Presidents  of  stakes  and  bishops  are  made  to 
say  things  which  are  false.  This  is  done  for  political  effect."  Any 
attempts  to  correct  false  political  statements  current  at  the  time 
only  added  fuel  to  the  fire.  Utah  was  on  the  eve  of  the  enjoyment 
of  statehood ;  both  parties  were  clamoring  for  supremacy.  Presi- 
dent Woodruff  frequently  manifested  the  irritation  which  he  felt 
by  the  constant  annoyance  to  which  he  was  subjected  through 
politicians  who  were  frequently  appealing  to  him. 

November  21st,  1894,  he  recorded  the  death  of  Lorenzo 
Dow  Young  who  had  come  to  Utah  with  the  pioneers.  He  was 
the  last  of  the  brothers  of  President  Young,  and  died  in  his  eighty- 
eighth  year.  During  that  year  Elder  Woodruff  traveled  five  thou- 
sand nine  hundred  and  sixty-seven  miles.  His  time,  however, 
was  greatly  occupied  by  the  business  interests  of  the  Church.  Its 
financial  obligations  were  constantly  growing  and  the  Church 
had  not  yet  overcome  the  financial  distress  created  by  the  con- 
fiscation of  its  property  and  the  great  loss  that  came  to  it  from 
litigations  in  the  courts. 


CHAPTER  55. 

A  GREAT  BIRTHDAY  CELEBRATION,  1897. 

Admission    of    Utah    into    the    Union. — Political    Struggles. — Birthday 
Celebrated. 

The  year  1896  brought  Statehood  to  Utah.  "I  feel  to  thank 
God,"  wrote  Elder  Woodruff  "that  I  have  lived  to  see  Utah  ad- 
mitted into  the  family  of  states.  It  is  an  event  that  we  looked 
forward  to  for  a  generation." 

On  the  4th  of  January  President  Cleveland  signed  the  proc- 
lamation, admitting  the  people  to  statehood.  The  Enabling  Act 
had  been  signed  on  the  7th  of  July,  1894.  Thus  a  period  of  a 
year  and  a  half  had  elapsed  during  which  the  constitution  for  the 
new  state  had  been  made  and  the  political  preparations  looking  to 
statehood  had  all  been  consummated.  It  was  ushered  in  by  ring- 
ing of  bells  and  firing  of  guns.  Shouts  of  joy  proclaimed  the 
glad  tidings  throughout  almost  every  town  and  hamlet  in  the 
state. 

"Ovando  Beebe  and  Joseph  Daynes,"  he  continued,  "dec- 
orated the  front  of  our  house  with  flags  and  bunting.  This  day, 
January  6th,  1896,  celebrates  our  admission  into  the  union.  It  is 
quite  universal.  There  may  be  a  few  who  dislike  to  see  the  Saints 
enjoy  a  full  measure  of  human  rights.  The  First  Presidency  oc- 
cupied a  front  place  in  the  procession  which  marched  through 
the  public  thoroughfares  to  the  Tabernacle.  We  reached  that 
building  about  noon  and  found  it  crowded  to  its  utmost  capacity. 

"The  great  Amreican  flag,  which  we  all  revere,  was  spread 
overhead  and  measured  in  length  150  feet,  and  in  width  75  feet. 
Acting  Governor  Richards  called  the  great  assembly  to  order. 
The  opening  prayer,  by  myself,  which  was  written,  was  read  by 
George  Q.  Cannon.  A  thousand  voices  sang  the  'Star  Spangled 
Banner.'  The  acting  Governor  then  read  the  proclamation  of 
President  Grover  Cleveland;  declared  the  end  of  the  territorial 
government,  and  introduced  Heber  M.  Wells,  the  first  state  gov- 
ernor, and  other  state  officials,  who  upon  taking  oath  of  office,  as- 
sumed the  positions  to  which  they  had  been  elected. 


592  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

"Our  enemies  have  declared  that  we  should  never  enjoy  the 
blessings  of  statehood.  Their  words  have  fallen  to  the  ground 
and  we  are  now  in  possession  of  that  God-given  boon.  I  am 
thankful  that  I  live  to  behold  this  day." 

He  was  naturally  reminiscent,  he  looked  back  upon  a  long 
and  arduous  struggle  of  the  Saints  for  those  political  rights  to 
which  they  felt  themselves  entitled.  The  past  was  full  of  acri- 
mony, misgivings,  and  bitter  contentions.  At  last  it  was  decided  * 
to  cease  contention,  drop  the  political  struggles  in  which  the  Peo- 
ple's Party  had  engaged,  and  place  themselves  in  harmony  with 
one  or  another  of  the  great  political  parties  of  the  nation.  This 
seemed  the  only  manner  in  which  what  was  now  becoming  a 
useless  controversy  could  be  ended. 

After  all,  a  division  upon  political  lines  brought  with  it 
anxieties,  misgivings,  and  dangers.  There  would  be  in  the 
Church  Mormon  Democrats  and  Mormon  Republicans.  How  they 
would  conduct  themselves  toward  one  another  in  the  stress  and 
heat  of  political  controversy  was  a  matter  of  no  small  concern. 
They  would  be  struggling  one  against  another  for  supremacy.  In 
an  age  when  the  political  achievements  of  men  carry  with  them 
the  highest  honors  and  when  almost  every  other  relation  of  life 
is  subordinated  to  political  aggrandizements,  there  would  na- 
turally be  some  fear  lest  the  Saints,  too,  should  look  upon  politics, 
like  many  others,  as  the  greatest  source  of  honor  and  power. 

It  was  soon  learned  that  instead  of  sitting  down  side  by  side 
in  the  discussion  of  political  questions  as  matters  of  business  im- 
portance and  good  government,  and  of  discussing  relations  there- 
of in  a  friendly  spirit,  there  grew  up  animosities,  jealousies,  and 
bitterness  which  still  torment  the  people. 

These  political  dissentions  had  their  temptations  and  the 
gravest  dangers  attended  them.  Men  were  thrown  indiscrim- 
inately into  the  society  of  their  follow  men,  some  of  whom  had  no 
respect  for  those  moral  principles  which  underlie  the  perpetuity  of 
religion.  The  spirit  of  politics  was  one  of  intoxication.  Here 
and  there,  young  men  and  old  staggered  and  swaggered  under 
its  influence.  They  were  without  restraint,  without  reassurance, 
and  were  drifting  hopelessly.  Some  were  now  piled  up  like 
driftwood  after  the  subsidence  of  a  flood.  A  few  became  so 
saturated  with  politics  and  its  attending  evils  that  the  light  and 


A  GREAT  BIRTHDAY  CELEBRATION,  1897.      593 

flame  of  the  spirit  have  never  since  awakened  and  enkindled 
their  soggy  souls. 

Some  grew  unduly  suspicious.  Circumstances  engendered 
animosities.  Passing  events  tried  many  to  the  limit  of  their  en- 
durance. Some  soured  and  fell  by  the  wayside.  During  the  early 
years  of  statehood  the  influence  of  some  of  the  Church  leaders  be- 
came involved  in  political  struggles. 

Elder  Woodruff's  journal  discloses  the  regrets  which  he  ex- 
perienced over  such  conditions.  He  lamented  the  political  folly 
of  many,  and  above  all  deplored  the  loss  of  brotherly  love  which 
the  political  excitement  of  the  times  brought  about.  He  felt  that 
trials  of  one  character  or  another  were  naturally  the  lot  of  the 
Latter-day  Saints.  He  knew  that  as  time  went  on  men  would  be 
tempted  and  tried  in  proportion  to  their  worth  and  consequence 
in  the  world.  He  was  grieved,  however,  when  he  saw  men  who 
had  apparently  been  loyal  to  their  duty  and^Dther  obligations  in 
life  become  the  victims  of  a  political  mania. 

Political  questions  gave  rise  to  long  drawn  controversies. 
Some  of  these  controversies  involved  the  faith  and  even  the 
standing  of  Church  members.  Men  sought  to  argue  themselves 
through  the  mists  and  fogs  of  political  darkness.  Many  were 
groping  about  as  if  blindfolded.  In  time  most  of  them  emerged 
from  darkness  into  light.  A  few  lay  down  by  the  wayside  and 
would  not  believe  what  they  could  not  see,  and  they  could  not  see 
because  of  darkness  about  them.  They  therefore  justified  their 
obstinacy  which  they  vainly  imagined  was  courage.  During  those 
trying  times  men  of  long  standing  in  the  Church  and  of  unsus- 
pected integrity  came  to  President  Woodruff  in  a  spirit  of  anger 
and  babbled  like  thoughtless  children.  Happily  many  of  them  have 
seen  their  folly  and  have  learned  that  the  Church  guided  and 
controlled  by  the  hand  of  God,  rolls  on  constantly  and  persist- 
ently like  the  earth  in  the  midst  of  the  heavens.  They  have 
learned,  too,  that  though  the  Church,  like  the  earth  moving  through 
the  mists  and  fogs,  when  its  course  is  obscured,  is  nevertheless 
moving  steadfastly  and  accurately  forward  according  to  the  laws 
of  its  creation.  Many  have  learned,  too,  that  the  destines  of  the 
Church  are  after  all  not  in  the  hands  of  men ;  for  men  are  the 
mere  instrumentalities  of  a  divine  purpose ;  and  if  those  men, 
having  walked  accofding  to  their  light  and  understanding,  pass 

30 


594 


WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 


on  into  the  Great  Beyond  without  moving  the  Church  in  the  least 
from  the  great  orbit  prescribed  for  it  by  Divine  wisdom,  what 
effect  can  jealousy  and  criticism  have  upon  it. 

When  brethren  came  to  President  Woodruff  and  declared 
that  all  the  the  troubles  of  the  Church  were  political  troubles  he 
lamented  their  folly,  their  misunderstanding,  and  the  want  in 
them  of  that  divine  spirit  which  should  guide  men  in  every 
exigency  of  life. 

"Some  men,"  he  was  wont  to  exclaim,  "really  act  as  though 
they  were  possessed  by  the  devil.  The  Church  is  not  going  to 
pieces.  The  principles  of  God  are  not  falling  to  the  ground. 
Such  men  will  be  ashamed  of  themselves  some  day." 

He  did  not  pretend  to  know  why  some  things  happened,  but 
he  knew  how  men  ought  to  behave  themselves  after  they  had 
learned  the  great  lesson  which  taught  them  the  destinies  of  the 
Church  and  the  dfities  of  a  Latter-day  Saint.  Those  were  re- 
markable times ;  their  spirit,  as  far  as  it  can  be  reflected  upon  the 
pages  of  history,  will  remain  to  warn  and  instruct  future  gener- 
ations. 

President  Woodruff's  journal  of  those  times  discloses  a 
prophetic  insight  which  he  had  neither  the  wisdom  to  explain  nor 
political  knowledge  to  appreciate.  Questions  that  were  then  great 
issues,  and  about  which  grave  apprehensions  were  felt  concern- 
ing the  welfare  of  the  Church,  are  now  of  no  consequence  when 
looked  back  upon.  There  were  dire  predictions  which  time  failed 
to  verify  and  which  recede  from  every  possibility  as  time  goes 
on.  In  the  Church  men  are  affected  by  the  spirit  and  contentions 
of  the  times,  but  the  fate  of  men  and  the  destiny  of  the  Church 
are  two  quite  separate  matters.  In  no  organizations  of  the  world, 
and  in  no  institutions  of  men  is  the  separation  between  the  men 
who  conduct  them  and  the  welfare  and  perpetuity  of  the  organi- 
zations so  great  as  between  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter- 
day  Saints  and  the  men  to  whose  care  its  interests  are  entrusted. 

Political  forecasts  of  those  days  do  not  tally  with  current 
events.  President  Woodruff  no  where  in  his  journal  gives  any 
evidence  of  a  spirit  of  despair.  He  positively  refuses  to  take 
things  so  seriously  as  politicians  would  have  him  do.  Harm  to 
the  Church  was  something  he  did  not  comprehend  any  more  than 
he  could  comprehend  how  men  could  harm  'God.  He  manifested 


A  GREAT  BIRTHDAY  CELEBRATION,  1897.      595 

sorrow  for  those  whose  standard  of  measurement  religiously  was 
a  political  standard.  He  was  not  moved  by  those  grave  fears 
which  many  entertained  for  the  Church.  He  took  as  little  thought 
of  the  morrow  in  his  contemplation  of  God's  purposes  as  any  man 
that  ever  lived  since  the  days  of  the  Master. 

Men  crowded  about  him  with  their  tables  of  calculations,  by 
which  they  fixed  the  future  welfare  of  the  Church  and  its  threat- 
ened destruction.  His  journal  is  an  interesting  revelation  of  some 
men's  peculiar  conceptions  of  the  destiny  of  the  Church  under  the 
strain  and  stress  of  those  times.  He  never  pretended  to  follow 
the  intricacies  of  men's  reasoning  about  the  future.  He  recorded 
their  sayings  and  set  over  against  them  the  more  sure  word  of 
prophecy  upon  which  he  rested  his  faith. 

He  might  be  confused  in  the  labyrinth  of  details;  soph- 
istries might  awaken  in  him  a  spirit  of  wonderment;  arguments 
might  create  doubt  as  to  the  location  upon  one  side  or  the  other 
of  some  fact  or  minor  truth,  but  he  was  never  in  any  measure 
of  doubt  upon  the  fundamental  truth  of  Mormonism  and  its 
triumphs  through  divine  guidance. 

It  was  perhaps  a  most  fortunate  circumstance  that  during 
the  troublous  times  following  statehood,  President  Woodruff 
never  took  seriously  to  heart  those  events  which  so  greatly  stirred 
the  souls  of  many  other  men.  His  native  honesty  kept  him  from 
political  speculations  which  were  to  him  at  most,  mere  guess  work. 
He  always  felt  some  confusion  whenever  he  troubled  himself 
about  political  speculations.  He  might  be  persuaded  how  some 
things  would  be  for  the  good  of  the  Church,  but  he  knew  that 
all  things  God  could  turn  to  good  account  in  its  mission  to  the 
children  of  men. 

Turning  from  the  considerations  of  Church  and  State,  he 
recorded  those  social  pastimes  which  gave  him  pleasure.  It  is 
remarkable  how  completely  the  different  topics  about  which  he 
writes  in  his  journal  are  separated.  However  much  the  intensity 
of  his  feelings  may  be  manifested  when  writing  upon  some  sub- 
ject, those  feelings  are  not  carried  into  the  expression  which  he 
uses  in  describing  something  else  that  comes  along.  In  each  sub- 
ject he  manifests  the  peculiar  spirit  which  belongs  to  it. 

On  the  llth  of  January  that  year,  he  attended  a  birthday 


596 


WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 


party  of  his  first  counselor,  George  Q.  Cannon,  who  was  then 
sixty-nine  years  of  age.  "The  family,"  he  wrote,  "consisted  of 
twenty-three  sons,  and  ten  daughters."  Family  gatherings  of 
that  kind  were  of  special  interest  to  him.  Patricharal  relations 
of  that  character  had  in  them  something  of  the  spirit  and  promise 
of  Holy  Writ. 

On  March  1st  he  celebrated  his  own  anniversary.  He  was 
then  eight-nine.  As  many  of  his  family  as  could  be  convened  on 
that  occasion  joined  in  the  celebration  of  their  father  and  grand- 
father's natal  day.  All  told  there  were  about  fifty  present.  The 
annual  conference  of  that  year  convened  April  4th.  It  was  large- 
ly attended  and  of  special  interest  to  the  people.  A  general  pro- 
nunciamento  was  issued,  in  which  leading  Church  men  were  re- 
quired to  obtain  the  permission  of  their  superiors  before  ac- 
cepting political  obligations  that  might  interfere  with  the  exer- 
cse  of  their  Church  duties.  The  document  set  forth  at  some  length 
the  relations  of  Church  and  state  from  a  Church  point  of  view. 
Its  general  acceptance  throughout  the  stakes  of  Zion  was  voted 
upon  at  both  stake  and  ward  conferences.  As  a  rule  the  policy 
therein  set  forth  was  received  as  a  matter  of  course  by  the  people 
generally.  In  some  places  there  was  opposition,  and  as  a  conse- 
quence some  resigned  their  offices  in  the  Church. 

Turning  from  subjects  of  religious,  social,  and  political  im- 
portance, he  recorded  his  views  at  that  time  upon  the  question 
of  mining  and  the  thought  that  he  had  that  it  might  be  made 
profitable  to  the  Church  in  the  liquidation  of  some  of  its  debts. 
Such  a  means,  however,  of  meeting  the  obligations  of  the  Church 
did  not  receive  permanent  consideration.  The  general  principle 
prevailed  that  the  methods  which  the  Lord  had  instituted  were 
really  the  safest  means  by  which  the  revenues  of  the  Church 
might  be  raised.  Besides  tithing  was  a  law  of  God  and  contained 
a  blessing  for  those  who  observed  it.  To  be  sure,  there  were 
legitimate  means  by  which  moneys  of  the  Church  might  be  in- 
vested, but  reliance  upon  speculations  in  mines  came  to  be  re- 
garded as  both  unsafe  and  unsatisfactory. 

His  journal  contained  a  record  of  important  appointments 
durings  his  administration.  He  mentioned  with  special  satisfac- 
tion the  appointment  of  A.  W.  Ivins  to  the  Presidency  of  the 
Juarez  Stake  of  Zion  in  Old  Mexico.  He  spoke  in  words  of 


A  GREAT  BIRTHDAY  CELEBRATION,  1897.      597 

praise  of  Rulon  S.  Wells,  and  Joseph  W.  McMurrin,  who  suc- 
ceeded President  A.  H.  Lund  in  the  European  mission. 

A  matter  that  affected  him  greatly  was  the  death  of  Apos- 
tle A.  H.  Cannon,  who  died  on  the  19th  of  July,  1896,  at  the  age 
of  thirty-seven.  This  young  Apostle  had  evidently  gained  the 
love  and  confidence  of  President  Woodruff,  who  mourned  intense- 
ly his  death.  The  funeral  of  A.  H.  Cannon  was  deeply  impres- 
sive and  the  funeral  procession  was  one  of  the  longest  ever  wit- 
nessed in  Salt  Lake  City.  Sometime  afterward,  and  while  on  a 
visit  to  the  coast,  he  referred  to  special  manifestations  which  he 
had,  respecting  the  young  apostle's  character  and  his  mission  in 
the  spirit  world.  He  spoke  of  his  purity,  his  integrity,  and  his 
important  mission  to  the  spirit  world  as  the  testimony  of  the 
spirit  to  him.  'The  spirit  of  God  rested  upon  me  at  the  close 
of  this  manifestation  in  a  powerful  manner  and  bore  testimony 
to  me  of  the  truth  of  the  revelation  to  me  concerning  Abraham  H. 
Cannon." 

At  the  April  conference  following,  he  spoke  of  that,  and 
similar  manifestations,  and  in  the  course  of  his  testimony,  de- 
clared that  the  Lord  does  not  send  angels  to  the  earth  except 
to  accomplish  a  work  that  men  cannot  do.  The  Holy  Ghost 
should  be  with  the  Saints  at  all  times  to  reveal  to  them  their  duties. 

In  his  journal  of  that  year,  he  spoke  of  the  intense  suffering 
which  he  at  one  time  experienced,  and  said  that  he  was  healed 
instantly  by  the  administration  of  the  Apostles. 

That  year,  November  5th,  witnessed  a  change  in  the  ob- 
servance of  the  fast  day  from  the  first  Thursday  to  the  first  Sun- 
day in  the  month. 

The  first  day  of  the  new  year,  1897,  found  President  Wood- 
ruff at  home  with  his  family.  At  his  advanced  age  in  life,  time 
was  making  inroad  upon  his  health.  He  rallied,  however,  from 
periods  of  bodily  infirmity,  and  manifested  remarkable  renew- 
als of  strength.  Through  it  all,  he  was  faithful  in  keeping  his 
journal,  which  was  to  him  a  matter  of  first  importance.  Other 
offices  and  callings  might  be  temporary,  but  his  journal  was  a 
life's  mission,  to  which  he  had  been  called.  He  could  not  say 
what  that  journal  might  accomplish  in  days  to  come,  but  he 
gave  to  it  the  fidelity  and  a  devotion  that  are  as  inspiring  as  they 
are  characteristic.  It  is  that  journal  that  enables  the  historian  to- 


598  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

day  to  give  to  the  world  one  of  the  most  remarkable  and  faith- 
promoting  biographies  in  all  the  history  of  the  Church.  He  rises 
from  the  faithful  records  of  his  journal  to  engage  his  mind  in 
business  enterprises.  On  the  19th  of  January,  1897,  he  paid  a 
visit  to  Ogden  Canyon,  where  he  viewed  with  admiration  the 
electric  power  plant  and  its  marvelous  machinery.  "I  visited  all 
the  electric  works  and  was  overwhelmed  with  amazement  at  the 
ponderous  machinery  used  for  the  production  of  electricity.  There 
is  a  spirit  in  man,  but  the  inspiration  of  the  Almighty  giveth 
him  understanding." 

The  celebration  of  his  birthday,  February  28th,  and  March 
1st,  is  a  distinct  event  in  his  life.  The  following  is  a  published 
account  of  the  occasion,  contained  in  the  Deseret  News: 

"On  Sunday,  February  28th,  1897,  at  2  p.  m.,  and  on  the 
following  day,  Monday,  March  1st,  at  10  a.  m.,  were  exercises 
in  the  Tabernacle  in  honor  of  the  ninetieth  anniversary  of  the 
birth  of  Elder  Wilford  Woodruff,  President  of  the  Church  of 
Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints,  and  one  of  the  first  company 
of  Utah  Pioneers  that  entered  the  Valley  of  the  Great  Salt  Lake. 

For  this  occasion  the  Tabernacle  has  been  beautifully  decor- 
ated. The  speakers'  stands  are  ornamented  in  white  and  old 
gold,  with  numerous  flowers  and  potted  ferns  and  other  plants 
around  the  organ.  The  table  at  the  foot  of  the  stands  is  cov- 
ered with  flowers,  and  in  front  of  this,  seats  are  raised  above  the 
floor  for  President  Woodruff  and  wife  to  occupy  during  the  re- 
ception on  Monday.  Over  this  is  a  canopy  draped  with  the 
Stars  and  Stripes,  with  electric  lights  in  the  top  to  throw  light 
upon  the  couple.  This  canopy  will  remain  thrown  back  upon 
the  table  until  the  time  of  the  reception.  The  upper  stand,  which 
will  be  occupied  by  the  President  and  his  wife  during  the  render- 
ing of  the  program,  has  been  raised  about  sixteen  inches  higher 
than  its  usual  position,  so  that  a  full  view  can  be  had  of  them 
from  every  part  of  the  building.  In  front  of  and  near  the  top 
of  the  organ  is  a  beautiful  star  composed  of  sixty-one  electric 
lights;  over  this,  and  extending  from  south  to  north  across  the 
building  is  a  white  streamer  bearing  the  inscriptions,  "Glory  be 
to  God,"  "Honor  to  His  Prophet,"  and  the  three  dates,  1807, 
1847,  and  1897.  Around  the  gallery  bunting  is  stretched,  with 
a  star  over  each  post,  and  at  the  rear  of  the  building  is  the  in- 


A  GREAT  BIRTHDAY  CELEBRATION,  1897.        599 

scription,  "We  honor  the  man  so  honored  of  God."     Above  the 
rear  of  the  gallery  is  a  banner  on  which  is  painted  1847-1897. 
Below  this  is  a  Union  flag  which  passed  through  the  war. 
A  brief  sketch  of  President  Woodruff's  life  was  read. 

SUNDAY   SCHOOL  ATFERNOON's   CELEBRATION. 

Perhaps  the  largest  number  of  people  that  ever  assembled  in 
the  large  Tabernacle  was  present  Sunday  afternoon  on  the  oc- 
casion of  the  celebration  by  the  Sunday  schools  of  President 
Woodruff's  ninetieth  birthday.  Not  only  were  the  seats  all  oc- 
cupied, but  the  aisles  were  packed  in  every  part  of  the  immense 
building. 

From  the  time  of  the  opening  of  the  doors  at  1  o'clock,  until 
after  2,  the  Sunday  schools  and  others  continued  to  pour  into  the 
Tabernacle  en  masse,  and  when  the  time  arrived  to  commence  the 
services,  all  seats  were  taken,  and  many  people  were  still  outside 
of  the  building,  while  several  entire  schools  were  turned  away, 
the  general  public,  having  crowded  into  the  reservation,  intended 
for  the  children.  While  there  was  some  confusion,  caused  by  the 
gathering  of  such  a  large  number  of  children  and  getting  them 
seated  properly,  it  must  be  said  that  altogether  they  did  well  and 
filed  in  in  as  orderly  a  manner  as  could  reasonably  be  expected. 

A  brilliant  effect  was  produced  when  the  electric  current  was 
turned  into  the  globes  forming  the  beautiful  double  star,  and  into 
the  word  "Utah"  in  front  of  the  organ.  The  latter  and  the  large 
star  were  composed  of  clear  lights,  while  the  small  star  within  was 
made  up  of  red  lights.  The  decorations  were  very  tastily  ar- 
ranged throughout  and  added  greatly  to  the  imposing  scene. 

The  services  commenced  at  five  minutes  after  two  by  Presi- 
dent George  Q.  Cannon  calling  the  vast  assemblage  to  order  and 
announcing  the  opening  hymn,  "We  Thank  Thee  O  God  for  a 
Prophet,"  which  was  rendered  by  the  entire  congregation,  under 
the  leadership  of  Professor  Evan  Stephens.  Its  rendition  visibly 
affected  President  Woodruff,  and  made  it  necessary  for  the  hon- 
ored veteran  to  wipe  the  tear-drops  from  his  eyelids. 

An  appropriate  and  feeling  prayer  was  offered  by  Elder 
George  Teasdale,  after  which  the  Sunday  schools  rendered  the 


600  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

hymn,  "God  Speed  the  Right,"  under  the  leadership  of  Professor 
E.  K.  Bassett. 

Elder  George  Goddard,  of  the  general  superintendency  of 
Sunday  schools,  addressed  the  congregation.  He  stated  that  it 
was  the  largest  assemblage  that  had  ever  been  within  the  walls 
of  the  Tabernacle.  Notwithstanding  this,  however,  he  felt  that 
if  desired,  he  could  succeed  in  restoring  order  such  as  to  hear 
the  dropping  of  a  pin.  He  requested  the  children  present  to 
note  in  a  book  after  going  home  the  exercises  which  they  had 
taken  part  in  today.  Children  should  learn  to  keep  a  history  of 
their  lives  and  incidents  connected  with  the  experiences  which 
they  had  passed  through,  that  in  after  years  they  might  recall 
those  pleasant  days  which  they  had  seen  while  here  upon  the 
earth.  The  speaker  then  sang  the  Sunday  school  hymn  "In  Our 
Lovely  Deseret,"  the  children  present  joining  in  the  chorus.  At 
the  conclusion  of  the  song  the  speaker  called  upon  all  those  as- 
sembled to  pray  for  President  Woodruff  and  prophesied  that  if 
they  paid  attention  to  the  words  of  the  song  just  sang,  many 
would  live  eighty  years  hence  and  be  able  to  testify  to  taking  part 
in  the  exercises  of  today. 

Under  the  direction  of  Elder  George  Teasdale  all  the  Sun- 
day school  children  present  recited  in  concert  the  Articles  of 
Faith, 

Professor  Joseph  J.  Daynes  rendered  in  pleasing  style  an  or- 
gan solo,  entitled  "My  Father's  Growing  Old." 

Elder  George  A.  Smith  gave  a  short  epitome  of  the  life  and 
labors  of  President  Wilford  Woodruff.  Closing  he  said  in  his 
lifetime  he  had  traveled  175,00  miles  to  preach  the  gospel.  He  had 
baptized  2,000  souls  into  the  Church,  and  had  written  a  journal 
of  7,000  pages,  covering  his  work  for  a  period  of  sixty-two  years. 

Two  verses  of  the  song,  "Is  There  Anything  That  We  Can 
Do?"  were  sung  by  the  congregation,  after  which  Sister  Rose 
Wallace  in  a  felicitous  speech  presented  President  Woodruff  in 
behalf  of  the  Desert  Sunday  School  Union,  with  a  beautiful  bas- 
ket of  ninety  roses.  Sister  Wallace  used  these  words  : 

"President  Woodruff,  our  beloved  Prophet  and  leader:  In 
behalf  of  the  Deseret  Sunday  School  Union,  I  greet  you  on  this 
the  ninetieth  anniversary  of  your  natal  day,  and  congratulate  you 


A  GREAT  BIRTHDAY  CELEBRATION,  1897.      601 

that  you  have  reached  this  advanced  age,  and  rejoice  that  you  are 
preserved  unto  us  in  all  the  power  of  your  glorious  manhood  and 
of  your  high  and  holy  calling. 

"We  hope  and  pray  that  your  life  will  still  be  precious  in 
the  eyes  of  our  Father  for  years  to  come;  that  you  may  be  a 
blessing  and  a  comfort  unto  His  Saints;  and  that  they  shall  fill 
your  soul  with  joy  unspeakable  by  their  faithful,  earnest  efforts 
to  do  God's  will;  and  that  you  shall  live  until  every  holy  desire 
in  your  heart  is  satisfied. 

"We  love  you,  we  bless  you,  Brother  Woodruff,  with  all  our 
soul,  and  thank  you  for  your  gentle  guidance ;  for  you  have  been 
to  us  'as  a  gentle  shepherd  leading  us  through  the  gloom  into  the 
bright  and  glorious  day.' 

"And  since  our  feeble  words  cannot  express  the  love  we  bear 
you  nor  the  joy  we  feel  in  your  presence,we  have  brought  these 
beautious  messengers  of  love,  ninety  roses,  whose  hearts  are  laden 
with  the  exquisite  fragrance  from  our  heavenly  home  where  all 
is  love. 

"They  are  the  roses  Reverence  and  Regard, 

That  know  no  change, 
But  bloom  forever,  though  the  storm  be  hard 

And  ways  grow  strange. 

"They  are  the  roses  that  I  bring  to  you, 

Your  gaze  to  greet ; 
To  scent  the  way  you  take  with  fragrance  true. 

And  make  life  sweet. 

"Roses  to  greet  you,  with  a  wish  from  me, 

Though  skies  are  drear, 
Still  may  the  path  you  take  all  fragrant  be 

Through  all  the  year. 

"Though  roses  born  of  sunlight  and  June  showers 

Fade  fast  away, 
There  are  sweet  roses  grown  in  wintrier  hours, 

That  ne'er  decav!" 


602  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

President  Woodruff  then  addressed  the  congregation.  He 
said :  "I  want  to  say  to  my  young  brethren  and  sisters  and  friends 
in  the  Sabbath  schools  established  here  in  the  Rocky  Mountains, 
God  bless  you,  and  I  feel  to  bless  you,  as  far  as  I  have  the  power. 
I  want  to  say  that  this  is  a  scene  before  me  today  that  has  over- 
powered me — it  has  overpowered  my  speech.  I  would  rather  not 
say  anything,  still  I  feel  I  want  to  make  a  few  remarks  to  my 
friends. 

"I  never  in  my  life  have  been  in  a  similar  position  to  that  of 
today.  The  scene  before  me  has  been  a  fulfillment  of  all  my 
prayers  from  my  boyhood  up  to  early  manhood.  Eighty  years 
ago  I  was  a  little  boy  ten  years  of  age  attending  school  the  same 
as  you  are  here  in  the  mountains  of  Israel.  I  read  the  New 
Testament.  I  read  of  Jacob;  I  read  of  the  Apostles  and  the 
Prophets.  I  could  not  find  a  man  on  the  face  of  the  earth  who 
taught  these  principles  or  believed  in  them.  I  prayed  to  the  God 
of  heaven  that  I  might  live  to  see  a  prophet;  that  I  might  live  to 
see  an  apostle  who  would  say  something  that  would  satisfy  me 
like  the  principles  I  read  of  in  the  New  Testament. 

"Today  I  stand  in  the  midst  of  ten  thousand  young  men  and 
women  of  Israel — sons  and  daughters  of  prophets,  patriarchs  and 
men  of  Israel.  Men  who  hold  the  holy  priesthood  appointed  by 
the  God  of  Israel ;  appointed  in  the  last  days  to  set  up  and  carry 
these  laws  and  principles  of  God  into  effect.  It  is  these  prin- 
ciples that  we  were  to  look  at  in  the  last  days  Now  I  want  to 
say  to  you  as  the  rising  generation,  I  never  expected  to  see  a 
day  of  this  kind  in  my  life,  in  my  early  days.  I  did  expect,  as  it 
was  promised  to  me,  to  see  a  prophet.  I  have  lived  to  see  him. 
I  have  traveled  with  prophets  and  patriarchs  and  sons  of  God. 
I  have  lived  to  see  this  body  of  intelligence  of  the  sons  of  the 
living  God,  who  come  here  to  the  meetings  of  Israel. 

"I  rejoice  in  this,  for  I  see  before  me  the  nature  of  the  Lat- 
terday-Saints.  We  cannot  say  the  Bible  is  a  novel — the  Bible  that 
contains  revelation.  I  have  passed  through  the  periods  of  boy- 
hood, early  manhood  and  old  age.  I  cannot  expect  to  tarry  a  great 
while  longer  with  you,  but  I  want  to  give  to  you  a  few  words  of 
counsel.  You  occupy  a  position  in  the  Church  and  Kingdom  of 
God  and  have  received  the  power  of  the  holy  priesthood.  The 


A  GREAT  BIRTHDAY  CELEBRATION,  1897.        603 

God  of  heaven  has  appointed  you  and  called  you  forth  in  this  day 
and  generation.  I  want  you  to  look  at  this.  Young  men  listen  to 
the  counsel  of  your  brethren.  Live  near  to  God;  pray  while 
young ;  learn  to  pray ;  learn  to  cultivate  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God ; 
link  it  to  you  and  it  will  become  a  spirit  of  revelation  unto  you, 
inasmuch  as  you  nourish  it.  I  feel  thankful  myself  that  I  have 
lived  to  see  this  day.  I  declare  unto  you  that  there  are  many  in 
the  flesh  who  will  remain  so  until  the  coming  of  the  Son  of  Man. 

"This  is  about  all  I  have  to  say.  I  feel  thankful  to  my  heav- 
enly Father  that  I  see  this  scene  before  us  this  afternoon;  that  I 
see  the  gospel  manifestations  on  the  earth.  There  has  been,  as 
it  was  stated  by  our  brother,  two  powers,  one  to  destroy  me  and 
the  other  to  save  me  And  God  in  heaven  has  willed  to  spare  me 
to  see  this  day.  He  has  given  me  power  to  reject  every  testimony 
and  reject  every  example  that  leads  to  evil.  I  say  to  you  children^ 
do  not  use  tobacco,  liquor,  or  any  of  these  things  that  destroy  the 
body  and  mind,  but  honor  Him  and  you  will  have  a  mission  upon 
your  heads  that  the  world  know  not  of.  May  God  bless  you. 
Amen." 

Quartette,  "We  Ever  Pray  for  Thee,"  specially  written  for 
the  occasion  by  Professor  Evan  Stephens,  was  nicely  rendered  by 
the  little  Misses  Olga  Peterson,  Mamie  Mills,  Annie  Peterson, 
and  Gertrude  Kelly,  with  a  refrain  by  Brother  E.  K.  Bassett's 
choir. 

President  George  Q.  Cannon  was  the  next  speaker.  He  said 
that  this  was  a  most  memorable  occasion  and  one  that  would 
live  long  in  the  hearts  of  those  assembled.  Ninety  years,  said  the 
speaker,  was  a  long  space  of  time  for  mankind  to  live  upon  the 
earth.  It  was  gratifying  to  know  that  President  Woodruff  had 
held  the  Apostleship  in  this  Church  longer  than  any  man  that  had 
lived  in  this  dispensation.  The  Lord  had  blessed  President  Wood- 
ruff and  had  spared  him  to  do  a  mighty  work  in  helping  to  roll 
forth  the  Church  and  Kingdom  of  God. 

President  Cannon  called  the  attention  of  the  children  to 
the  good  work  which  had  been  done  by  President  Woodruff.  He 
had  lived  a  righteous  life  upon  the  earth  and  had  been  miraculous- 
ly spared  to  see  the  desires  of  his  heart  made  manifest.  The 
speaker  exhorted  the  young  to  emulate  the  example  set  them  by 


604  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

President  Woodruff,  as  in  their  declining  years  they  would  re- 
joice in  keeping  themselves  pure  and  unspotted  from  the  sins  of 
the  world.  They  should  keep  the  Word  of  Wisdom  and  God 
would  add  His  blessings. 

The  hymn,  "Song  of  Praise,"  was  rendered  by  the  Sunday 
schools. 

The  Lord's  prayer  was  recited  in  concert  under  the  leader- 
ship of  Elder  Richard  S.  Home  of  the  Sunday  School  Union 
Board. 

Madame  von  Finkelstein  Moimtford  was  the  next  speaker. 
She  said:  "We  are  gathered  here  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ 
our  Lord.  This  is  one  of  the  greatest  scenes  that  I  have  ever 
witnessed  in  my  life.  To  see  so  many  children ;  it  is  like  coming 
into  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven ;  and  before  the  honorable  President 
here.  He  must  feel  today  that  he  is  in  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven ; 
for  Christ  said:  'Suffer  the  little  children  to  come  unto  me,  for 
of  such  is  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven.'  And  as  these  little  ones 
are  singing  here,  they  seem  to  have  come  from  the  heavenly  host 
above  singing,  'Glory  to  God  and  peace  on  earth.'  Long  life  and 
good  wishes  to  our  noble  President,  I  want  to  call  him  my  own 
President.  I  am  one  of  the  children  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
This  is  one  of  the  memorable  days  of  my  life.  I  am  the  daughter 
of  Zion — that  ancient  city  Zion — and  have  the  privilege  and 
honor  to  be  in  this  Zion  of  the  western  hemisphere.  All  that  I 
can  compare  this  gathering  to  is  the  one  that  was  held  by  those 
who  were  led  by  Moses  through  the  desert — the  children  of 
Israel.  While  crying  for  bread  Moses  said  to  them,  I  shall  pray 
to  God  to  send  you  bread.  The  next  morning  when  the  children 
of  Israel  rose  up,  they  expected  to  see  great  loaves  of  bread  lying 
ready  to  be  eaten.  They  cried,  'Where,  oh  where  is  the  bread?' 
Moses  said,  'There  is  the  bread.'  That  was  it,  around  like  little 
seeds.  They  said,  'Manora,'  the  meaning  of  which  is,  'Do  you 
want  to  starve  us  with  this  bread?'  Moses  said,  'Go,  gather  the 
bread  and  eat.  And  they  went  and  gathered  and  ate,and  they  were 
rilled.  That  bread  from  heaven  was  called  in  the  world,  manna. 
There  is  where  the  word  originated — a  symbol  of  praise  to  the 
Maker.  What  is  this,  that  God  has  sent  us  in  the  wilderness? 
By  His  mighty  power  He  has  led  us  forth  by  His  servant,  into 


A  GREAT  BIRTHDAY  CELEBRATION,  1897.      605 

the  desert,  into  the  wilderness,  and  planted  us  to  dwell  in  this 
wilderness — brought  the  children  of  Israel  like  mighty  Moses 
through  the  wilderness.  All  that  I  feel  to  say  is  that  I  truly  wish 
long  peace  to  this  State,  and  I  give  the  glory  to  the  God  of  Is- 
rael. It  is  with  you  and  the  children  that  are  here  to  remember 
every  one  of  you  that  you  are  the  temples  of  the  living  God.  He 
is  living  in  you,  every  one.  May  you  live  true  to  Him  as  our  hon- 
orable President  has  done.  He  is  ninety  years  old,  and  it  is  be- 
cause he  has  kept  himself  pure  and  unspotted  from  the  world, 
that  he  has  lived  in  the  world  and  yet  not  of  the  world,  in  him- 
self and  with  God,  as  His  Prophet,  that  he  is  honored  now.  May 
God  preserve  his  life  to  these  children  here,  and  may  they  from 
generation  to  generation  observe  his  counsel.  May  every  bless- 
ing be  with  the  honorable  President  of  this  great  movement ;  and 
I  hope  that  our  President  will  live  long,  and  that  God's  love  will 
rest  upon  him." 

The  closing  hymn,  "What  Prize  Shall  Be  Your  Reward," 
was  sung  by  the  Sunday  schools  and  benediction  was  pronounced 
by  Elder  George  Reynolds. 

At  the  close  of  the  exercises  many  availed  themselves  of  the 
opportunity  to  shake  hands  with  President  Woodruff,  and  it  was 
therefore  some  time  before  the  entire  audience  was  out  of  the 
building. 

MONDAY  MORNING'S  CELEBRATION. 

According  to  the  arranged  program  President  Woodruff's 
ninetieth  birthday  was  celebrated  in  the  large  Tabernacle  today, 
commencing  at  the  hour  of  10  a.  m.  Before  that  time  arrived,  the 
body  of  the  Tabernacle  was  filled  with  people  and  nearly  all  the 
seats  in  the  gallery  were  occupied. 

The  two  center  rows  of  seats  for  some  distance  back  were  re- 
served for  the  family  and  friends  of  President  Woodruff,  the 
members  of  the  Legislature  and  others,  until  10 : 23,  at  which 
time  the  public  were  allowed  to  fill  up  the  remaining  unoccupied 
seats. 

The  Tabernacle  choir  occupied  its  usual  position,  while 
Held's  band  was  stationed  in  the  east  end  of  the  gallery  and  dis- 
coursed sweet  music  at  intervals  during  the  proceedings. 


606  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

When  President  Woodruff  appeared  on  the  stand  at  10 : 07 
o'clock  he  received  a  perfect  ovation.  The  entire  congregation 
arose  in  a  body,  and  waving  their  handkerchiefs  joined  with  the 
choir  in  singing  "Our  God  we  raise  to  Thee,  Thanks  for  Thy 
blessings  free,  We  here  enjoy."  The  scene  presented  during  the 
singing  was  very  beautful,  indeed.  While  the  crowd  was  not  so 
large  as  at  yesterday's  session,  yet  all  the  seats  were  taken  and 
many  people  were  standing  in  the  aisles  and  on  the  stairways 
leading  to  the  gallery. 

The  proceedings  were  opened  by  the  Tabernacle  choir  sing- 
ng  "Noble  Chief,"  after  which  prayer  was  offered  by  President 
Joseph  F.  Smith.  Choir  then  sang,  "Hail,  Prophet,  Brother, 
Friend." 

An  address  of  welcome  was  then  made  by  President  Wood- 
ruff. He  spoke  as  follows : 

"I  feel  highly  honored  this  mornnig  in  meeting  with  so  many 
of  my  friends  upon  this  important  occasion.  Yesterday  those 
who  were  present  might  have  observed  my  condition.  I  was  per- 
fectly overwhelmed  in  consequence  of  the  scene  before  me.  It 
was  not  what  was  said  particularly,  but  it  brought  to  my  mind  in 
overwhelming  power  my  boyhood  and  early  manhood  and  my 
desires  that  I  might  live  upon  the  earth  to  find  a  people  who 
would  receive  the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  as  taught  by  Christ  and 
the  Apostles.  In  meeting  with  thousands  of  the  children  of  the 
Latter-day  Saints,  it  brought  to  my  mind  those  scenes  and  the 
fulfillment  of  my  prayers  and  desires  before  the  Lord. 

"I  hope  this  morning  I  may  be  able  to  make  a  few  remarks. 
I  will  say  this,  it  has  been  a  desire  of  my  life  from  my  boyhood 
up,  never  to  address  arly  assembly  of  people  whom  I  could  not 
make  hear  what  I  had  to  say.  I  feel  the  same  this  morning;  I 
do  not  know  whether  I  can  make  this  assembly  hear  me  or  not ; 
but  I  will  do  the  best  I  can. 

"As  I  can  hardly  expect  ever  to  have  the  opportunity  of  ad- 
dressing the  people  of  this  State  and  my  friends  in  days  to  come, 
I  have  a  few  reflections  upon  my  mind  that  I  wish  to  lay  before 
you.  And  I  will  say  they  are  different  from  any  of  my  public 
speeches  that  I  have  been  in  the  habit  of  presenting  to  the  people- 
I  have  consulted  no  man  with  regard  to  the  course  I  should  pur- 


A  GREAT  BIRTHDAY  CELEBRATION,  1897.        607 

sue  in  my  remarks  here  this  morning,  and  I  do  not  know  that  I 
shall  satisfy  my  friends  in  the  remarks  that  I  may  make. 

"First,  I  want  to  say  a  few  words  upon  politics.  I  hope  that 
will  not  astonish  you.  I  have  not  been  in  the  habit  of  this  here- 
tofore. But  I  feel  desirous  to  say  a  few  things  that  are  upon 
my  mind.  In  the  first  place,  there  is  not  one  item,  not  one  sen- 
tence in  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States,  nor  in  the  laws  of 
the  United  States,  nor  of  the  State  of  Utah,  that  deprives  any 
citizen,  of  any  name,  nature,  religion,  or  politics  in  the  land,  from 
joining  any  political  party  he  wishes,  or  voting  for  whomsoever 
he  wishes.  This  is  the  right  of  every  man  without  hindrance. 
We  have  been  accused  at  times  of  using  Church  influence  to  guide 
and  direct  the  State.  This  is  occasionally  presented  to  the  public 
as  our  action.  I  feel  it  my  right  and  duty  to  say  here  today  that 
I  was  acquainted  with  Joseph  Smith  and  associated  with  him 
from  1833  until  his  martyrdom.  I  have  been  acquainted  with 
Brigham  Young  and  associated  with  him  for  forty  years  of  my 
life,  at  home  and  abroad,  under  many  circumstances.  I  have 
also  been  acquainted  with  John  Taylor  and  labored  with  him  in 
every  capacity  in  which  he  was  called  to  act.  I  have  also  been  a 
member  of  the  Quorum  of  the  Twelve  Apostles  for  upwards  of 
fifty-six  years  of  my  life.  And  I  have  been  presiding  over  the 
Church  itself  for  a  few  years.  I  have  been  associated  with  my 
counselors  and  with  the  present  Twelve  Apostles.  And  I  want  to 
say  upon  this  occasion,  before  God,  angels,  and  all  men  that  are 
before  me,  that  I  never  in  one  instance  knew  any  leader  of  this 
Church  to  attempt  to  dictate  and  direct  the  affairs  of  the  State  as 
member  of  the  Church.  At  the  same  time,  when  any  man,  no  mat- 
ter who  he  is — Mormon,  Jew,  or  Gentile — uses  money  or  any 
means  to  hire  men  to  vote  for  him,  I  think  he  steps  outside  of  his 
right,  and  stands  in  a  measure  condemned. 

"I  want  to  say  so  much  to  my  friends  this  morning.  I  have 
officiated  for  twenty  sessions  in  the  Legislative  Council  of  the 
Territory  of  Utah,  and  one  session  as  a  member  of  the  House, 
and  it  did  not  cost  me  one  farthing  for  any  office  I  ever  held  in  the 
Church,  or  in  the  State,  or  in  the  Territory.  And  I  never  asked  any 
mortal  man  on  the  face  of  the  earth  to  cast  a  vote  for  me  that  I  have 
any  recollection  of.  As  an  example,  perhaps,  I  may  be  permitted 


608  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

to  say,  I  am  the  father  of  fourteen  sons,  and  have  a  number  of 
sons-in-law,  and  I  believe  they  are  pretty  nearly  evenly  divided  on 
political  party  lines — Democrats  and  Republicans.  I  will  give 
any  man  five  dollars  if,  in  conversing  with  them,  he  can  get  any 
one  of  them  to  say  that  his  father  ever  told  him  whom  to  vote  for. 
Some  of  you  may  try  to  make  a  little  money  perhaps  at  that. 
(Laughter.)  I  consider  everybody  is  responsible  for  himself,  and 
he  has  a  right  to  vote  for  whom  he  pleases. 

"Again,  I  never  asked  any  office  at  the  hands  of  any  being  in 
heaven  or  on  earth,  not  even  of  my  heavenly  Father,  except  in 
one  instance,  which  I  will  relate  here.  In  my  boyhood,  as  you 
have  heard  me  testify,  I  went  to  the  Sabbath  schools.  I  read  the 
New  Testament.  I  saw  the  doctrine  there  portrayed  in  plainness, 
as  taught  by  Jesus  Christ  and  His  Apostles,  and  it  was  a  glorious 
doctrine.  I  had  a  great  desire  to  live  on  the  earth  until  I  could 
see  inspired  men  who  could  teach  me  those  principles  that  I  read 
of  in  the  New  Testament.  I  prayed  a  great  deal  in  my  boyhood 
and  my  early  manhood  that  I  might  live  on  the  earth  to  receive 
those  principles  that  I  there  read  of.  In  1833,  for  the  first 
time  in  my  life,  I  saw  an  elder  of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ 
of  Latter-day  Saints.  That  was  Zera  Pulsipher.  He  told  me 
that  he  was  inspired  of  the  Lord.  He  was  threshing  grain 
in  his  barn  when  the  voice  of  the  Lord  came  to  him  and  told  him 
to  arise  and  go  to  the  north,  the  Lord  had  business  for  him  there. 
He  called  upon  Brother  Cheney,  his  neighbor,  and  a  member  of  the 
Church.  They  traveled  sixty  miles  on  foot,  in  December,  in  deep 
snow,  and  the  first  place  they  felt  impressed  to  call  was  at  the 
house  of  my  brother  and  myself.  They  went  into  the  house  and 
talked  with  my  brother's  wife,  and  they  told  her  who  they  were 
and  what  their  business  was.  They  told  her  that  they  were  moved 
upon  to  go  to  the  north,  and  they  never  felt  impressed  to  stop 
anywhere  until  they  came  to  that  house.  When  they  told  her  their 
principles,  she  said  her  husband  and  her  brother-in-law  both  were 
men  who  believed  those  principles,  and  they  had  prayed  for  them 
for  years.  They  appointed  a  meeting  in  the  school-house  upon 
our  farm.  I  came  home  in  the  evening  and  my  sister-in-law  told 
me  of  this  meeting.  I  had  been  drawing  logs  from  the  shores  of 
Lake  Ontario  (I  was  in  the  lumber  business),  and  I  turned  out 


A  GREAT  BIRTHDAY  CELEBRATION,  1897.        609 

my  horses,  did  not  stop  to  eat  anything,  and  went  to  the  meeting. 
I  found  the  house  and  the  door  yard  filled  with  people.  I  list- 
ened for  the  first  time  in  my  life  to  a  gospel  sermon  as  taught  by 
the  elders  of  this  Church.  It  was  what.  I  had  sought  for  from  my 
boyhood  up.  I  invited  the  men  home  with  me.  I  borrowed  the 
Book  of  Mormon,  and  sat  up  all  that  night  and  read.  In  the 
morning  I  told  Brother  Pulsipher  I  wanted  to  be  baptized.  I  had 
a  testimony  for  myself  that  those  principles  were  true.  Myself 
and  my  brother,  as  was  stated  here  yesterday,  went  forth  and 
were  baptized — the  first  two  in  that  county.  That  was  the  be- 
ginning of  my  connection  with  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of 
Latter-day  Saints. 

"At  this  point  I  will  ask  upon  the  subject  of  religion,  what 
are  the  rights  of  men  upon  religious  subjects?  I  do  not  know  that 
I  can  do  better  than  to  quote  Brother  Joseph  Smith's  remarks 
before  thousands  of  people  at  a  conference  in  Nauvoo,  when  there 
were  many  non-Mormons  present.  He  said,  'If  I  were  the  em- 
peror of  the  world  and  I  had  power  to  control  the  whole  human 
family,  I  would  sustain  every  man,  woman,  and  child  in  the  en- 
joyment of  their  religion.'  Those  are  my  sentiments  today.  I 
believe  every  man — Jew,  Catholic,  Protestant,  or  anything — has 
a  right  to  enjoy  his  religion  unmolested.  I  believe  the  Consti- 
tution of  the  United  States  and  the  laws  of  the  United  States 
guarantee  this  blessing  and  privilege  to  everybody.  In  fact,  I 
believe  that  even  Robert  Ingersoll  and  his  followers  have  a  right 
to  their  opinions  and  to  enjoy  the  same ;  they  have  a  right  to  their 
views  with  regard  to  God,  the  Christ,  to  the  heavens  and  earth, 
to  the  present  and  the  future.  Still  I  will  say,  I  believe  that  when 
Robert  Ingersoll  goes  into  the  spirit  world  he  will  find  the  Bible 
is  not  a  novel.  He  will  learn  that  there  if  never  before.  He  will 
learn  that  the  crucifixion  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  and  the  sacri- 
fice He  made  is  not  a  burlesque,  but  that  that  was  done  for  the 
salvation  of  the  world.  And  he  will  find  that  there  will  be  a  God 
there,  there  will  be  a  heaven  there,  there  will  be  a  hell  there,  there 
will  be  everything  there  of  which  the  Bible  has  spoken. 

"In  the  spring  after  I  was  baptized,  I  went  to  Kirtland. 
There  I  met  the  Prophet  Joseph  Smith,  and  his  brother,  Hy- 
rum.  I  met  those  men  that  afterwards  formed  the  Quorum  of  the 


4O 


610 


WlLFORD  WOODRUFF, 


Twelve  Apostles.  I  traveled  with  Joseph  Smith  and  with  that 
company  of  men,  two  hundred  and  five  of  them,  one  thousand 
miles  to  the  Missouri  to  assist  our  brethren  in  their  difficulties. 
They  had  been  driven  from  their  homes  and  their  lands,  from 
Jackson  County  into  Clay  County.  We  traveled  a  thousand  miles 
together.  There  I  had  my  first  experience  in  the  dealings  of  God 
with  His  Prophet.  I  understood  perfectly  well  that  he  was 
a  prophet.  I  read  the  vision,  I  read  his  revelations,  and  I 
knew  they  could  not  come  from  any  man  on  the  face  of  the  earth 
but  by  the  inspiration  of  Almighty  God.  From  Missouri  I  com- 
menced my  mission  under  Bishop  Partridge.  I  will  say  that 
while  there  I  had  a  great  desire  to  preach  the  gospel.  I  had  that 
desire  from  my  boyhood  up.  I  had  been  a  miller,  and  I  had 
walked  my  mill  hours  and  hours  in  the  night,  with  my  soul  filled 
with  these  desires  to  preach  the  gospel  to  the  children  of  men. 
At  the  time  I  speak  of  I  was  a  teacher,  and  had  no  power  and 
authority  to  go  forth  and  preach.  I  went  one  Sunday  into 
the  forest  in  Clay  County.  I  was  living  with  Lyman  Wight, 
with  half  a  dozen  of  the  signers  of  the  Book  of  Mormon — the 
Cowderys,  the  Whitmers,  Judge  Higbee  and  others.  I  went  off  by 
myself  and  prayed  to  the  Lord  that  I  might  have  the  privilege  of 
preaching  the  gospel  to  my  fellow-men.  That  is  all  the  office  that 
I  ever  asked  of  the  Lord  or  anybody  else,  as  far  as  that  is  con- 
cerned. While  praying,  the  Lord  gave  me  His  spirit  and  an- 
swered me  that  my  prayers  were  heard  and  would  be  answered  up- 
on my  head,  and  that  what  I  had  asked  for  should  be  given  me. 
I  walked  two  or  three  hundred  yards  out  of  the  forest  into  an 
open — a  broad  highway — in  the  midst  of  the  forest,  and  there  I 
saw  Judge  Higbee  standing  in  the  middle  of  the  road  with  his 
arms  folded.  I  walked  up  to  him,  and  when  I  got  to  him  he 
said :  'Wilford,  the  Lord  has  revealed  to  me  that  it  is  your  duty 
to  be  ordained  to  go  and  preach  the  gospel.'  I  said :  'Is  that  so?' 
He  said:  'Yes.'  'Well,'  said  I,  'if  the  Lord  wants  me  to  preach 
the  gospel  I  am  ready  to  go  and  do  it  to  the  best  of  my  ability.' 
I  did  not  tell  him  that  I  had  been  praying  for  it.  My  mission 
commenced  there  and  it  has  not  ended  to  the  present  hour.  I 
have  had  a  responsibility  resting  upon  me  in  connection  with  my 
brethren. 


A  GREAT  BIRTHDAY  CELEBRATION,  1897. ,      611 

"Now,  before  I  close,  I  will  again  bear  my  testimony  that 
this  work  is  of  God.  This  Tabernacle  that  you  are  in  today  was 
seen  by  the  Prophet  Isaiah  and  other  prophets,  and  they  spoke  of 
it,  as  well  as  the  temples  that  are  built  in  the  Valleys  of  the  Moun- 
tains. All  have  been  pointed  out  by  the  prophets  of  God,  and  the 
Lord  revealed  to  Isaiah,  Jeremiah,  and  many  other  prophets,  our 
day,  our  history,  our  lives,  our  position  in  this  immense  barren 
desert  which  has  been  occupied  by  the  Latter-day  Saints,  and  is 
as  we  see  it  today  through  the  blessings  of  God.  I  will  bear  my 
testimony  to  the  world,  to  my  friends  of  the  Church  and  the  State, 
and  to  all  men  under  heaven,  that  this  is  the  truth  of  God.  The 
Lord  Almighty  has  set  His  hand  to  accomplish  this  work.  Joseph 
Smith  was  raised  up  by  the  power  of  God  and  the  revelations  of 
Jesus  Christ  to  organize  this  Church  and  kingdom  in  the  dis- 
pensation of  the  fulness  of  times.  His  life  was  short,  as  was  the 
Savior's.  But  it  was  a  great  work  that  he  performed  in  the  flesh. 
The  Savior  lived  about  three  and  a  half  years  after  He  entered 
the  ministry.  Joseph  Smith  lived  some  fourteen  years  from  the 
time  he  received  the  plates  and  translated  them  into  the  English 
language.  He  laid  down  his  life,  as  did  Christ  and  His  Apostles, 
for  the  word  of  God  and  testimony  of  Jesus  Christ.  He  will  rise 
in  his  glorified  celestial  body  and  meet  again  with  his  brethren 
the  apostles  and  elders  of  Israel,  and  will  stand  in  days  to 
come  as  the  leader  among  us  in  celestial  glory.  I  feel  to 
bear  my  testimony  to  this.  It  matters  not  about  the  unbelief  of 
men.  They  cannot  turn  away  the  work  of  Almighty  God.  The 
Lord  has  set  His  hand  to  carry  out  these  great  principles  which 
He  has  revealed,  the  establishing  of  the  Zion  of  God  and  the 
preparation  for  the  coming  of  the  Son  of  Man.  What  has  been 
said  about  the  mountains  of  Israel  will  have  its  fulfillment.  The 
judgments  of  God  will  follow  in  the  earth  in  fulfillment  of  what 
has  been  said,  and  no  power  on  earth  can  stay  them.  I  am  anx- 
ious, although  my  life  has  been  preserved  to  this  great  age,  I 
still  am  anxious  that  we  as  a  people  may  do  our  duty,  may  live 
our  religion,  may  keep  the  faith,  may.  so  walk  before  the  Lord 
that  the  Holy  Ghost  will  be  our  constant  companion  to  lead  us  in 
the  days  that  lie  before  us.  This  is  my  prayer  and  my  desire,  in 
the  name  of  Jesus  Christ.  Amen." 


612 


WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 


The  choir  and  congregation  sang,  "God  Moves  in  a  Myster- 
ious Way,"  which  was  followed  by  a%  short  address  by  President 
Lorenzo  Snow. 

President  Snow  bore  testimony  to  the  truthfulness  of  the  re- 
marks of  President  Woodruff.  He  had  been  acquainted  with  him 
sixty  years,  commencing  in  Kirtland.  President  Woodruff  was 
a  man  who  had  always  acted  in  harmony  with  the  leaders  of  the 
Church,  never  taking  exceptions  to  the  instructions  promulgated 
by  those  who  were  in  authority.  The  Church  had  never  acted  in 
hostility  to  people  of  outside  denominations.  It  had  always  en- 
couraged settlement  in  our  midst  and  had  attempted  to  treat  all 
with  fairness  and  respect.  The  audience  to  which  he  spoke  was 
one  made  up  of  nearly  all  classes  of  people.  They  had  gath- 
ered on  invitation  in  order  to  participate  in  honoring  President 
Woodruff  on  the  ninetieth  anniversary  of  his  birth. 

All  people  had  a  perfect  right  to  worship  whom  they  pleased, 
but  they  should  do  so  conscientiously.  They  could  take  a  lesson 
from  the  example  set  by  President  Woodruff,  as  he  had  lived  a 
life  of  purity  and  holiness,  always  trying  to  make  the  world  better 
for  his  having  lived. 

Held's  band,  under  the  direction  of  Professor  John  Held, 
rendered  in  fine  style  a  medley  of  beautiful  airs. 

President  George  Q.  Cannon  addressed  the  assemblage.  He 
said  that  in  standing  before  such  a  vast  audience  one  was  led  to 
feel  keenly  the  insignificance  of  man.  The  assemblage  recalled 
to  his  mind  an  occasion  of  great  joy  which  took  place  here  in 
1849,  the  purpose  being  to  celebrate  the  advent  of  the  Pioneers 
into  this  Valley.  At  that  time  feasting,  dancing,  etc.,  was  in- 
dulged in,  and  thanks  was  given  to  God  for  the  bounteous  bless- 
ings He  had  bestowed  upon  His  people. 

A  great  change  had  taken  place  since  then.  The  inter- 
mountain  country,  then  a  barren  desert,  had  been  quite  thickly 
populated  and  now  blossomed  as  the  rose  through  the  efforts  of 
the  sturdy,  God-fearing  men  and  women  who  first  settled  this 
Valley,  coupled  with  the  blessings  of  the  Father.  President 
Woodruff  had  been  a  husbandman  in  his  day,  and  to  him  belonged 
the  credit  of  planting  the  first  potato  in  the  Valley.  This  was  a 
most  momentous  period,  and  through  the  ninety  years  of  Presi- 


1 


A  GREAT  BIRTHDAY  CELEBRATION,  1897.        613 

dent  Woodruff's  life,  he  had  witnessed  many  scenes  and  had  seen 
a  great  many  changes  take  place.  The  gospel  of  the  Lord,  Jesus 
Christ,  had  made  great  strides  in  the  years  of  its  organization, 
and  it  would  continue  to  grow  and  flourish  in  the  earth  until  God's 
purposes  had  been  accomplished.  It  was  destined  to  revoluntion- 
ize  the  whole  world,  and,  if  lived  up  to  by  the  people  of  the 
earth,  would  make  mankind  happier,  and  give  them  a  hope  and 
a  knowledge  of  that  which  would  greet  them  in  the  life  to  come. 

The  entrance  of  the  Pioneers  into  this  Valley  would  be 
dwelt  upon  more  and  more  as  the  years  rolled  on.  The  day 
would  come  when  it  would  mark  an  epoch  in  the  world's  his- 
tory, and  one  of  the  central  figures  thereof  would  be  President 
Woodruff,  who  was  being  honored  to-day.  A  more  honest  man  it 
would  be  hard  to  find.  Always  quiet  and  unassuming,  he  held  a 
love  in  his  heart  for  all  his  fellowmen,  and  his  love  had  been 
reciprocated  by  the  many  friends  which  he  had  made  while  on  this 
mortal  sphere. 

The  speaker  felt  that  the  sound  of  President  Woodruff's 
voice  should  be  engraved  upon  the  cylinders  of  a  phonograph, 
that  in  after  years  the  young  and  rising  generation  might  enjoy 
its  sweet  and  loving  vibrations.  He  was  a  man  of  the  utmost 
integrity,  and  as  such  he  would  forever  be  held  in  loving  re- 
membrance. 

President  Cannon,  in  conclusion,  felt  not  to  praise  too  highly 
mankind,  for  he  feared  that  the  Saints  by  so  doing  would  almost 
become  man  worshipers.  But  the  words  which  had  been  spoken 
concerning  President  Woodruff  were  true,  and  his  devotion  and 
fealty  to  the  work  of  God  brought  out  a  desire  among  the  Saints 
to  do  him  honor.  He  was  the  only  living  apostle  that  had  acted 
in  such  capacity  with  the  Prophet  Joseph  Smith,  and  as  such  he 
was  looked  upon  as  a  rare  treasure.  The  speaker's  desire  was 
that  God  would  spare  President  Woodruff's  life  among  us,  that 
he  might  live  many  years  more  to  be  a  comfort  and  a  conso- 
lation unto  the  Latter-day  Saints.  This,  said  he,  would  un- 
doubtedly be  the  prayer  of  all  the  Latter-day  Saints  upon  the 
earth. 

The  choir  sang  the  anthem,  "Let  the  Mountains  Shout  for 
Joy,"  directly  followed  by  the  congregation  arising  and  joining 


614 


WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 


in  singing  the  Doxology.  Benediction  was  pronounced  by  Elder 
Brigham  Young. 

At  the  conclusion  of  the  exercises  the  reception  was  be- 
gun, President  and  Mrs.  Woodruff  being  seated  on  arm  chairs 
beneath  a  canopy  of  bunting  and  surrounded  by  masses  of  beau- 
tiful flowers.  The  first  to  shake  hands  with  the  venerable  President 
and  his  wife  was  Governor  Heber  M.  Wells.  Then  followed 
members  of  the  Legislature,  the  lady  members  first,  and  the  gen- 
tlemen afterwards.  Then  came  the  general  public,  the  reception 
lasting  upward  of  an  hour. 

An  elegant  bed  spread  was  presented  to  President  Woodruff 
from  the  ladies  of  Millville,  Cache  County.  The  material  of 
which  it  was  made  is  mostly  Utah  silk,  and  the  spread  was  made 
by  the  ladies  of  Millville,the  design  being  artistically  executed  with 
crochet  work.  The  spread  was  accompanied  by  a  note  of  pres- 
entation, which  read  as  follows : 

"To  Wilford  Woodruff,  President  of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ 
of  Latter-day  Saints: 

DEAR  BROTHER: — We,  the  sisters  of  Millville  ward,  Cache 
Valley  Stake  of  Zion,  in  token  of  the  high  esteem,  honor  and 
respect  in  which  you  are  held  by  us,  embrace  this  opportunity, 
on  the  90th  anniversary  of  your  birth,  to  present  to  you  a  spread, 
the  workmanship  of  which  is  that  of  our  own  hands.  It  was  made 
for  the  World's  Fair,  sent  to  Chicago,  received  first  prize,  and 
returned  to  us.  We  now  present  it  to  you.  We  also  congratulate 
you  on  your  reaching  the  ninetieth  milestone,  on  the  road  of 
experiences  and  usefulness,  in  leading  the  Saints  along  the  lines 
of  faithfulness  and  truth,  in  the  worship  of  our  Heavenly  Fath- 
er. We  extend  to  you  our  faith  and  prayers,  that  you  may  con- 
tinue to  live,  to  be  our  leader  in  the  cause  of  Christ,  and  to  this 
end  we  will  ever  pray.  Yours  truly,  Rose  Woolf,  chairman, 
Esther  Hammond,  Sarah  H.  Hammond,  Ida  Hammond,  S.  M. 
Yates,  Rhoda  Holt,  Hennett  Olson,  Miranda  Biglow,  committee." 

With  the  presentation  of  a  beautiful  bouquet,  the  Latter-day 
Saints'  College,  by  Miss  Bertha  Wilcken,  submitted  the  follow- 
ing: 


A  GREAT  BIRTHDAY  CELEBRATION,  1897.        615 

March  1st,  1897. 
"To  President  Woodruff  and  Wife: 

All  Israel  sends  greetings  to  their  leader  and  companion.  As 
one  branch  of  the  great  cause  in  which  you  have  labored  so  long 
and  so  well,  we  join  in  the  general  acclamation.  "As  cold  water 
to  a  thirsty  soul,"  so  have  been  your  faithful  ministrations  to  the 
people  of  God.  May  the  sands  of  your  life  run  slowly  and  calmly 
to  the  end,  the  snows  of  age's  winter  following  safely  and  protect- 
ingly  upon  you.  May  He  who  is  the  Father  of  all  be  a  Parent  and 
Protector  in  your  declining  years. 

With  deepest  affection, 

Your  Brethren  and  Sisters, 
The  Teachers  and  Students  of  the 

Latter-day  Saints  College." 

A  beautiful  silver  mounted  cane  was  presented  by  the  Temple 
workers. 

The  anniversary  exercises  were  attended  by  several  persons 
who  were  baptized  by  President  Woodruff  in  Great  Britain  nearly 
sixty  years  ago,  while  he  was  rilling  a  mission  there  which  lasted 
from  1837  to  1841.  There  were  also  some  present  who  accom- 
panied President  Woodruff  home  from  Great  Britain  in  the  year 
1841,  crossing  the  sea  in  the  ship  Rochester. 

Writing  afterwards  of  that  great  day  in  his  life,  in  his  jour- 
nal, he  said:  "The  scene  completely  overpowered  me.  The 
events  of  my  childhood  and  early  manhood  came  to  my  mind.  I 
remembered  vividly  how  I  prayed  to  the  Lord  that  I  might  live 
to  see  a  prophet  or  an  apostle  who  would  teach  me  the  gospel  of 
Christ.  Here  I  stood  in  the  great  Tabernacle  rilled  with  ten  thou- 
sand children,  with  Prophets  Apostles,  and  Saints.  My  head  was 
a  fountain  of  tears;  still  I  addressed  the  mighty  congregation  of 
pure,  innocent  children." 

Such  a  celebration  naturally  made  its  demands  upon  his 
health  and  it  was  generally  noticed  that  he  was  growing  weaker 
and  that  he  could  not  much  longer  tabernacle  in  the  flesh.  On 
the  6th  of  April,  he  entered  the  Tabernacle  and  spoke  to  the 
congregation  for  about  ten  minutes.  Upon  entering  the  building 


616 


WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 


the  vast  congregation  waved  their  handkerchiefs  as  an  expression 
of  their  joy  in  beholding  their  enfeebled,  but  venerable  President. 
He  struggled  on  in  his  efforts  to  perform  as  far  as  possible  the 
duties  of  his  office. 

July  19th,  1907,  President  Woodruff  received  a  visit  from 
Judge  J.  F.  Kinney,  a  former  United  States  justice  of  the  Terri- 
tory, and  a  friend  to  the  people.  Of  this  meeting  the  President 
says: 

"Our  greeting  was  .mutual.  We  both  wept.  As  soon  as  I 
could  speak,  I  said,  'Judge  Kinney,  you  have  done  more  for  the 
'Mormon'  people  in  your  official  capacity  than  all  the  other  federal 
officials  sent  here  by  the  government.'  He  thanked  me  and  said  he 
had  always  endeavored  to  do  his  duty  as  he  understood  it.  We 
had  a  pleasant  conversation  for  an  hour,  when  we  parted,  expect- 
ing to  meet  again." 

Of  July  20th,  1897,  President  Woodruff  remarks : 

"This  is  the  first  day  of  the  proceedings  in  celebrating  the 
fiftieth  anniversary  of  the  entrance  of  the  Pioneers  into  the  valley 
of  the  Great  Salt  Lake — the  year  of  jubilee.  Great  preparations 
have  been  made.  This  morning  I  drove  to  the  stand  erected  near 
the  Brigham  Young  Monument,  where  most  of  the  ceremonies  of 
the  day  are  to  be  held.  After  the  firing  of  cannon  and  so  forth, 
the  ceremonies  commenced.  I  had  prepared  a  prayer,  but  not 
being  able  to  deliver  it,  Bishop  Orson  F.  Whitney  did  so  for  me. 
During  the  proceedings  I  unveiled  the  monument  amid  acclama- 
tions of  the  people.  I  also  attended  the  proceedings  at  the  Tab- 
ernacle in  the  afternoon  and  received  a  beautiful  gold  badge,  as 
did  also  all  the  surviving  Pioneers  of  1847.  There  was  also  a 
grand  concert  at  the  Tabernacle  in  the  evening.  Being  too  weary, 
I  did  not  attend," 

He  continued  to  attend  each  day  of  the  celebration  and  on 
the  twenty-fourth,  seated  in  a  carriage  with  President  Joseph  F. 
Smith  and  Apostle  F.  D.  Richards,  he  headed  the  great  Pioneer 
parade. 

Of  July  22,  1897,  he  writes,  "I  attended  a  part  of  the  services 
of  the  Jubilee  on  children's  day  in  the  Tabernacle-  At  twelve-thirty, 
after  being  seated  on  a  chair  provided  for  me,  I  had  a  laurel 
wreath  placed  upon  my  head  by  a  beautiful  little  girl,  daughter  of 


A  GREAT  BIRTHDAY  CELEBRATION,  1897.        617 

John  and  Ida  Taylor  Whittaker,  and  granddaughter  of  President 
John  Taylor.  I  kissed  her,  saying,  'God  bless  you.'  This  was  in 
the  presence  of  some  twelve  thousand  children,  seated  in  the  Tab- 
ernacle, a  most  beautiful  sight." 

August  14,  1897,  President  Woodruff  signed  a  letter,  pre- 
pared by  Brother  David  McKenzie,  and  addressed  to  the  King  and 
Queen  of  Sweden.  It  was  to  be  accompanied  by  a  beautiful  Utah 
onyx  box,  containing  an  artistically  bound  Book  of  Mormon,  to  be 
presented  by  the  Swedes  and  Norwegians  of  Utah  to  the  King  and 
Queen  on  the  twenty-fifth  anniversary  of  their  coronation.  Elder 
J.  M.  Sjodahl  was  to  make  the  presentation.  The  King  and 
Queen  accepted  the  present  with  gratitude  and  respect.  Following 
is  the  text  of  the  letter : 

LETTER  FROM  THE  FIRST  PRESIDENCY. 

"To  Whom  These  Presents  May  Come, 
GREETING  : 

"Elder  Janne  Matson  Sjodahl,  the  bearer  of  this  letter,  is  a 
gentleman  of  education  and  distinction,  a  Swede  by  birth,  who 
has  traveled  extensively  in  the  Orient  as  well  as  in  Europe  and 
America.  His  present  residence  is  Salt  Lake  City,  Utah,  where  he 
is  well  and  favorably  known  and  highly  esteemed  by  all  who  know 
him. 

"Elder  Sjodahl  has  been  selected  by  his  fellow-countrymen — 
natives  of  Sweden  and  Norway,  a  large  body  of  whom  reside  in 
and  are  citizens  of  the  State  of  Utah — to  proceed  to  the  court  of 
their  Majesties,  King  Oscar  II  and  Queen  Sophia,  on  the  occasion 
of  the  25th  anniversary  of  their  ascension  to  the  throne,  for  the 
purpose  of  presenting  in  their  name  and  behalf,  to  their  Majesties, 
a  casket,  made  of  Utah  onyx,  containing  a  copy  of  the  Book  of 
Mormon,  as  an  expression  of  the  high  esteem,  affection,  and  love 
which  the  Scandinavians  of  this  inter-mountain  region  entertain 
for  their  Majesties,  with  the  hope  and  earnest  desire  that  their 
Majesties  will  live  to  witness  many  happy  returns  of  this  most 
auspicious  event. 

"And  we  ourselves,  though  not  of  the  Scandinavian  race,  do 
most  heartily  join  with  our  Scandinavian  friends  and  fellow  citi- 
zens in  desiring  long  life,  peace,  prosperity,  and  happiness  for  their 


618 


WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 


Majesties,  King  Oscar  II  and  Queen  Sophia  of  Sweden  and  Nor- 
way. 

WILFORD  WOODRUFF, 
GEO.  Q.  CANNON, 
JOSEPH  F.  SMITH, 
First  Presidency  of  the  Church  of 

Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints. 
SALT  LAKE  CITY,  U.  S.  A.,  August  20th,  1897." 

That  the  king  was  very  much  pleased  with  the  congratulations 
and  gifts  of  the  Scandinavians  in  Utah  and  the  address  from  the 
First  Presidency  may  be  inferred  from  the  fact  that  the  bearer  re- 
ceived a  cordial  invitation  to  the  grand  banquet  in  the  palace,  and 
later  a  copy  de  luxe  of  the  proceedings  of  the  jubilee. 

On  the  9th  of  the  following  September,  he  again  started  for 
the  Pacific  coast  where  he  had  formerly  found  relief  as  well  as 
recuperation.  He  first  went  to  Portland  and  then  to  San  Fran- 
cisco, and  reached  home  on  the  25th  of  the  same  month. 

The  following  October  conference  brought  to  his  life  an  event 
which  gave  him  the  deepest  satisfaction.  His  joy  is  abundantly 
expressed  in  the  call  which  his  son  Owen  received  to  be  one  of 
the  Twelve  Apostles.  At  this  conference,  Matthias  F.  Cowley, 
as  well  as  Owen  Woodruff,  was  called  to  be  an  apostle,  and  Joseph 
W.  McMurrin  to  fill  the  vacancy  occasioned  by  the  death  of  Presi- 
dent Edward  Stevenson  of  the  First  Council  of  Seventy. 

November  16th,  1897,  President  Woodruff  performed  the 
marriage  ceremony  which  united  his  daughter  Alice  to  William 
McEwan.  After  bestowing  upon  them  his  benediction,  he  spoke 
to  them  as  follows :  "You  are  now  husband  and  wife,  having  en- 
tered into  a  mutual  covenant.  Promises  for  time  and  eternity 
have  been  made  to  you.  If  you,  yourselves,  honor  God  and  your 
parents,  and  keep  His  commandments  and  the  covenants  you  have 
entered  into,  you  will  be  true  and  faithful  throughout  all  eternity ; 
and  I  will  tell  you  why.  While  we  are  here  we  are  surrounded 
by  temptations  because  we  are  where  devils  dwell.  They  are 
around  us  and  have  power  to  tempt  us ;  and  here  is  the  place  they 
work.  But  there  is  no  man  or  woman  who  has  been  true  and 
faithful  here  until  death  that  will  ever  be  disturbed  or  annoyed  by 


A  GREAT  BIRTHDAY  CELEBRATION,  1897.        619 

them  after  death,  for  the  reason  that  when  faithful  Saints  receive 
their  resurrected  bodies  they  will  occupy  a  place  in  the  celestial 
kingdom,  and  there  devils  do  not  dwell.  In  that  kingdom  there 
will  be  no  one  to  tempt  you  or  lead  you  astray.  If  you  are  true 
and  faithful  here  you  will  be  true  and  faithful  there,  and  be  so 
throughout  all  eternity. 

"When  those  who  are  guided  by  these  evil  spirits  die  they 
go  where  the  evil  spirits  are,  and  they  will  continue  to  have  power 
over  them.  Those  who  resist  such  spirits  in  the  flesh  will  be 
free  from  their  power  hereafter." 

At  April  conference  in  1898,  he  was  present  and  spoke  for 
a  few  moments,  but  this  was  the  last  conference  he  ever  attended. 
He  continued  feeble  throughout  the  spring  and  summer  of  that 
year,  but  struggled  to  attend  the  duties  of  his  office. 

The  last  appearance  of  President  Woodruff  in  a  public  ca- 
pacity in  Salt  Lake  City  was  at  the  ceremonies  connected  with  the 
dedication  of  historic  Pioneer  square  for  a  public  park.  This  was 
on  July  24th,the  fifty-first  anniversary  of  the  arrival  of  the  pioneers 
in  the  Valley.  But  of  the  one  hundred  and  forty-eight  who  entered 
the  Valley  on  that  hot  summer  day  in  1847,  only  two,  President 
Woodruff,  and  W.  C.  A.  Smoot,  were  present  to  see  their  former 
camping  ground  dedicated  to  the  public  use.  Upon  this  occasion 
the  venerable  Church  president  delivered  an  interesting  address. 
He  indulged  in  a  number  of  reminiscences  of  the  entrance  of  the 
pioneers  on  July  24th,  1847.  The  pioneers,  of  which  he  was  one, 
President  Woodruff  said,  emerged  from  Emigration  canyon  at  11 
o'clock  in  the  forenoon,  and  driving  down  into  the  Valley,  camped 
near  where  the  Knutsford  hotel  now  stands.  He  was  driving  in 
President  Brigham  Young's  carriage,  at  the  time,  and  several 
members  of  the  party  preceded  them.  The  forerunners  had  al- 
ready broken  ground  in  which  to  plant  potatoes,  "and,"  the  speak- 
er added,  "we  planted  them  before  we  either  ate  or  drank.  We 
planted  them  in  the  earth,  too,  because  Orson  Pratt  objected  to 
planting  them  in  the  moon."  (Laughter.)  The  carriage  in  which 
President  Young  entered  the  Valley,  President  Woodruff  said, 
was  built  by  a  man  in  Nauvoo.  The  box  was  twelve  feet  long 
and  was  entered  from  the  side  by  a  door. 

President  Woodruff  then  told  of  the  walk  which  President 


620  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

Young  took  over  the  present  site  of  the  city  the  day  after  his  a'r- 
rival,  and  of  how  he  stuck  his  cane  in  the  ground  where  the  Tem- 
ple now  stands,  and  made  the  historic  declaration :  "Here  will 
be  the  Temple  of  our  God."  "I  didn't  ask  him,"  continued  Presi- 
dent Woodruff,  "who  told  him  the  Temple  would  be  there.  I 
didn't  care.  I  put  a  stake  there  and  the  Temple  is  there,  a  monu- 
ment to  President  Young's  foresight  and  prophetic  accuracy." 

President  Woodruff  also  told  of  the  first  trip  to  the  Lake, 
and  of  the  bath  which  he  and  the  other  members  of  the  party  took 
at  that  time.  "One  of  our  number,"  he  said,  "was  a  negro,  and 
when  he  came  out  and  the  salt  water  had  dried  upon  him  he  was 
almost  white.  Porter  Rockwell  declared  that  the  sudden  change 
in  the  negro's  color  was  the  first  miracle  that  had  been  performed 
in  this  part  of  the  country.  (Laughter).  But  as  soon  as  the 
salt  came  off  he  was  as  black  as  ever.  (Laughter). 

Reference  was  then  made  to  the  efforts  of  a  Californian  to 
induce  President  Young  to  journey  on  to  California,  and  his  re- 
fusal to  consider  such  a  proposition.  He  declared  his  intention 
at  that  time  of  remaining  here  and  building  a  temple,  a  city  and 
a  country,  "and  you  can  judge  for  yourselves,"  President  Wood- 
ruff added,  "whether  he  did  it  or  not." 

President  Woodruff  predicted  that  the  population  of  the 
State  would  increase  as  rapidly  during  the  coming  fifty  years  as 
it  had  in  the  past  fifty;  and  in  connection  with  the  past  progress, 
he  declared  that  he  was  in  duty  bound  to  give  President  Young 
full  credit  for  what  he  had  done.  President  Young,  he  said, 
had  been  inspired  by  God  to  do  all  these  things,  and  had  done 
them  well.  In  closing  he  admonished  the  people  to  live  their  re- 
ligion and  do  honor  to  God  in  order  that  they  might  join  Presi- 
dent Young  and  the  other  pioneers  in  the  world  above. 

He  again  sought  relief  in  a  change  of  atmosphere  and  sur- 
roundings. On  the  13th  of  August,  he  left  for  the  Pacific  coast.  He 
was  accompanied  by  his  wife,  Emma,  by  George  Q.  Cannon,  and 
Bishop  Clawson.  Upon  their  arrival  in  San  Francisco,  they  were 
welcomed  at  the  home  of  Col.  Isaac  Trumbo.  As  late  as  August 
27  he  addressed  the  Bohemian  Club,  and  the  next  day  spoke 
in  the  meeting  of  the  Saints  in  San  Francisco.  This  was 
his  last  public  address.  His  life  was  gradually  ebbing  away, 
and  within  a  couple  of  weeks  after  reaching  the  coast  he  began 


A  GREAT  BIRTHDAY  CELEBRATION,  1847.          621 

to  fail  rapidly,  and  passed  from  this  life  at  6 : 40  Friday  morn- 
ing, September  2nd,  1898. 

Of  his  last  moments,  George  Q.  Cannon,  who  was  at  his  bed- 
side, wrote  in  his  journal :  "I  arose  about  6  o'clock.  The  nurse 
told  me  he  had  been  sleeping  in  the  same  position  all  the  time. 
I  took  hold  of  his  wrist,  felt  his  pulse  and  I  could  feel  that  it  was 
very  faint.  While  I  stood  there  it  grew  fainter  and  fainter  until  it 
faded  entirely.  His  head,  his  hands,  and  his  feet  were  warm  and 
his  appearance  was  that  of  a  person  sleeping  sweetly  and  quietly. 
There  was  not  a  quiver  of  a  muscle  nor  a  movement  of  his  limbs 
or  face;  thus  he  passed  away. 

"I  cannot  describe  the  feelings  I  had.  The  event  was  so  un- 
expected, so  terrible — and  away  from  home.  I  could  not  under- 
stand it.  I  felt  that  I  had  lost  the  best  friend  I  had  on  earth.  The 
suddenness  of  his  sickness  and  death  was  a  blow  to  all  of  us.  I 
have  known  President  Woodruff  since  I  was  a  boy  twelve  years 
of  age,  when  he  came  to  my  father's  house.  I  have  loved  him 
with  great  affection.  During  my  association  with  him  as  a  coun- 
selor, our  relations  have  been  of  the  most  pleasant  character.  He 
has  treated  me  with  the  greatest  consideration  and  kindness  and 
has  honored  me  beyond  my  deserts.  He  has  deferred  to  me  many 
times  when  I  felt  that  he  was  paying  me  too  much  respect.  He 
has  sought  to  know  my  mind  upon  every  question  of  any  im- 
portance that  has  been  submitted  to  us.  Very  frequently  when 
I  have  been  absent,  he  has  deferred  action  until  I  could  be  present. 
No  man  that  ever  lived  could  have  honored  a  counselor  more  than 
President  Woodruff  has  honored  me.  He  was  a  man  entirely 
free  from  jealousy  and  from  everv  feeling  that  would  make  it  un- 
pleasant for  his  associates.  He  has  been  angelic  in  his  nature. 
A  pure  woman  could  not  have  been  more  lovely  and  interesting 
to  associate  with  than  he  has  been." 

The  remains  of  the  deceased  leader  were  conveyed  from  San 
Francisco  to  Salt  Lake  City  in  a  special  car.  As  many  of  the 
members  of  the  Twelve  as  were  in  the  city,  together  with  a  num- 
ber of  the  President's  family,  met  the  party  accompanying  the 
body,  at  Ogden  on  the  morning  of  Septembei  4,  and  joined  them 
for  the  remainder  of  the  journey  to  the  capital.  From  the  railway 
station  the  casket  and  its  contents  were  carried  to  the  Woodruff 


622 


WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 


residence,  where  they  remained  until  the  8th  inst. — the  day  of  the 
funeral. 

On  May  18,  1882,  President  Woodruff  wrote  the  following 
directions  as  to  his  burial,  which  he  wished  carried  out  by  his 
friends  when  he  should  pass  away : 

"CONCERNING  MY  DEATH  AND  BURIAL. 

"I  wish  to  say  that  at  my  death  I  wish  the  historian  of  the 
Church  to  publish  a  brief  account  of  my  life,  labors,  and  travels  as 
an  Elder  and  an  Apostle  in  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter- 
day  Saints.  I  wish  my  body  washed  clean  and  clothed  in  clean 
white  linen,  according  to  the  order  of  the  Holy  Priesthood,  and 
put  into  a  plain,  decent  coffin,  made  of  native  wood,  with  plenty  of 
room.  I  do  not  wish  any  black  made  use  of  about  my  coffin,  or 
about  the  vehicle  that  conveys  my  body  to  the  grave.  I  do  not 
wish  my  family  or  friends  to  wear  any  badge  of  mourning  for  me 
at  my  funeral  or  afterwards,  for,  if  I  am  true  and  faithful  unto 
death,  there  will  be  no  necessity  for  any  one  to  mourn  for  me.  I 
have  no  directions  to  give  concerning  the  services  of  my  funeral, 
any  further  than  it  would  be  pleasing  to  me  for  as  many  of  the 
Presidency  and  Twelve  Apostles  who  may  be  present  to  speak  as 
may  be  thought  wisdom.  Their  speech  will  be  to  the  living. 

"If  the  laws  and  customs  of  the  spirit  world  will  permit,  I 
should  wish  to  attend  my  funeral  myself,  but  I  shall  be  governed 
by  the  counsel  I  receive  in  the  spirit  world. 

"I  wish  a  plain  marble  slab  put  at  the  head  of  my  grave,  stat- 
ing my  name  and  age,  and  that  I  died  in  the  faith  of  the  Gospel  of 
Christ  and  in  the  fellowship  of  the  Saints. 

WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 
President  of  the  Council  of  the  Twelve  Apostles." 


CHAPTER  56. 

FUNERAL  SERVICES. 
(From  the  Deseret  News.) 

After  more  than  ninety-one  years  of  incessant  activity  and 
immeasurable  usefulness  upon  the  earth,  the  mortal  tabernacle  of 
President  Wilford  Woodruff  was  to-day  laid  to  rest  in  the  silent 
city  above  the  metropolis  that  he  helped  to  found  and  to  build. 
The  final  offices  associated  with  the  consignment  of  his  remains 
to  the  plain  and  substantial  tomb  in  which  they  were  deposited 
were  most  kindly  and  reverently  administered.  Never  was  a  great 
and  good  man  more  loved  by  his  people  than  he,  and  perhaps  a 
people  never  exhibited  the  love  and  respect  they  held  for  a  leader 
to  a  greater  extent  than  did  the  tens  of  thousands  who  attended 
his  obsequies  and  witnessed  the  funeral  cortege  as  it  passed  through 
the  streets  to  the  cemetery.  Bared  and  bowed  heads  were  every- 
where in  the  multitude  upon  the  streets.  When  words  were  spoken 
it  was  with  subdued  voices,  and  all  that  was  said  was  said  with 
respect  and  honor  for  the  departed  pioneer,  builder,  and  states- 
man. 

Probably  not  for  years  to  come  will  such  a  spectacle  as  that 
which  was  presented  this  morning  be  again  witnessed.  Long 
before  8  o'clock  anxious  throngs  had  congregated  in  groups 
around  the  Temple  square,  awaiting  the  opening  of  the  outer 
gates  that  seats  might  be  obtained;  for  well  was  it  anticipated 
that  mighty  hosts  would  throng  the  sacred  precincts  of  the  Tab- 
ernacle to  pay  by  their  presence  the  last  sad  token  of  respect  to 
the  dead  leader  in  Israel.  Therefore  the  scene  was  a  remark- 
able one.  Nothing,  however,  occurred  to  mar  the  solemnity  of 
the  great  occasion.  The  hush  of  expectation  was  felt  by  all  as 
the>  stood  in  the  shade  of  the  Temple  block  walls,  and  all  around 
under  the  sheltering  trees,  and  one  could  not  but  feel  that,  with 
the  deep  solemnity  prevailing  and  the  tremor  of  sunshine  that 
some  sweetly  solemn  thought  brought  to  mind  as  the  moments 
passed,  he  was  standing  on  the  verge  of  the  valley  of  Death. 


624  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

Not,  however,  with  any  feeling  of  gloom,  because  of  the  great  be- 
reavement the  people  felt  that  they  sustained  in  the  demise  of 
their  beloved  President,  but  because  of  the  joy  that  emanated  from 
their  hearts  and  beamed  from  their  eyes. 

It  was  more  than  an  hour  and  a  half  before  the  services  in 
the  Tabernacle  began.  When  the  doors  were  opened  the  great 
auditorium  was  almost  filled.  The  people  continued  to  pour  in  by 
every  door ;  nearly  every  seat  was  taken  before  ten  o'clock,  except 
those  reserved  for  the  family  of  the  deceased  and  the  families  and 
friends  of  the  highest  officials  of  the  Church.  These,  however, 
were  all  occupied  before  the  appointed  time  for  the  services  to 
begin. 

Outside  the  building,  while  the  crowds  were  pressing  for- 
ward, Marshal  Burton  and  his  aids,  mounted  on  magnificent 
horses,  were  busy  directing  the  movements  of  the  attendant  hosts. 
Without  and  within,  the  scene  was  the  same,  and  when  all  who 
could  obtain  sitting  or  standing  room  in  the  great  building  were 
at  length  in  position,  one  could  not  help  but  revert  in  his  mind 
to  similar  occasions  in  the  past.  Perhaps  no  similar  scene  ever 
surpassed  this  of  to-day  even  in  the  camps  of  ancient  Israel,  or  in 
the  gatherings  that  have  been  depicted  by  historic  pen  from  the 
days  when  Greece  and  Rome  paid  tribute  to  their  dead.  There  was 
no  pageantry  or  panoply  of  strange  device ;  no  pomp  of  show  or 
bombastic  sorrow ;  nothing  but  united  homage  and  love. 

It  was  just  10  o'clock  when  the  body  of  President  Woodruff 
was  borne  into  the  confines  of  the  square  and  thence  carried  down 
the  north  aisle  of  the  Tabernacle  to  its  central  position  on  the 
dais  before  the  stand.  As  the  procession  entered,  fully  ten  thou- 
sand people  with  uncovered  heads,  rose  in  respect,  as  the  casket 
passed  along  its  way,  and  so  quiet  was  the  rising  that  it  seemed 
like  the  gentle  rustling  of  autumn  leaves. 

Thousands  unable  to  gain  admittance  to  the  Tabernacle 
thronged  and  pressed  around  the  entrances  and  walls  in  hope  of 
hearing  a  word  of  sound  from  the  hallowed  precincts  within,  that 
would  touch  a  sympathetic  chord  in  their  responsive  hearts,  while 
thousands  more  lingered  for  hours  under  the  kindly  shelter  of  the 
numerous  trees  that  ornament  the  spacious  grounds  within  the 
square,  that  they  might,  when  opportunity  arrived,  join  in  the 
procession  to  the  grave. 


FUNERAL  SERVICES.  625 

FROM    THE    HOME. 

The  scenes  around  the  late  home  of  the  venerable  President 
were  such  as  are  usual  in  the  presence  of  death.  The  family  of 
the  deceased  and  the  general  authorities  of  the  Church  were  gath- 
ered around  the  bier,  and  gentle,  loving  hands  bore  the  casket 
to  the  waiting  hearse.  Woodruff  Villa  was  left  by  the  cortege  at 
twenty  minutes  past  nine,  and  the  procession  wended  its  way 
from  Fifth  East  to  Sixth  South,  thence  to  State  Street,  thence 
north  to  South  Temple,  thence  west  to  East  Temple,  and  proceed- 
ing round  the  Temple  block  reached  the  north  gate  of  the  square  at 
five  minutes  past  ten.  The  casket  was  then  borne  into  the  Tab- 
ernacle by  six  bearers,  whose  names  are  as  follows:  Dr.  L.  W. 
Snow,  Dr.  M.  W.  Snow,  Wilford  S.  Woodruff,  James  Woodruff, 
Jr.,  Georges  Scholes,  and  Wilford  Woodruff  Beatie.  The  family 
of  the  President  followed  immediately  behind  and  then  came  the 
general  authorities  of  the  Church,  the  Twelve  Apostles,  and  others, 
and  the  casket  was  placed  upon  the  dias  in  front  of  the  stand 
where  it  could  be  seen  by  the  assembled  thousands,  who  rose  en 
masse  during  the  proceeding. 

CEREMONIES  AT  THE  TABERNACLE. 

At  10:35,  the  Tabernacle  being  then  crowded  to  its  utmost 
capacity,  Professor  Joseph  J.  Daynes  rendered  on  the  organ  a 
march  composed  especially  for  the  occasion.  Its  rendition  was 
the  signal  for  reverential  attention,  all  seeming  to  feel  to  the 
greatest  extent  the  utter  solemnity  of  the  occasion. 

Of  the  general  authorities,  there  were  present  on  the  stand : 

Counselors  to  the  late  President  Wilford  Woodruff,  George 
Q.  Cannon,  and  Joseph  F.  Smith. 

Of  the  Twelve  Apostles :  Lorenzo  Snow,  Franklin  D.  Rich- 
ards, Brigham  Young,  Francis  M.  Lyman,  John  Henry  Smith, 
George  Teasdale,  Heber  J.  Grant,  John  W.  Taylor,  Mariner  W. 
Merrill,  Anthon  H.  Lund,  Matthias  F.  Cowley,  and  Abraham 
O.  Woodruff. 

Presiding  Patriarch,  John  Smith. 

Of  the  First  Seven  Presidents  of  Seventies :     Seymour  B, 


626  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

Young,  Christian  D.  Fjeldsted,  B.  H.  Roberts,  George  Reynolds, 
and  J.  Golden  Kimball. 

The  Presiding  Bishopric :  Wm.  B.  Preston,  Robert  T.  Bur- 
ton, and  John  R.  Winder. 

The  Presidency  of  the  Salt  Lake  Stake  of  Zion. 

President  George  Q.  Cannon  announced  the  opening  hymn, 
on  page  357  of  the  L.  D.  S.  Hymn  book,  commencing  as  fol- 
lows : 

"Thou  dost  not  weep,  to  weep  alone ; 

The  broad  bereavement  seems  to  fall 
Unheeded  and  unfelt  by  none; 

He  was  beloved,  beloved  by  all." 

The  hymn  was  sung  with  much  pathos  and  feeling  by  the 
Tabernacle  choir,  after  which  Elder  F.  D.  Richards,  of  the  Quor- 
um of  the  Apostles,  offered  prayer.  It  was  a  fervent  offering, 
replete  with  thankfulness  to  God  the  Father  for  His  many  bless- 
ings unto  the  Latter-day  Saints ;  for  His  having  raised  up  such  a 
faithful  and  devoted  servant  as  President  Wilford  Woodruff,  and 
for  the  great  good  that  he  was  enabled  to  do  while  sojourning  here 
upon  the  earth.  Elder  Richards  invoked  the  blessings  of  God 
upon  the  bereaved  family  and  especially  upon  President  Wood- 
ruff's son  Owen,  who  had  been  called  to  the  holy  Apostleship, 
and  asked  that  he  might  be  a  man  of  God,  like  his  father,  unto 
the  family. 

Elder  George  D.  Pyper  and  the  choir  sang  the  hymn : 

"O  my  Father,  Thou  that  dwellest 

In  the  high  and  glorious  place, 
When  shall  I  regain  Thy  presence. 
And  again  behold  Thy  face? 
In  Thy  holy  habitation 

Did  my  spirit  once  reside, 
In  my  first  primeval  childhood 

Was  I  nurtured  near  Thy  side." 

During  the  musical  exercises,  the  inscription,  "Being  Dead 
Yet  Speaketh,"  was  displayed  by  means  of  electric  lights,  the  same 


FUNERAL  SERVICES.  627 

appearing  just  over  a  life-size  likeness  of  President  Woodruff, 
and  having  an  excellent  effect. 

PRESIDENT  JOSEPH  F.  SMITH 

was  the  first  speaker.  He  said  in  substance:  It  would  be  sup- 
erfluous for  me  to  attempt  to  enter  into  an  historical  relation  of 
the  great  events  of  the  life  of  our  own  great  President,  Wilford 
Woodruff.  It  would  also  seem  unnecessary  for  me  to  attempt 
to  eulogize  his  character,  and  labors  as  a  husband,  a  father,  and 
a  servant  of  God,  because  his  life  was  so  well  known  to  the 
people.  President  Woodruff  was  the  fourth  in  succession  who 
has  occupied  the  exalted  position  of  President,  Seer,  and  Reve- 
lator  to  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints  upon 
the  earth.  It  was  my  privilege,  when  a  child,  to  witness  the 
funeral  services  over  the  remains  of  the  first  President,  Joseph 
Smith,  and  to  know  him  as  a  child  may  know  a  man.  He  was 
absent  in  England  on  a  mission  at  the  death  of  President  Young, 
and  was  unable  to  attend  the  services  of  John  Taylor.  But  he 
was  glad  to  be  present  on  this  occasion,  and  to  have  the  privilege 
of  mingling  his  words  and  tears  with  those  of  his  brethren  over 
one  of  the  late  Presidents,  whose  labors  had  been  so  blessed  to 
the  people  of  God.  He  was  thankful  for  the  privilege  of  associ- 
ating from  his  youth  to  his  manhood  with  the  four  Presidents 
of  the  Church.  He  was  intimately  associated  with  Brigham 
Young,  and  had  the  benefit  of  his  wise  counsel ;  and  in  his  intimate 
associations  with  Presidents  Taylor  and  Woodruff,  he  had  ex- 
perienced great  joy,  and  had  found  them  to  be  all  that  the  people 
of  God  held  them  up  to  be  before  the  world.  Those  who  thought 
that  these  men  had  sinister  motives  and  were  not  actuated  by 
the  purest  desires,  had  been  greatly  deceived,  or  exceedingly  ig- 
norant. No  men  with  whom  he  had  been  associated  had  lived 
purer  lives.  They  had  not  sought  to  build  themselves  up,  but  to 
save  souls  and  to  establish  truth  in  .the  earth.  They  had  been 
sincere  in  their  convictions,  and  in  the  inspiration  they  had  re- 
ceived from  God.  He  was  a  living  witness  that  Joseph  Smith  had 
been  raised  up  to  usher  in  the  dispensation  of  the  fulness  of 
times.  President  Woodruff  had  shown  his  greatness  in  giving  out 


628 


WILFORD  WODORUFF. 


his  life's  labor  for  the  establishment  of  this  testimony  in  the  earth. 
The  day  would  soon  be  passed  when  infidel  tongues  would  ridicule 
the  claims  of  the  Church  of  Christ,  and  the  work  of  such  men  as 
President  Woodruff  would  soon  be  established  and  acknowledged 
in  the  world  ;•  for  he  had  exemplified  all  its  truths  and  principles 
in  his  life,  manifesting  his  faith  and  knowledge  by  his  works. 
He  had  recognized  the  fact  that  in  the  light  of  this  knowledge 
his  whole  trust  and  duty  was  to  show  his  faithfulness  to  it. 

Joseph  Smith,  the  Prophet,  was  misunderstood  by  the  world, 
and  was  not  permitted  to  live  beyond  his  young  manhood,  but  his 
name  was  worthy  of  all  honor ;  for  he  was  raised  up  of  God,  and 
was  not  an  imposter,  a  deceiver,  or  deceived.  Men  might  imag- 
ine what  they  would,  but  there  were  many  thousands  of  people 
who  could  testify  of  their  own  knowledge,  through  the  testimony 
of  the  Holy  Ghost,  that  he  was  raised  up  by  the  Lord  to  usher 
in  the  glorious  coming  of  the  Kingdom  of  God.  This  he  did  in 
order  that  men  might  be  enlightened ;  for  the  glory  of  God  is  in- 
telligence, that  men  and  women  might  be  brought  to  a  knowl- 
edge of  the  truth.  This  perfect  knowledge  was  to  be  brought 
to  their  souls  through  the  ministration  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  which 
bears  record  of  the  things  of  God ;  by  which  even  the  ignorant 
fishermen  who  followed  our  Lord,  might  know  that  Jesus  is  the 
Christ.  Only  by  this  means  could  such  a  knowledge  be  obtained. 

The  speaker  paid  a  strong  tribute  to  President  George  Q. 
Cannon,  Lorenzo  Snow,  and  Franklin  D.  Richards,  and  their 
faithfulness  to  the  Presidents  who  had  passed  away.  Of  Presi- 
dent Woodruff,  he  said  he  did  not  think  he  had  any  feeling  in  his 
heart  to  injure  any  man,  but  he  had  labored  to  do  good  in  the 
world.  No  greater  work  had  he  done  than  in  the  exemplification, 
in  his  life,  of  all  the  principles  he  had  espoused,  and  in  his  in- 
tegrity to  his  brethren  in  all  conditions.  He  was  made  of  the 
material  of  which  martyrs  are  made ;  for  he  faced  death  many 
times  for  the  sake  of  his  brethren  and  the  cause  of  Zion,  and  never 
quailed  in  the  face  of  danger,  no  matter  who  of  his  associates 
may  have  proved  themselves  traitors. 

President  Smith  hoped  that  he  and  all  others  might  follow 
in  all  their  lives  the  path  marked  out  by  the  deceased  President. 


FUNERAL   SERVICES.  620 

He  prayed  for  the  blessings  of  God  on  the  bereaved  family,  that 
they  might  follow  the  life  work  of  their  great  leader,  in  which 
case  their  salvation  would  be  sure. 

A  solo  and  chorus  entitled,  Beautiful  City,  was  then  sung 
by  Sister  Maggie  C.  Hull  and  the  Temple  choir,  under  the  leader- 
ship of  Professor  C.  J.  Thomas. 

PRESIDENT    SNOW    SPEAKS. 

President  Lorenzo  Snow  then  spoke.  He  said  he  was  very 
much  pleased  and  delighted  to  see  such  a  vast  multitude  assembled 
for  the  purpose  of  honoring  President  Woodruff.  He  had  been 
acquainted  with  President  Woodruff  sixty-two  years,  a  good 
portion  of  the  time  quite  intimately.  All  that  has  been  said  of 
him  was  fully  worthy  of  the  life  which  he  had  led.  President 
Snow  did  not  feel  as  some  perhaps  felt,  that  the  passing  of  one 
into  another  sphere  of  action  was  a  disaster.  Such  a  change  had 
been  decreed  from  the  beginning.  There  were  periods  in  the 
lives  of  people  -that  were  highly  important  and  one  was  the  pre- 
paration for  entrance  upon  this  sphere  of  action.  President  Wood- 
ruff had  fulfilled  his  calling.  His  sojourn  here  upon  earth  had 
been  as  near  perfection  as  it  was  possible  for  mankind  to  make 
it  so.  It  was  the  duty  of  every  individual  to  do  all  he  could  to 
rectify  the  mistakes  common  to  humanity.  All  were  born  subject 
to  error  and  therefore  perfection  could  not  be  expected  of  the 
human  family.  It  was  possible  for  mankind  so  to  order  their 
lives  as  to  gain  for  themselves  an  exaltation  in  the  Kingdom  of 
God,  and  to  be  proud  of  the  record  made  when  they  were  called 
into  another  world.  President  Woodruff  had  had  such  an  ob- 
ject in  view  from  his  early  manhood.  He  had  become  acquainted 
with  the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  sought  to  live  a  life  such 
as  would  entitle  him  to  all  the  blessings  in  store  for  the  faithful. 
This  was  a  satisfaction  to  his  family,  as  he  had  left  behind  him 
an  example  that  would  make  of  them  honored  and  useful  instru- 
ments in  the  hands  of  God,  if  they  followed  it. 

President  Snow  spoke  of  the  vacancy  in  the  Presidency 
caused  by  the  death  of  President  Woodruff.  Many  people,  said 
he,  had  been  led  to  wonder  and  imagine  how  the  affairs  of  the 
Church  were  to  be  carried  on.  The  gospel  in  its  completeness, 


630 


WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 


said  the  speaker,  made  provision  for  these  changes.  The  work 
would  roll  on  uninterruptedly  as  it  had  done,  succeeding  the  death 
of  the  Prophet  Joseph  and  the  death  of  President  Brigham  Young 
and  John  Taylor.  On  the  death  of  the  President  of  the  Church, 
the  responsibility  fell  upon  the  Quorum  of  the  Twelve  Apostles, 
and  so  it  would,  on  this  occasion.  The  Quorum  of  Apostles, 
said  President  Snow,  was  never  as  able  to  handle  such  a  re- 
sponsibility as  it  was  at  the  present  time.  It  was  fully  organized, 
and  the  brethren  were  in  perfect  union  and  accord  with  one 
another,  and  faithful  and  devoted  to  the  trust  reposed  in 
them.  Presidents  Cannon  and  Smith  were  men  of  God,  full 
of  faith  and  devotion  to  the  cause,  and  their  work  in  rolling  on 
the  kingdom  would  be  greatly  appreciated  and  felt.  There  was 
no  danger  as  to  the  outcome  of  the  work  of  God.  It  had  been 
established  for  a  purpose,  and  that  purpose  would  be  accom- 
plished, and  the  Church  progress  and  increase  in  the  earth,  no 
matter  how  many  of  the  authorities  were  called  to  another  sphere. 

ELDER  FRANKLIN  D.   RICHARDS 


of  the  Council  of  the  Apostles,  followed.  So  far  as  one  man 
could  enter  into  the  feelings  of  another,  he  felt  to  adopt  as  his 
own  the  words  of  his  brethren  regarding  the  greatness  and  good- 
ness of  his  late  President.  He  spoke  of  the  first  time  he  met 
Wilford  Woodruff,  and  stated  that  he  was  impressed  very  strong- 
ly with  the  directness  and  simplicity  of  his  character,  and  his 
prefect  guilelessness.  He  had  been  a  great  exemplar  of  the  work 
in  which  he  had  been  engaged,  by  his  implicit  obedience  to  the 
dictates  of  the  spirit.  This  had  been  one  of  the  great  features 
of  his  life.  Another  had  been  the  keeping  of  a  diary  of  his  actions 
and  the  history  of  the  Church,  from  his  first  connection  with  it 
to  the  day  before  his  death,  which  would  be  most  valuable  as  a 
compendium  of  the  progress  of  the  work.  Elder  Richards  urged 
the  elders  to  follow  the  example  of  President  Woodruff  in  this  re- 
gard. His  healing  power  had  been  strongly  manifested  on  many 
occasions,  one  striking  instance  being  related  by  the  speaker. 

Although  at  the  death  of  the  three  former  Presidents    not 
all  the  Apostles  had  been  permitted  to  be  present,  yet  on  this  oc- 


FUNERAL  SERVICES.  631 

casion,  the  speaker  was  pleased  to  announce,  all  the  members  of 
the  Quorum  were  present. 

President  Woodruff's  enemies  had  been  led  to  become  his 
friends.  He  had  assisted  in  the  building  and  dedication  of  the 
temples,  had  established  an  honorable  family  in  the  earth  and 
had  performed  great  missionary  labors  in  different  parts  of  the 
world.  He  had  been  a  mighty  fisher  of  men  bringing  into  the 
Church  almost  two  thousand  persons.  He  and  Heber  C.  Kim- 
ball  had  established  the  greatest  records,  in  this  respect,  in  the 
Church.  The  speaker  closed  expressing  the  hope  that  the  Saints 
would  emulate  the  worthy  example  of  the  departed,  and  that  their 
-rorks  might  be  as  honorable  and  their  end  as  blessed  as  his. 

PRESIDENT    GEORGE    Q.     CANNON. 

President  George  Q.  Cannon  began  his  remarks  by  reading 
a  portion  of  the  76th  section  of  the  Doctrine  and  Covenants  con- 
cerning the  resurrection  of  the  just.  In  standing  up  to  address 
the  Saints,  said  he,  it  was  only  because  he  knew  he  would  have 
the  faith  and  prayers  of  those  assembled.  In  the  passing  away 
of  President  Woodruff,  a  man  had  gone  from  our  midst  whose 
character  was  probably  as  angelical  as  that  of  any  person  who 
had  ever  lived  upon  the  earth.  We  shall  ever  miss  him,  said 
President  Cannon.  His  family  will  ever  miss  him,  as  to  them  he 
was  the  all  in  all,  an  honored  and  respected  husband  and  father. 

In  the  death  of  such  men,  said  President  Cannon,  it  was  a 
consolation  to  know  that  they  left  behind  them  the  keys  of  the 
priesthood  which  they  held,  thus  permitting  the  rolling  on  of  the 
work  of  God.  President  Woodruff  was  an  unassuming  man, 
very  unaffected  and  childlike  in  his  demeanor.  He  did  no  man 
an  injury,  nor  was  he  too  proud,  even  in  his  Apostolic  calling, 
to  toil  as  other  men  toiled.  His  traits  and  characteristics  were 
ennobling,  and  so  energetic  was  he  that  nothing  was  too  bur- 
densome for  him  even  in  his  advanced  years. 

President  Cannon  felt  that  too  much  could  not  be  said  in 
praise  of  President  Woodruff.  He  was  of  a  sweet  disposition 
and  possessed  a  character  so  lovely  as  to  draw  unto  him  friends 
in  every  walk  of  life.  He  would  no  more  do  a  wrong  than  he 


632 


WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 


would  commit  suicide.  He  was  straightforward  in  all  his  deal- 
ings with  his  fellow  man,  and  never  shirked  an  obligation.  He 
was  free,  sociable,  and  amiable  in  every  respect.  No  jealousy 
lurked  in  his  bosom.  He  looked  upon  all  mankind  as  his  equals 
and  was  one  who  cherished  the  most  profound  respect  for  all  with 
whom  he  associated.  He  was  gentle  as  a  woman  and  his  purity 
was  like  unto  that  of  the  angels  themselves.  In  spite  of  his  high 
and  holy  calling,  he  displayed  no  dignity,  was  unpretentious,  un- 
assuming, and  his  character  and  life  were  as  transparent  as  glass. 
He  hid  nothing  from  his  brethren,  but  was  candid,  outspoken,  and 
free  to  all. 

President  Cannon  spoke  of  a  remark  made  by  President 
Woodruff  some  time  ago.  In  his  office  one  morning  he  remarked. 
"I'm  growing  old,"  the  statement  being  occasioned  through  the 
greater  ability  of  a  strong,  wiry  grandson  in  hoeing  potatoer 
So  industrious  was  President  Woodruff,  that  he  felt  he  \v«*« 
growing  old  because  those  stronger  and  younger  could  outdo  him 
in  cultivating  the  garden.  President  Woodruff  labored  freely  and 
gratuitously  in  the  ministry.  With  him  it  was  a  labor  of  love, 
his  only  hope  of  reward  being  in  the  hereafter  when  he  would  be 
called  upon  to  give  an  account  of  his  stewardship.  For  years  he 
lived  on  his  20-acre  farm  and  took  pleasure  in  beautifying  his 
surroundings  and  wresting  from  the  earth,  the  elements  to  sus- 
tain life.  He  was  a  great  correspondent,  and  his  children  and 
grandchildren  loved  to  write  to  him.  He  kept  a  complete  ac- 
count of  his  life's  doings,  and  even  up  to  the  day  he  was  stricken 
down,  his  journal  told  of  his  work  of  the  day  before. 

In  the  ministry,  said  President  Cannon,  President  Woodruff 
had  accomplished  a  great  deal.  He  had  traveled  thousands  of 
miles,  preached  the  gospel  to  thousands  of  people,  and  succeeded 
in  bringing  a  great  many  into  the  Church.  He  had  left  behind 
him  a  monument  of  good  that  time  could  not  efface  or  obliterate. 
His  was  a  life  well  spent,  fraught  with  good  deeds,  actuated  by 
a  noble  purpose. 

President  Cannon  referred  to  the  last  days  of  President  Wood- 
ruff on  the  earth.  He  was  pleasant  and  cheerful  to  the  end. 
With  the  speaker  he  attended  a  banquet  given  by  the  Bohemian 
club  of  San  Francisco  to  one  of  its  members.  At  it  he  was  asked 


FUNERAL  SERVICES.  633 

to  speak  and  did  so.  This  was  on  Saturday,  the  27th  inst.  On 
Sunday  he  attended  meeting  in  San  Francisco,  and  Monday  went 
out  riding.  Tuesday  and  Wednesday  he  spent  writing,  and  on 
Thursday  the  fatal  attack  came  on,  which  ended  in  his  death 
on  Friday  morning.  His  end  was  calm  and  peaceful.  He  passed 
away  as  one  sleeping. 

Referring  to  the  death  of  President  Woodruff  away  from 
home,  President  Cannon  stated  that  it  was  his  desire  to  go  away. 
He  was  so  concerned  in  the  speaker's  health  that  he  thought  such 
an  outing  was  necessary.  He  himself  had  been  benefitted  pre- 
viously in  going  to  the  seacoast,  and  it  was  his  desire  to  accom- 
pany President  Cannon  on  this  occasion.  His  passing  away, 
though  quite  unexpected,  was  a  gradual  sinking  into  an  eternal 
sleep. 

President  Woodruff  was  a  man  of  God.  He  had  finished  the 
fight  and  had  been  called  hence  to  mingle  with  his  brethren,  and 
to  receive  his  well-earned  reward.  He  was  a  heavenly  being.  It 
was  heaven  to  be  in  his  company,  and  his  departure  from  this 
sphere  of  action,  robs  the  community  of  a  great  and  good  man, 
and  one  who  fully  merited  all  the  blessings  promised  to  those  who 
"remain  true  and  steadfast  unto  the  end.  The  speaker  had  been 
privileged  to  witness  the  departure  from  earth  of  Presidents 
Young  and  Taylor.  They,  too,  were  righteous  men,  entitled  to  a 
full  bestowal  of  heavenly  blessings. 

Concluding,  President  Cannon  invoked  the  blessings  of  God 
upon  the  Twelve  Apostles  and  upon  all  who  held  responsible  posi- 
tions in  the  Church,  that  their  lives  might  be  fraught  with  good 
deeds  and  noble  examples,  such  as  those  characterizing  the  life 
and  labors  of  President  Wilford  Woodruff. 

The  choir  sang  President  Woodruff's  favorite  hymn  : 

"God  moves  in  a  mysterious  way." 

The  closing  prayer  was  offered  by  Elder  Brigham  Young 
of  the  Quorum  of  the  Twelve  Apostles,  and  the  immense  audi- 
ence dispersed  to  take  up  their  places  in  the  order  of  procession, 
the  congregation  marching  out  in  order  to  a  selection  on  the  organ 
bv  Professor  J.  J.  Daynes. 


634  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

THE  FUNERAL  CORTEGE  STARTS. 

The  ceremonies  in  the  Tabernacle  ended,  the  great  audience 
filed  out  into  the  street  and,  diverging  in  all  directions,  a  vast 
host,  mingling  with  those  who  had  lingered  outside,  sought  their 
carriages  and  other  conveyances  ready  to  fall  into  line  when  the 
procession  to  the  grave  should  be  formed.  Thousands  thronged 
the  streets  in  anticipation  of  witnessing  the  departure,  and  yet 
everything  was  orderly  and  all  arrangements  skilfully  carried  out. 
The  marshal  of  the  day,  with  his  numerous  efficient  aids,  and  the 
detachment  of  police,  rendered  signal  service  in  executing  the 
plans  so  carefully  arranged.  Hundreds  of  conveyances  lined  the 
adjacent  streets  and  were  brought  up  in  line  in  seemly  order,  and, 
in  fact,  everything  attested  the  prevalent  reverence  in  which  the 
occasion  was  held,  so  that  nothing  might  occur  to  mar  or  delay 
the  marshaling  of  order  out  of  seeming  chaos.  The  services  in  the 
Tabernacle  being  finished  at  1 :  30,  the  formation  of  the  procession 
was  begun  on  the  west  and  north  sides  of  Temple  square,  and  at 
1 : 45  p.  m.  the  order  was  given  to  advance  on  the  way  to  the  be- 
loved President's  last  resting  place.  Slowly  and  impressively  the 
journey  to  the  grave  was  begun. 

As  the  procession  passed  into  public  view,  many  an  eye  be- 
came dim  with  tears,  and  a  last  farewell  was  breathed  from  many 
a  life-time  friend  and  brother  pioneer.  Thousands  stood  with 
uncovered  heads  as  all  that  remained  of  him  whose  life  and  work 
had  crystalized  into  the  brightest  gem  of  immortal  setting  passed 
them  by,  and  yet  thousands  more  made  up  the  cavalcade  and 
retinue  which  followed  at  the  shrine  of  death.  This  was  the  order 
formed  and  maintained  .on  the  way  to  the  grave : 

ORDER  OF  PROCESSION. 

1.  Marshal  of  day  and  aides. 

2.  Held's  band. 

3.  Harmony  glee  club. 

4.  Pall-bearers. 

5.  Hearse. 

6.  Flowers. 

7.  Carriages  one  to  twelve  inclusive — family. 


FUNERAL  SERVICES.  635 

8.  Carnages  thirteen  to  eighteen  inclusive,  General  Church 
Authorities. 

9.  Ogden  band. 

10.  Presidents  of  Stakes  and  counselors. 

11.  General  organization  Relief  Societies. 

12.  Young  Ladies'  Mutual  Improvement  associations. 

13.  Young  Men's  Mutual  Improvement  associations. 

14.  Deseret  Sunday  School  Union. 

15.  Primary  associations. 

16.  Church  Board  of  Education. 

17.  Faculty  and  students  of  Brigham  Young  academy  and 
representatives  of  different  Church  colleges  and  acad- 
emies. 

18.  First  Regimental  band  and  Utah  National  Guard. 

19.  State  and  city  officials. 

20.  General  public. 

THE   LINE  OF   MARCH. 

The  line  of  march  all  along  South  Temple  Street  was  densely 
packed  with  a  mass  of  humanity,  as  far  as  M  Street,  and  from 
there  to  the  cemetery  people  were  out  in  hundreds  awaiting  the 
approach  of  the  procession.  Thousands  of  people  also  accom- 
panied the  remains  of  the  dead  Prophet  to  the  place  of  interment, 
and  it  was  a  spectacle  long  to  be  remembered.  "The  Dead  March 
in  Saul,"  by  Held's  band,  and  other  funeral  dirges,  were  played, 
while  the  Ogden  and  First  Regimental  bands  discoursed  their 
sweet,  sad  music  all  the  way.  A  wave  of  harmony  rolled  down 
the  line  from  beginning  to  end,  and  surely  it  must  have  arisen  as 
sweet  incense  to  the  spheres  above.  Slowly  and  stately  the  pro- 
cession moved  on  its  solemn  way,  and  when  the  cemetery  was 
reached  a  great  concourse  of  people  was  already  there.  The  var- 
ious organizations  and  representative  bodies  disbanded  at  the 
gates  of  the  cemetery  and  the  simple  white  hearse  bearing  the  re- 
mains of  the  departed  leader  was  driven  to  the  side  of  the  grave, 
where  it  was  followed  by  the  private  carriages  of  the  members 
of  the  deceased's  family  and  the  general  authorities  of  the  Church. 
At  2 : 45  p.  m.  the  casket  was  taken  from  the  hearse  and  carried 
by  the  pall-bearers  to  the  grave  into  which  it  was  consigned  while 


636  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

all  the  people  stood  with  uncovered  heads.  Countless  flowers  in 
bouquets  and  designs  of  exquisite  beauty  were  laid  upon  the  sward 
by  sorrowing  friends,  and  when  all  was  ready  the  members  of  the 
President's  family  and  other  friends  gently  laid  some  floral  tokens 
upon  the  departed's  bier  in  last  farewell.  Then  the  authorities  of 
the  Church,  who  had  gathered  on  the  northwest  corner  of  the  plot 
of  ground  signified  that  the  final  ceremonies  begin,  and  the  Har- 
mony glee  club  sang  with  exquisite  pathos  and  tenderness,  the 
selection :  "Not  Dead  but  Sleepeth."  President  Cannon  then 
called  upon  Apostle  F.  M.  Lyman  to  offer  the  dedicatory  prayer. 

In  opening  his  invocation  Apostle  Lyman  asked  that  grace 
and  strength  be  vouchsafed  to  those  who  were  bereaved,  to  bear  up 
under  the  burden  of  grief  their  loss  had  entailed,  and  asked  the 
blessings  of  the  Almighty  in  the  duty  which  had  devolved  upon 
him  in  dedicating  the  last  resting  place  of  him,  who  for  so  many 
years  had  been  identified  with  the  work  of  the  Lord  in  the  earth. 
He  prayed  that  President  Woodruff's  life  and  record  might  stand 
as  an  example  to  the  hosts  of  Israel  throughout  the  world,  one 
which  they  would  emulate  if  possible ;  and  further  asked  that  the 
widows  and  children  might  be  comforted  in  the  knowledge  that 
their  beloved  father  had  gone  to  a  glorious  reward.  It  was  his 
desire  that  the  Almighty  bless  the  ground  where  so  many  had 
tender  hopes  and  affection  laid  away,  that  it  would  ever  be  sacred 
and  holy  to  the  people.  He  prayed  for  the  prosperity  of  the  work 
of  building  up  Zion  in  the  earth ;  for  the  blessings  of  the  Lord  to 
rest  upon  the  Church  and  the  authorities  upon  whom  its  guidance 
would  now  devolve,  and  in  conclusion  asked  that  the  dedication 
might  be  accepted  of  the  Almighty  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ. 

At  the  close  of  the  prayer,  flowers  were  laid  upon  the  grave 
by  loving  hands,  and  the  vast  concourse  of  people  dispersed  to 
their  homes  and  various  pursuits,  feeling  that  this  day  would  be 
accounted,  while  time  and  memory  should  last,  as  one  of  the  most 
notable  in  the  present  dispensation,  and  would  be  hallowed  for- 
ever. 

WHERE  THE  GRAVE  IS. 

The  place  where  the  body  of  President  Woodruff  will  rest 
until  the  day  the  grave  shall  give  up  its  dead,  is  situated  near  the 
original  entrance  at  the  old  stone  gate  through  the  antiquated 


FUNERAL  SERVICES.  637 

wall  that  formed  the  western  boundary  of  the  city  cemetery,  and  is 
about  half  way  up  on  the  western  side.  The  seventh  cemetery 
avenue  forms  the  northern  boundary  of  the  plat,  which  lies  about 
seventy-five  yards  from  the  old  stone  wall.  On  the  south,  is  the 
plat  of  the  late  Apostle  Erastus  Snow,  whose  monument,  en- 
twined with  honeysuckle,  towers  over  the  new-made  grave.  Over 
on  the  hill  a  stone's  throw  distant,  the  granite  shaft  that  marks 
the  resting  place  of  the  late  President  John  Taylor,  points  silently 
toward  heaven.  Just  to  the  west,  across  the  drive,  is  the  Noble 
plat,  where  rests  Lucien  Noble,  who  was  born  the  same  year 
as  President  Woodruff,  who,  too,  lived  to  a  great  age,  dying  in 
1891.  President  Woodruff's  grave  is  in  the  extreme  south-eastern 
corner  of  the  plat,  and  is  made  alongside  of  his  wife,  the  late 
Phoebe  Carter  Woodruff.  Just  across,  in  the  Snow  plat  on  the 
south,  rest  the  bodies  of  two  children.  The  Woodruff  plat  is 
simple  and  plain ;  a  substantial  stone  wall  raises  it  above  the  drive 
and  the  closely  cut  green  grass  covers  it  over.  The  open  grave 
this  morning  was  dug  into  the  hard  soil  of  the  mountain  which 
was  as  solid  in  its  formation  as  the  character  of  the  man  whose 
body  it  was  to  contain,  only  a  few  planks  were  placed  to  keep  the 
loose  earth  from  falling  in,  and  a  plain  box  of  white  wood  at  the 
bottom  to  contain  the  casket.  Nothing  about  the  grave  was  intended 
for  ornament  or  show;  all  was  plain  and  substantial  as  the  dead 
President  wished  it  to  be.  From  the  grave  where  he  rests  there 
is  a  fine  view  of  the  city  he  helped  to  found,  and  the  valley 
stretched  away  to  the  south  in  its  beauty  until  shut  in  from  the 
sight  by  the  September  haze.  Around  him  rest  those  who  fought 
the  battle  of  life  with  him,  but  who  laid  the  burden  down,  wearied 
before  the  load  fell  from  his  own  shoulders,  and  who  will  wel- 
come him  in  death  as  they  honored  him  in  life. 

TABERNACLE   DECORATIONS. 

Promptly  at  7 :  30  a.  m.,  by  a  prearranged  signal  with  the 
janitors,  a  News  reporter  was  admitted  to  the  Tabernacle  to  view 
the  work  of  the  committee  on  decoration.  Silence  brooded  over 
the  vast  auditorium,  and  also  a  spirit  of  awe,  which  is  the  in- 
variable accompaniment  of  solitude  in  the  midst  of  vastness. 

"The  primeval  desert  is  slumbering.     Only  on  the  eastern 


638  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

and  western  peaks  are  seen  the  signs  of  awakening  day.  In  the 
Valley  the  shadows  are  beginning  to  lift  and  dissolve.  What  is  it 
that  the  eye  beholds?  A  vast  expanse  of  sun-browned  sage  and 
yellow  bunch  grass.  For  a  moment,  we  listen  and  catch  the  musi- 
cal ripples  of  a  stream  hidden  beneath  an  irregular  line  of  wil- 
low and  squaw  bush,  extending  from  the  north  of  the  canyon  to 
the  Lake.  The  sun  now  breaks  over  the  eastern  range.  A  breeze 
is  stirring  down  the  canyon.  Ah,  there  is  that  same,  never-to-be- 
forgotten  perfume  of  the  desert — so  full  of  freshness,  so  sug- 
gestive of  freedom! 

''What!  the  bark  of  a  dog?  Surely  it  is.  And  now  a  half- 
mile  distant,  in  the  shadow  of  a  gnarled  and  crooked  grove  of 
cottonwoods,  the  eye  catches  sight  of  a  dozen  campfires,  which 
send  curling  wreaths  into  the  morning  sky.  The  sunlight  is  play- 
ing fantastic  games  with  the  strands  of  smoke  as  they  weave 
themselves  into  finer  fabrics,  and  finally  disappear  as  gauze.  Be- 
neath this  spreading  halo,  we  get  glimpses  of  an  irregular  village 
of  wick-i-ups,  smoke-begrimed  and  tattered,  but  otherwise  quite 
in  harmony  with  the  scene ;  as  if  they  were  in  fact  so  many 
grotesque  plants  that  had  sprung  out  of  the  native  soil. 

"Now,  from  out  these  rude  habitations,  through  many  a  rent 
and  flapping  door,  the  children  of  the  desert  are  pouring — a  curi- 
ous lot  of  black-headed,  squatty-figured  little  women  and  children. 
Sublime  picture  of  blissful  indifference !  You  do  not  know  that 
this  is  your  last  day  of  undisputed  reign — if  your  sleepy  existence 
can  be  called  a  reign.  Before  the  sun  shall  have  reached  the 
zenith,  he,  the  great  white  Chief,  accompanied  by  that  other  great 
man,  young  and  vigorous  then,  but  since  grown  old  by  toil  and 
works  of  righteousness  and  today  renewed  in  youth  forever — he 
the  leader  whose  life  among  us  we  shall  soon  meet  to  commemo- 
rate." 

But  the  vision  fades.  The  present  has  come  back.  There  is 
still  the  faint  odor  of  sage-brush  and  desert  flower  in  the  room- 
The  sun  has  lost  none  of  his  old-time  splendor,  but  his  rays  pour 
down,  not  upon  the  primitive  herbage  of  a  desert,  but  through  the 
dome  of  a  building  which  might  well  be  taken  to  epitomize  the 
progress  of  a  jubilee.  The  eastern  half  of  the  auditorium  is 
sombre  and  unrelieved  by  a  single  touch  of  the  artist;  but  the 


FUNERAL  SERVICES.  639 

western  half  is  all  aglow  in  hangings  of  white  and  fills  the  sou! 
with  a  glory  as  of  a  better  world. 

If  the  departed  leader  should  be  present  in  spirit  at  his  own 
funeral,  according  to  his  own  wish,  these  are  some  things  he 
would  see. 

The  most  prominent  object  is  his  own  portrait,  life-size,  as 
painted  by  the  well  known  home  artist,  Mr.  Will  Clawson.  It  is  a 
striking  likeness  of  President  Woodruff  at  the  full  vigor  of  his 
manhood.  It  is  placed  in  front  of  the  great  organ  against  a 
background  of  the  Stars  and  Stripes.  Above  the  picture,  in  bril- 
liant electric  light,  is  the  legend: 


The  front  of  the  organ  is  so  draped  as  to  represent  two  golden 
columns,  one  on  each  side,  surmounted  by  domes,  and  joined  by 
a  festoon  of  white  cashmere,  the  folds  of  which  fall  down  on  each 
side  of  the  organ  in  graceful  curves.  Below  the  portrait  is  a  semi- 
circle of  white  drapery,  forming  a  frame  for  the  centre  piece, 
which  is  no  less  symbolic  than  beautiful. 

"We  desired,"  said  Bishop  Winder,  chairman  of  the  decora- 
tion committee,  "to  get  up  something  unique  to  distinguish  Presi- 
dent Woodruff's  life — something  not  used  before." 

The  committee  has  certainly  succeeded.  On  each  corner  of 
the  organ  stand  out  in  bold  figures  the  date,  1847. 

Immediately  above  are  large  bunches  of  sage-brush  intermin- 
gled with  sun-flowers.  Further  up  are  the  tops  of  the  rugged  pine, 
while  below,  between  the  dates,  and  representing  the  expanse  of 
valley,  are  the  yellow  tops  of  furze  and  rabbit-brush.  Nothing 
could  give  a  more  realistic  idea  of  Utah  as  the  dead  Pioneer 
found  it. 

On  the  right  and  left  of  the  picture  are  sheaves  of  wheat 
and  oats,  symbolic  both  of  what  Utah  is  to-day,  and  of  the  ripe 
age  of  our  departed  President.  But  that  which  is  most  touching 
is  a  bank  of  flowers  all  around  President  Woodruff's  feet,  which, 
whether  it  be  taken  to  symbolize  the  love  of  his  people,  or  the  new 
home  to  which  he  has  gone,  is  equally  effective.  When  the  elec- 
tric display  shall  enhance  the  beauty  and  harmony  of  this  center- 


640  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

piece  it  will  make  an  impression  on  the  audience  never  to  be  for- 
gotten. 

The  stand  next  attracts  attention.  All  the  seats  are  draped 
in  white;  the  pulpits,  one  above  another,  are  gracefully  festooned 
in  cream  cashmere  and  white  ribbon.  The  posts  at  each  end, 
also  in  white  drapery,  are  each  surmounted  by  a  magnificent  bou- 
quet. The  semi-circular  railing  on  each  side  the  stand  has  a  back- 
ground of  white  crape  against  which,  at  regular  intervals,  are 
folds  of  cream  cashmere,  tied  by  silk  cord  and  tassels  below,  and 
fastened  above  with  sprays  of  oak  containing  acorns,  and  with 
evergreens  and  sunflowers.  A  similar  method  of  decoration  is 
followed  with  the  balustrade  which  crosses  the  auditorium.  The 
impression  of  the  whole  is  that  of  a  mighty  pair  of  white  wings 
about  to  hover  over  the  audience. 

The  casket  and  floral  decorations  come  last,  but  by  no  means 
least  into  consideration.  Below  the  stand  on  a  table  slanting  east 
and  west,  are  the  last  remains  of  the  late  beloved  leader.  The 
coffin  is  literally  embossed  in  a  tapestry  of  flowers  bearing  these 
words : 

"IN    LOVING   REMEMBRANCE 

BY  THE  CHILDREN  AND  GRANDCHILDREN  OF 

PHOEBE    CARTER    WOODRUFF   AND 

MARY    JACKSON    WOODRUFF." 

On  the  top  of  the  casket  is  a  bank  of  carnations,  roses  and 
lilies,  on  which  the  single  word  "Father"  appears,  while  at  the 
head  is  a  crown  of  flowers,  the,  gift  of  the  Relief  societies,  and  at 
the  foot  a  gigantic  fern  palm  leaf  covered  with  magnificent  cut 
roses,  the  gift  of  F.  Auerbach  and  Co.  A  sheaf  of  ripened  barley 
is  also  on  the  casket,  and  festoons  of  smilax  unite  the  whole. 

On  each  side  of  the  casket  is  a  floral  column  inscribed,  "In 
loving  remembrance  of  the  President  of  Z.  C.  M.  I."  Near  by 
is  a  large  circle  of  cut  roses  and  others  flowers,  bearing  the  motto 
on  its  face,  "The  glory  of  God  is  intelligence."  The  circle  sym- 
bolizes eternity,  and  a  band  or  bridge  crossing  it  and  evidently  in- 
tended to  symbolize  time,  bear  the  inscription  "Y.  M.  M.  I.  A." 
A  large  harp  of  flowers,  signficant  of  the  divine  harmony  of 
President  Woodruff's  life,  is  the  gift  of  the  Tabernacle  choir. 


FUNERAL  SERVICES. 


641 


Other  gifts  of  flowers  are  a  basket  of  asters  and  cut  roses  by 
the  Primary  association,  a  basket  of  flowers  by  the  City  Council,  a 
harp  by  A.  C.  Brixen,  a  wreath  by  Annie  Hoglund,  an  anchor  bv 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Beck,  beautiful  floral  designs  by  Mrs.  M.  M. 
Barratt,  and  also  by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  James  C.  McDonald,  an  un- 
usually beautiful  bouquet  of  golden-banded  lilies  of  Japan  and 
cut  roses  by  R.  C.  Evans,  besides  many  offerings  without  names. 

The  effect  of  the  whole  is  that  of  simplicity  and  purity,  the 
distinguished  traits  of  the  departed  President.  While  the  com- 
mittee on  decoration  deserve  great  praise  for  the  planning  of  the 
whole,  F.  G.  F.  Huefner  and  his  assistants,  Sisters  Sarah  A. 
Gill,  and  Lizzie  Ashton,  who  executed  the  plans,  are  not  to  be  for- 
gotten. 


42 


CHAPTER  57. 

CHARACTER  SKETCH. 
By  Dr.  J.  M.  Tanner. 

"To  the  law  and  to  the  testimony ;  and  if  they  speak  not  ac- 
cording to  this  word,  it  is  because  there  is  no  light  in  them."  If 
the  whole  religious  life  of  Wilford  Woodruff  could  be  summed 
up  in  a  single  sentence,  it  would  be  in  that  Scriptural  statement 
by  which  the  truth  of  God's  purposes  was  made  evident.  The 
Scripture  was  his  safe  guide  in  every  walk  of  life.  To  him  it  was 
a  living  fountain.  Its  promises  gave  him  assurance,  its  warnings 
restrained  him,  its  proverbs  gave  him  wisdom,  its  psalms  attuned 
his  soul,  its  more  sure  word  of  life  was  to  him  conclusive  of  all 
that  God  had  done  and  that  He  would  yet  do  many  great  and 
marvelous  things  among  the  children  of  men. 

He  was  a  devout  student  of  the  Bible,  and  that  book  accounts 
not  alone  for  the  spiritual  quality  of  his  life,  but  for  the  pecu- 
liar workings  of  his  mind.  There  was  nothing  in  life  that  he 
could  not  measure  in  terms  of  Holy  Writ.  It  is  doubtful  whether 
the  Bible  ever  brought  a  human  soul  more  perfectly  within  the  cir- 
cumference of  its  teachings,  promises,  rewards,  and  inspiration 
than  it  brought  Wilford  Woodruff.  He  was  what  is  sometimes 
called  a  man  of  one  book;  that  is,  a  man  whose  predominant 
characteristics  are  marked  by  a  single  book.  He  knew  his  Bible. 
It  was  the  companion  of  his  youth,  the  joy  of  his  early  manhood, 
and  the  solace  of  his  old  age.  Whatever  did  not  square  with  its 
teachings  was  to  him  insufficient.  It  brought  him  discernment 
and  made  him  wakeful  and  watchful  for  the  new  light  its  promises 
contained.  It  was  a  watch-tower  on  which  he  stood  looking  for 
new  evidences  of  a  new  dispensation  and  of  glorious  promises  of 
a  day  to  come.  In  his  youth,  his  contact  with  religious  denomin- 
ations brought  him  no  spiritual  satisfaction,  because  the  sects  of 
that  day  did  not  conform  to  that  standard  of  truth,  the  Holy  Writ, 
to  which  he  had  pledged  his  allegiance. 

A  man  whose  life  the  Bible  so  completely  permeated  could 
be  naught  else  than  a  spiritual-minded  man.  To  no  man's  mind 
was  God  ever  a  more  potent  reality  in  the  affairs  of  men  than  to 


CHARACTER  SKETCH.  643 

his  mind.  To  him  He  was  not  a  distant  being  whose  mysteries 
obscure  and  overawe.  To  Wilford  Woodruff  God  was  a  com- 
panion, a  kind  and  loving  father,  a  protector,  a  guide.  That 
God  spoke  with  men  face  to  face  was  no  metaphor  to  him,  was 
no  spiritualized  conclusion,  it  was  a  commonplace,  though  pro- 
found, truth.  He  regarded  himself  as  a  child  of  God  to  whom 
and  with  whom  he  had  a  right  to  speak.  There  was  nothing  in 
life  which  a  man  might  not  disclose  to  his  Maker,  and  he  aspired 
to  commune  with  God  as  one  man  speaketh  to  another. 

His  conceptions  of  God  made  religion  a  simple  thing,  as  sim- 
ple as  it  was  wonderful.  He  seldom  argued  religion,  he  never 
proved  the  existence  of  God,  he  rarely  explained  obscure  mean- 
ings of  Holy  Writ.  To  him  God  was  the  same  yesterday,  to-day, 
and  forever.  The  relationship  of  man  to  his  Maker  was  set  forth 
on  the  first  pages  of  the  Bible.  God  made  man  in  his  own  image ; 
male  and  female  created  He  them.  That  God  had  talked  to  Adam 
in  the  garden  of  Eden  was  no  myth,  was  no  mystery.  He  had 
talked  to  others.  He  would  talk  to  men  again.  Nothing  satis- 
fied his  spiritual  cravings  short  of  an  actual  communication  be^ 
tween  heaven  and  earth.  For  such  a  communication  he  was  look- 
ing, hoping,  praying.  When  it  came,  it  was  as  clear  to  his  under- 
standing as  the  rays  of  light  at  noonday  sun.  His  whole  being 
was  illuminated  by  the  new  revelation.  However,  he  put  it  to  the 
test;  he  measured  it  in  the  light  of  Scripture;  tested  it  by  indi- 
vidual experiences,  and  it  was  in  perfect  harmony  with  his  spirit- 
ual and  intellectual  being;  and  when  once  he  put  his  hand  to  the 
plow,  he  never  looked  back.  No  doubt  ever  troubled  him ;  no  mis- 
givings ever  dampened  his  ardor.  Thenceforth  he  never  ques- 
tioned the  truth  of  a  divine  call  to  the  children  of  this  age  any 
more  than  he  questioned  his  own  existence. 

It  is  difficult  in  such  a  man  to  draw  a  line  between  his  spir- 
itual and  his  physical  life.  Certain  it  is,  he  made  no  distinction. 
Everything  that  touched  divine  purpose  was  to  him  a  part  of  his 
religion.  If  he  preached,  he  preached  in  the  name  of  God ;  if  he 
dug  ditches  and  tilled  the  earth,  it  was  equally  in  obedience  to  a 
divine  command.  He  was  just  as  devout  with  the  scythe  or  the 
sickle  as  he  was  with  the  hymn  book  or  in  the  pulpit.  When  one 
therefore  speaks  of  the  spiritual  characteristics  of  such  a  man, 


644 


WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 


he  speaks  of  the  whole  man ;  and  if  Wilford  Woodruff's  spiritual 
nature  were  merely  a  characteristic,  religion  might  have  been 
thought  of  in  him  as  an  incident,  a  part  of  his  life.  It  was  his 
whole  life;  for  it  was  measured  in  terms  of  his  relationship  with 
his  God — that  relationship  he  recognized  everywhere  throughout 
a  remarkable  and  unique  life. 

Those  best  acquainted  with  the  life  and  habits  of  Wilford 
Woodruff  will  find  it  difficult,  if  not  wholly  impossible,  to  call  to 
mind  any  circumstance  of  unoccupied  moments  in  all  their  ac- 
quaintanceship with  him.  He  was  a  man  of  medium  height,  of  a 
robust  nature,  heavy  set,  and  of  unbounded  nervous  energy.  Those 
who  glorify  work  and  exalt  its  importance  in  the  divine  economy 
of  man  find  in  him  an  example  of  the  highest  type. 

He  loved  work,  not  alone  for  its  own  sake,  but  because  it  was 
associated  with  divine  command.  Nor  was  it  to  him  merely  a 
means  of  getting  on  in  the  world,  of  adding  conveniences  and 
comfort  to  his  own  life  as  well  as  to  those  dependent  upon  him; 
to  him  it  was  a  blessing,  a  privilege,  an  opportunity  which  he  al- 
ways availed  himself  of  whenever  his  calling  would  permit.  Nor 
was  he  discriminating  in  the  kind  of  work  he  did.  He  took  up 
whatever  was  at  hand  to  be  done.  His  toil  in  the  canyons,  his 
sweat  in  the  harvest  field,  his  travels  upon  the  plains  were  all  im- 
portant parts  in  divine  economy  ,and  he  performed  every  labor  of 
life  with  as  much  zeal  as  he  was  wont  to  exercise  in  promulgating 
the  word  of  God.  He  was  not  a  worker  in  the  ordinary  sense  of  the 
word;  for  in  work  he  always  set  himself  about  to  accomplish  ex- 
traordinary tasks. 

Those  who  remember  him  in  the  pioneer  days  of  Utah  call 
to  mind  his  unusual  physical  powers  when  compared  with  other 
men.  "I  have  seen  him,"  said  John  A.  Woolf  of  Cardston,  Can- 
ada, "feed  a  threshing  machine  with  bundles  from  a  stack,  when 
three  ordinary  men  complained  of  the  task.  He  was  never 
particular  where  he  worked,  usually  he  got  in  the  most  disagree- 
able place  about  a  thresher  in  order  to  favor  those  with  whom  he 
worked.  When  he  might  have  chosen  his  place,  he  went  to  the 
chaff-pen  where  the  smut  and  dirt  were  almost  unbearable.  I 
never  knew  a  harder  worker  than  Wilford  Woodruff." 

He  could  turn  from  one  occupation  to  another  without  the 


CHARACTER  SKETCH.  645 

least  apparent  effort.  He  would  toil  assiduously  in  the  harvest 
field,  and  with  scarcely  a  moment's  notice  be  ready  to  receive 
the  dignitaries  of  the  nation  that  might  happen  to  visit  Salt  Lake 
City  while  he  was  thus  engaged.  To  sweat,  was  a  divine  com- 
mand as  much  so  as  to  pray ;  and  in  his  life  he  exemplified  in  the 
highest  degree  that  simple  Christian  life  that  makes  for  the  physi- 
cal, mental,  and  moral  well-being  of  man.  He  believed  sincerely 
in  the  moral  supremacy  of  manual  toil.  He  loved  it  and  enjoyed 
it. 

Whenever  in  the  midst  of  his  public  ministries  there  came  to 
him  an  opportunity  to  retire  to  his  farm,  he  went  to  it  with  all  the 
energy  of  his  marvelous  physical  endurance.  His  love  of  toil 
produced  in  his  life  what  it  does  in  the  lives  of  most  men  of  similar 
habits,  a  simplicity,  a  democracy,  and  the  spirit  of  universal  broth- 
erhood. To  him  there  were  no  commonplace  tasks.  All  that  he  did 
was  important  to  his  own  exaltation  in  this  life  and  in  the  world 
to  come.  His  love  of  labor  penetrated  the  veil  and  admitted  him 
to  the  world  beyond  wherein  he  saw  God-given  opportunities  to 
work.  An  idle,  self-sufficient  life  in  the  next  world  was  as  ab- 
horrent to  his  nature  as  the  ordinary  conceptions  of  purgatory. 
The  thought  that  in  the  great  beyond  men  should  have  an  unwan- 
ing  and  an  undiminished  endurance  in  the  industry  of  an  eternity 
was  glorious  to  his  mind. 

In  this  age  when  men  are  shirking  physical  tasks  in  the  in- 
dustrial world  in  pursuit  of  occupations  that  are  as  free  as  possible 
from  bodily  exertions,  his  life  stands  out  as  a  beautiful  example 
of  simplicity  and  vigor.  No  man  ever  did  more  in  the  Church 
to  exalt  work  and  put  upon  it  the  impress  of  divine  command  than 
Wilford  Woodruff;  and  he  was  as  unostentatious  in  physical  toil 
as  he  was  in  every  other  occupation  which  he  honestly  and  faith- 
fully pursued. 

In  the  broadest  and  highest  sense  of  the  term,  Wilford  Wood- 
ruff may  be  designated  as  truly  the  friend  of  mankind ;  but  within 
that  broader  friendship  there  were  intimacies  and  confidences 
which  he  carried  with  him  from  his  earlier  days  through  the  re- 
mainder of  life.  He,  like  most  men  of  a  strong  character  and  lov- 
ing disposition,  had  his  special  friends — friends  whose  spirit  and 


646 


WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 


manner  of  life  were  congenial  to  him — friends  whose  religious 
practices  and  thoughts  were  in  harmony  with  his  own  aspirations. 

With  him,  however,  friends  were  not  selected  because  of  their 
station  in  life ;  they  were  among  all  classes,  the  humblest  as  well 
as  the  highest;  indeed,  it  is  doubtful  whether  Wilford  Woodruff 
ever  recognized  any  class  distinction  whatever.  If  he  ever  made  a 
distinction,  it  was  a  distinction  between  the  good  and  the  bad. 
He  was  never  governed  by  considerations  of  wealth,  rank,  or  pub- 
M<*  honors.  H*s  friendships  belonged  to  that  old-fashioned  type 
wherein  men  were  actuated  by  a  spirit  of  brotherhood  and  un- 
affected love  for  one  another. 

Nor  was  he  one  of  those  who  boasted  of  friendships  with  the 
selected  few.  Every  stake  of  Zion,  if  not  almost  every  community, 
contained  some  special  friend  or  friends,  time-honored  and  true. 
He  loved  to  throw  off  the  formalities  of  social  restraint  and  in- 
dulge in  those  heart  to  heart  talks  that  brought  up  reminiscences 
of  earlier  days.  Like  others,  he  was  especially  attracted  by  those 
whose  view-points  of  life  were  similar  to  his  own,  whose  spiritual 
natures  reveled  in  the  things  of  God  and  ascribed  to  Him  both 
the  honors  and  the  glories  of  this  world. 

His  friendships  were  both  sincere  and  lasting;  even  when 
friends  deviated  from  the  paths  of  the  highest  rectitude,  he  pre- 
ferred to  think  of  them  as  they  once  were,  in  the  enjoyment  of 
divine  favor.  The  good  in  others  was  uppermost  in  his  judgment 
of  men,  and  his  friendship  was  all  the  more  lasting  because  it  was 
accompanied  by  a  spirit  of  charity  and  good-will  to  all. 

It  would  perhaps  be  here  a  little  discriminating  to  speak  of 
any  individual  friendships  of  his  life.  There  is  one,  however, 
that  was  so  strong  and  lasting  that  it  illustrates  with  great  clear- 
ness the  character  of  the  man.  Ezra  T.  Oark  of  Farmington  was 
a  man  of  simple  habits  and  devoted  to  industrial  life.  He  loved 
the  soil  whose  very  particles  awakened  within  him  a  satisfaction 
and  an  enthusiasm.  These  two  men  developed  throughout  many 
years  of  intimate  association  a  loving  regard  for  each  other  that 
was  as  striking  as  it  was  beautiful.  Whenever  Elder  Woodruff 
could  steal  away  from  the  duties  and  responsibilties  of  life  some 
leisure  hours,  he  sought  an  evening's  pastime  in  the  home  of  his 


CHARACTER  SKETCH.  647 

friend.  Their  devotion  to  each  other  grew  with  years ;  and  it  may 
be  truthfully  said  that  nothing  ever  came  up  in  life  to  disturb  their 
confidence  and  love. 

Elder  Woodruff  was  throughout  all  his  life  an  ideal  neighbor. 
His  interest  in  those  about  him  was  one  of  helpfulness.  He  was 
quick  to  see  the  needs  of  a  neighbor  and  generous  in  his  impulse 
to  give  and  to  help.  His  high  regard  for  the  privileges  of  others 
never  permitted  him  to  trespass  on  the  rights  or  the  property  of 
those  about  him.  The  property  of  others  was  as  sacred  to  him  as 
his  own  and  its  safety  elicited  his  careful  attention.  He  was  gen- 
erous in  the  contribution  of  his  time  and  knowledge. 

His  selection  in  the  early  days  of  Utah  as  the  head  of  organi- 
zations intended  to  place  within  the  reach  of  all  the  best  methods 
of  farming  and  manufacture  illustrates  the  esteem  in  which  he  was 
held  by  those  who  intrusted  to  him  matters  of  such  welfare  to 
the  people.  He  was  therefore  the  highest  type  of  a  missionary 
of  good  deeds  as  well  as  of  good  counsel. 

There  was  never  in  him  a  spirit  of  condescension.  He  nevr 
thought  of  obligations  under  which  he  was  placing  his  fellow- 
men  while  doing  them  a  service.  He  served  others  because  he  en- 
joyed the  spirit  of  helpfulness  and  found  it  a  part  of  his  God-given 
nature  to  be  of  use  in  every  possible  manner  to  those  it  was  his 
joy  to  help  on  in  the  world. 

The  missionary  spirit  of  Elder  Woodruff  which  manifested 
itself  so  zealously  in  the  welfare  and  happiness  of  others  did  not 
permit  him  to  pursue  life  in  the  interest  of  any  selfish  ambitions 
or  personal  aggrandizement.  His  journal  reveals  the  pride  he 
felt  in  bringing  home  to  the  lives  of  men  the  great  truths  of 
Mormonism.  He  was  always  more  interested  in  what  others  de- 
rived from  his  services  than  what  came  to  him.  In  counsel, 
therefore,  he  was  never  actuated  by  selfish  aims,  and  he  was 
free  from  suspicion  that  the  things  which  others  advocated  could 
have  any  ulterior  purpose  than  that  which  appeared  upon  the  sur- 
face. 

By  nature  he  was  an  unsuspicious  man  and  that  made  his 
life  free  from  the  jealousies,  envies,  and  misgivings  so  destru^ 
tive  of  human  happiness.     That  nature  made  him  an  optimist. 


648  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

lie  went  about  life  not  only  looking  for  the  good,  but  with  ability 
to  see  it.  He  had  nothing  to  conceal,  nothing  to  disfigure,  there- 
fore the  shades  and  colorings  of  life  with  him  were  true  to  nature. 

Whenever  in  his  judgment  it  became  necessary  to  offer  any 
criticism  upon  the  lives  or  conduct  of  others,  it  was  for  the  pur- 
pose of  warning  those  whom  he  criticized  against  the  dangers 
that  would  befall  them,  if  they  pursued  such  a  course.  Often 
throughout  his  journal  he  speaks  of  the  apostasy  of  prominent 
men  and  old-time  friends.  What  he  wrote  is  in  a  spirit  of  char- 
ity; his  wor.ds  are  words  of  regret,  and  his  sentiments  are  full  of 
brotherly  consideration,  even  toward  those  who  ceased  to  entertain 
convictions  in  harmony  with  his  own. 

Though  he  was  a  man  of  a  gentle  spirit,  it  must  not  be  sup- 
posed that  he  was  wholly  incapable  of  pronouncing  judgment  upon 
the  wicked  or  the  ungodly.  But  even  his  judgments  were  not  ac- 
companied by  personal  antagonisms.  He  was  both  forgetful  and 
forgiving.  He  was  not  a  man  of  marked  prejudices,  and 
there  is  no  evidence  that  he  ever  pursued  with  malice  those  in 
whom  he  had  lost  confidence.  He  was,  perhaps,  as  free  from 
prejudices  as  any  prominent  man  in  his  day.  This  beautiful 
quality  of  life  made  him  tractable,  easily  persuaded,  especially 
when  the  influence  about  him  was  one  of  brotherly  love  or  kind 
consideration. 

In  the  minor  affairs  of  life,  and  in  the  details  of  administra- 
tion, he  was  not  very  particular  how  things  were  done,  provided 
they  could  be  accomplished  without  friction  and  in  a  spirit  which 
conformed  to  the  principles  of  the  gospel.  He  was  never  insistent, 
nor  was  he  persistent  in  having  his  own  way  in  his  association 
with  his  fellowmen.  He  had  so  completely  surrendered  himself 
to  the  will  of  God  and  to  the  leadership  of  his  brethren  that  noth- 
ing ever  menaced  his  ambition  or  aroused  a  spirit  of  resentment 
within  him,  provided  he  was  not  required  to  sacrifice  principle  or 
subordinate  his  manhood.  Instances  are  revealed  in  his  journal 
where  he  took  a  strong  stand  when  questions  of  right  and  wrong 
were  at  stake ;  and  he  manifested  the  fire  of  righteous  zeal  when- 
ever any  question  arose  not  in  harmony  with  his  conceptions  of 
God's  message  to  the  children  of  men.  Dislike,  envy,  or  jealousy 


CHARACTER  SKETCH.  649 

had  so  little  effect  upon  his  hopeful  nature  that  those  ordinary 
prejudices  common  to  mankind  rarely  troubled  him.  He  re- 
joiced in  the  good  fortune  of  others,  and  praised  God. 

The  study  of  the  life  of  Wilford  Woodruff  constantly  reminds 
one  of  Nathaniel  of  whom  Jesus  said :  "He  is  an  Israelite  without 
guile."  The  evil  conditions  of  mankind,  people's  shortcomings, 
and  even  their  vices  were  not  matters  which  rested  upon  his  con- 
science or  aroused  a  spirit  of  denunciation  or  judgment  within 
him.  It  was  not  easy  for  him  to  think  of  evils  or  to  associate 
them  with  his  fellowman.  He  looked  upon  the  bright  side  of  life 
and  had  a  keen  appreciation  of  the  good  there  was  in  others. 

Whenever  he  uttered  words  of  condemnation  or  prophesied 
the  judgments  of  God,  it  was  in  pursuance  of  divine  manifesta- 
tions to  his  heart  and  mind.  Whenever  he  spoke  words  of  reproof, 
it  was  because  he  conceived  it  his  duty  to  do  so,  not  because  it  was 
his  nature  to  criticise  or  to  find  fault.  When  he  spoke  of  the 
wickedness  of  the  world,  or  the  wrong-doings  of  his  fellow- 
men,  it  was  as  a  rule  in  a  spirit  of  testimony,  and  not  because  of 
the  things  which  he  saw  or  heard.  '  No  man  was  ever  more  willing 
than  Wilford  Woodruff  that  the  sentiments  of  his  heart  and  the 
thoughts  of  his  mind  should  be  read  as  if  in  an  open  book.  The 
dividing  line  of  his  inner  life  and  the  expression  of  his  words 
and  conduct  was  never  marked.  He  was  therefore  free  from 
that  secret  life  which  is  constantly  struggling  against  the  reve- 
lations of  its  real  truth.  The  Saints  will  always  think  of  him  as 
a  man  like  Nathaniel — without  guile. 

One  of  the  highest  evidences  of  a  truly  religious  nature  is 
the  sincerity  of  life  that  characterizes  it.  It  is  also  that  quality  of 
the  human  soul  which  gives  zeal  to  missionary  life  and  makes  the 
testimony  borne  carry  conviction  to  the  hearts  of  others.  The  sin 
cerity  of  Wilford  Wodruff  never  left  any  room  for  doubt  as  to  his 
convictions  upon  everything  which  he  advocated.  His  earnestness 
commanded  the  respectful  attention  of  all  who  heard  him,  even 
though  they  were  not  convinced  by  the  evidences  of  his  word  or 
the  force  of  his  arguments. 

In  all  matters  of  religion,  an  earnest  demeanor  is  necessary 
for  the  assurance  of  others  as  well  as  one's  own  self-satisfaction. 
It  was  easy  for  every  man — Mormon,  Jew,  or  Gentile — to  believe 


650  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

that  Wilford  Woodruff  believed  himself,  and  sincerely  to  believe 
oneself  is  the  highest  evidence  of  that  inner  conviction  which  re- 
moves misgivings  and  doubts  from  the  human  soul.  It  was  this 
peculiar  quality  of  life  that  made  him  a  model  missionary. 

Possessing  the  highest  qualities  of  sincerity,  he  naturally  be- 
came an  earnest  advocate  in  his  teachings  and  an  indefatigable 
worker  in  everything  he  set  his  hands  to  do.  There  was  never 
anything  about  his  life,  never  any  diversions  from  the  path  of  duty 
or  surrender  to  the  spirit  of  a  pleasure-loving  age  to  disturb 
the  zeal  that  came  from  the  sincerity  and  earnestness  of  his  soul. 
In  many  there  is  often  a  strong  desire  to  surrender  themselves 
to  that  spirit  of  pleasure  that  deadens  the  conscience  and  gives 
self-justification  after  wrong  doing.  With  him,  as  with  others, 
a  consistent  earnestness  and  a  heartfelt  sincerity  were  a  safe- 
guard against  a  spirit  of  disbelief.  Those  qualities  of  life  never 
permitted  him  to  shirk  responsibility  or  be  indifferent  to  the  obli- 
gations every  man  should  feel  with  respect  to  his  Maker.  He  was, 
therefore,  like  the  prophets  of  old — zealous  for  the  things  of  God. 

•There  was  a  steadfastness  of  purpose  in  all  that  Wilford 
Woodruff  set  his  hand  to  do.  He  was  as  devoted  in  action  as  he 
was  in  thought  and  feeling.  His  standard  of  life -was  a  religious 
standard,  and  it  was  supported  by  a  constancy  that  was  peculiar 
to  his  nature.  From  the  beginning  to  the  end  of  life,  his  re- 
ligious convictions  were  strictly  adhered  to.  He  was  never  drawn 
into  subordinate  considerations.  He  never  ran  off  at  a  tangent, 
never  allowed  minor  matters  to  absorb  him.  His  loves,  his  hopes, 
his  aims  in  life  were  all  subordinate  to  the  great  central  truth  of 
God's  revelation.  He  might  be  misinformed  about  details;  facts 
might  be  distorted ;  events  might  be  wrongly  stated ;  but  he  had  a 
guiding  star  from  which  his  eyes  were  never  taken ;  and  sooner 
or  later,  he  set  himself  in  harmony  with  the  true  spirit  of  the  age 
in  which  he  moved. 

His  devotion  always  made  him  reliable  and  true.  Friends 
never  doubted  his  friendship,  nor  troubled  themsleves  about  its 
continuance.  He  had  that  perfect  regard  for  the  friendships  of 
life  which  bound  him  to  men.  The  qualities  that  made  him  de- 
voted to  men  and  to  duty  came  from  the  larger  devotion  which  he 
always  felt  for  the  things  of  God.  He  truly  loved  his  God.  What- 


CHARACTER  SKETCH.  651 

ever  that  love  might  mean  to  others,  to  him  it  meant  a  willing 
service,  a  confiding  heart,  a  life  of  steadfast  devotion  to  the  obli- 
gations which  he  felt  the  Lord  had  laid  upon  him.  His  devotion 
made  him  intensely  earnest,  sincere,  and  guileless.  It  helped  him 
to  see  the  best  there  was  in  life.  The  true  and  beautiful  filled  his 
heart  with  admiration.  Devotion  gave  to  him  a  simplicity  that  left 
no  place  for  pride  and  vain  ambitions.  There  came  to  him  out 
of  a  devout  life  the  enjoyment  of  all  God's  revelations  in  nature 
and  in  word. 

His  family  life  was  devoid  of  every  show  of  ostentation.  He 
enjoyed  the  companionship  of  the  youngest  child,  and  kept  in 
touch  with  the  sorrows  and  joys  of  family  life.  He  could  not 
stand  aloof  from  the  family  life  which  he  had  done  so  much  to 
create.  The  responsibilities  of  his  home  he  shared  with  every 
member  of  his  household.  He  loved  his  wives  and  children,  and 
in  their  midst  was  free,  easy,  and  approachable.  His  discipline 
never  carried  with  it  any  severity.  In  his  home  he  found  relax- 
ation and  rest  from  the  strenuous  life  he  led.  His  children  loved 
him.  They  were  free  to  reason  or  persuade.  They  felt  no  bar- 
riers between  him  and  them.  Their  conscience  might  be  trouble- 
some to  them,  but  his  sternness  never  was.  He  belonged  to  that 
class  of  fathers  styled  indulgent.  His  own  example  called  for  an 
industrious  and  obedient  life  in  his  home.  It  was  easy  for  his 
children  to  understand  what  they  should  do  by  what  they  saw  him 
do.  Goodness  was  the  quality  he  most  extolled ;  and  if  his  family 
would  only  be  good,  they  were  to  his  mind  best  prepared  to  fulfill 
any  responsibility  God  might  place  upon  them.  They  would 
krarn  their  duties  by  doing  them.  He  considered  one  duty  well 
done  the  best  means  of  learning  and  doing  new  ones.  The  family 
life  it  was  his  earnest  endeavor  to  create  and  beautify  is  reflected 
in  the  joyful  spirit  that  comes  to  descendants  who  meet  annually 
on  his  birthday,  March  first,  to  do  honor  to  his  name. 


Appendix  A. 


SIDNEY  RIGDON. 
(Millennial  Star,  Vol.  5,  p.  109). 

To  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints: 

I  deem  it  to  be  a  duty  which  I  owe  to  God  and  His  Church, 
to  express  my  feelings  and  bear  my  testimony  unto  you,  concern- 
ing certain  things  that  are  presented  to  you  for  your  considera- 
tion, especially  the  claims  of  Elder  Sidney  Rigdon  to  the  ex- 
clusive right  to  lead  and  govern  the  Church  of  Latter-day  Saints. 
I  have  carefully  examined  the  trial  which  Elder  Rigdon  has  had 
before  the  authorities  of  the  Church  in  Nauvoo,  as  given  in  the 
Times  and  Seasons,  Vol.  V,  No.  17,  and  I  am  satisfied  that  a  right- 
eous decision  has  been  given  in  his  case.  I  do  not  make  these  re- 
marks without  my  reasons,  and  I  will  here  give  those  reasons. 

I  will  commence  by  asking  where  has  Elder  Rigdon  been  since 
the  days  of  Far  West?  Has  he  stood  by  the  side  of  the  Prophet 
and  Patriarch  as  a  true  friend,  to  assist  in  carrying  them  through 
their  trials,  tribulations,  and  persecutions  ?  Has  he  walked  up  into 
his  place  as  a  man  of  God,  and  stood  beside  the  Prophet  as  his 
counselor?  Has  he  in  any  way  been  a  pillar  or  support  to  the 
Church  from  that  day  until  this  ?  Has  he  sustained  the  cause,  and 
used  an  influence  to  spread  the  work  abroad  since  the  persecution 
in  Far  West?  Has  he  in  any  way  sustained  the  priesthood  with 
dignity  and  honor  for  the  last  five  years  of  his  life?  Or,  has  the 
Prophet,  in  any  point  of  view,  leaned  upon  him  as  a  counselor,  a 
staff,  or  support,  for  the  last  five  years?  Or  has  the  Prophet 
Joseph  found  Elder  Rigdon  in  his  councils,  when  he  organized  the 
Quorum  of  the  Twelve  a  few  months  before  his  death  to  prepare 
them  for  the  endowment?  And  when  they  received  their  endow- 
ment, and  actually  received  the  keys  of  the  Kingdom  of  God,  and 
oracles  of  God — keys  to  revelation — and  the  pattern  of  heavenly 
things ;  and  when  he  declared  to  the  Twelve,  "Upon  your  shoul- 
ders the  Kingdom  rests,  and  you  must  round  up  your  shoulders 


APPENDIX  A.  653 

and  bear  it,  for  I  have  had  to  do  it  until  now,"  where  was  Sidney 
Rigdon ?  Has  Elder  Rigdon  shared  this  responsibility  in  any  way? 
No,  no,  verily  no ;  but  the  reverse,  until  he  had  become  like  a  mill- 
stone upon  the  neck  of  Joseph  Smith,  the  Prophet,  Seer,  and  Reve- 
lator.  And  I  hereby  bear  my  testimony  that  I  heard  Joseph  Smith 
declare  that  Elder  Rigdon  had  become  like  a  millstone  upon  his 
back — a  dead  weight — and  he  had  carried  him  long  enough,  and 
must  throw  him  off ;  and  in  my  hearing  requested  one  of  the  Quor- 
um of  the  Twelve  to  bring  him  up  before  the  Church,  that  he 
might  be  dealt  with  according  to  the  law  of  the  Church,  that  he 
might  be  cut  off  as  a  dead  branch,  and  no  longer  encumber  the  tree, 
as  there  was  sufficient  testimony  against  him.  But  through  the 
pleadings  of  Brother  Hyrum  Smith  and  others  he  was  spared. 
Elder  Brigham  Young  has  been  his  friend,  spoke  in  his  favor,  in 
consequence  of  his  age  and  former  standing,  hoping  that  he  might 
reform,  get  the  spirit  of  the  work,  and  magnify  his  calling.  He 
has  been  patiently  sustained  until  the  branch  became  twice  dead, 
and  necessary  to  be  severed  from  the  tree.  Elder  Rigdon,  for  the 
last  five  years  of  his  life,  has  been  mostly  shut  up  in  the  post-office ; 
has  confined  himself  mostly  to  his  own  temporal  affairs,  manifest- 
ing but  little  interest  in  the  affairs  of  the  Church;  and  when  any 
alarm  or  report  was  in  circulation  unfavorable  to  the  cause,  if  we 
could  judge  at  all  from  the  course  he  pursued,  it  had  a  tendency  to 
increase  trouble  and  disturbance,  instead  of  decreasing  it.  It  is 
true,  that  Elder  Rigdon  attended  some  of  the  councils  that  Presi- 
dent Smith  held  with  the  Twelve  and  others,  before  his  death, 
while  giving  them  instructions ;  but  I  heard  President  Smith  say 
that  he  came  in  without  his  wish  or  invitation,  as  he  had  no  con- 
fidence in  him. "  Elder  Rigdon  and  his  friends  would  now  claim, 
before  the  Church  and  the  world,  that  he  holds  the  keys  of  the 
Kingdom  of  God  of  the  last  dispensation,  above  the  Twelve,  the 
Church,  etc.  I  am  ready  to  admit  before  the  whole  Church  and 
the  world,  that  he  does  hold  one  key  different  from  that  held  by 
the  Twelve ;  one  that  they  do  not  hold — one  that  God  never  held, 
nor  Jesus  Christ,  nor  any  true  prophet,  patriarch,  or  apostle ;  Jos- 
eph and  Hyrum  Smith  were  utter  strangers  to  it. 

We  are  judging  according  to  the  words  of  his  own  mouth  ac- 
cording to  the  testimony  given  on  his  trial.  We  suppose  that  Lu- 
cifer, who  made  war  in  heaven,  was  the  author  of  that  key;  and 


654  WILFORD  WOODRUFF,. 

that  it  had  been  handed  down  unto  the  present  day,  and  with  it 
Elder  Rigdon  has  unlocked  his  heart,  and  portrayed  before  our 
eyes  what  it  was.  What  is  it  ?  Hear  it,  all  ye  Latter-day  Saints ! 
Listen,  O  earth,  and  judge  the  fruits  of  this  key.  He  threatens  to 
turn  traitor,  publish  against  the  Church  in  public  journals.  He  in- 
timates that  he  would  bring  a  mob  upon  the  Church,  stir  up  the 
world  against  the  Saints,  and  bring  distress  upon  them,  etc. 
(Times  and  Seasons,  Vo\.  V,  pp.  650-653.)  This  ought  to  be  a  suf- 
ficient reason  for  any  true-hearted  Latter-day  Saint  to  turn  away 
from  him  with  disgust,  and  treat  men  like  him  according  to  their 
desert,  which  is,  to  let  them  entirely  alone ;  for  a  more  despicable 
principle  never  existed  in  heaven,  earth  nor  hell,  than  to  prove  a 
traitor  to  our  God,  our  cause,  and  our  friends,  and  bring  distress 
upon  the  innocent,  and  that,  too,  by  turning  against  the  very 
cause  that  he  spent  a  portion  of  his  life  to  build  up,  and  declared, 
while  in  the  faith,  that  it  was  true  and  righteous.  This  same  prin- 
ciple was  manifest  in  the  case  of  Lucifer,  Judas,  Arnold,  and  many 
apostates  in  this  Church,  who,  when  they  could  not  get  their  own 
ends  accomplished,  threatened  to  bring  mobs  upon  the  Church,  and 
in  some  instances  they  have  done  so.  I  would  ask,  has  Joseph  or 
Irlyrum  Smith  ever  held  such  a  key  as  this,  or  manifested  such  a 
spirit  as  this?  No,  never;  they  have  despised  it  in  their  hearts. 
President  Smith  seemed  to  be  sensible  that  such  a  feeding  was 
growing  in  the  breast  of  Elder  Rigdon ;  and  if  he  had  accomplished 
what  duty  appeared  to  present  to  his  mind  upon  that  subject,  Elder 
Rigdon  would  have  been  severed  from  the  Church  before  the 
Prophet's  death ;  but  through  mercy  he  was  spared  until  he  mani- 
fested the  evil  that  is  in  him,  and  he  has  become  dangerous  to  the 
welfare  of  the  Church  and  Kingdom  of  God. 

I  would  again  ask,  has  Elder  Brigham  Young  ever  manifested 
any  knowledge  of  the  key  above  spoken  of,  or  any  spirit  or  disposi- 
tion to  turn  against  the  Church  in  any  time  of  trial  or  persecution 
from  its  commencement?  Has  he  ever  deserted  Joseph,  Hyrum, 
his  brethren,  or  the  cause,  in  one  instance,  since  the  foundation  of 
this  Church?  No,  never,  not  in  one  instance.  He  has  always  been 
ready  to  go  and  come  at  the  bidding  of  the  Lord.  He  has  not  sai  .1 
go ;  but  he  has  always  said  come.  He  has  set  the  example  and  led 
the  way,  until  he  has  traversed  sea  and  land,  at  home  and  abroad, 
native  and  foreign  countries,  until  he  has  borne  off  the  keys  of  the 


APPENDIX  A.  655 

Kingdom  of  God,  in  connection  with  the  Twelve,  with  honor  and 
dignity,  since  they  were  committed  to  his  charge.  He  has  followed 
President  Smith's  footsteps  closely  for  the  last  twelve  years  of  his 
life,  and  especially  the  last  five  years ;  while  Elder  Rigdon  has,  ac 
the  same  time,  been  confined  to  the  post-office,  apparently  mani- 
festing no  interest  in  the  welfare  of  the  Church  and  building  up  of 
the  cause.  The  spirit  of  wisdom  and  counsel  has  manifested  itself 
in  the  course  and  deliberations  of  Elder  Young.  He  has  not  only 
had  much  experience  with  President  Smith,but  he  has  proved  him- 
self true  and  faithful  in  all  things  committed  to  his  charge,  until  he 
was  called  t^>  hold  the  keys  of  the  Kingdom  of  God  in  all  the  world, 
in  connection  with  the  Twelve.  He,  in  connection  with  the 
Twelve,  was  the  first  to  receive  his  endowment  from  the  hands  of 
the  Prophet  and  Patriarch,  who  have  leaned  upon  him  for  years. 
The  Twelve  have  acted  with  honor,  laboring  both  day  and  night, 
making  every  sacrifice  required  of  them  ;  leaving  their  homes,  fam- 
ilies, and  country,  to  establish  the  work  of  God,  and  lay  the  foun- 
dation for  the  deliverance  and  redemption  of  Israel.  And  I  can 
say  with  every  sentiment  of  my  heart,  and  feeling  of  my  soul, 
as  President  Young  has  said,  "that  if  there  be  but  ten  men 
left,  who  hang  on  to  the  truth,  to  Joseph  and  the  Temple, 
and  are  willing  to  do  right  in  all  things,  let  me  be  one  of 
that  number."  If  it  cost  me  my  life  to  defend  the  truth  of 
the  everlasting  gospel  of  the  Son  of  God,  and  to  build  upon 
the  great  and  mighty  foundation  which  God  has  laid  in  this 
last  dispensation  and  fulness  of  times,  through  the  instrumentality 
of  His  servant  Joseph,  the  Prophet,  Seer,  and  Revelator,  I  am  will- 
ing to  make  the  sacrifice.  I  am  ready  to  follow  the  example  of 
those  who  have  gone  before  me.  When  my  work  is  done,  I  am 
ready  to  be  offered, ^if  necessary. 

I  would  rather  see  ten  men  seal  a  righteous  testimony  with 
their  blood  than  to  see  one  man  turn  traitor,  shed  innocent  blood 
and  damn  his  own  soul.  The  object  in  living  and  laboring  in  the 
cause  of  God  is  to  secure  a  part  in  the  first  resurrection,  eternal  life, 
and  immortal  glory.  A  religion  that  is  not  worth  maintaining  at  the 
expense  of  life  is  not  worth  having,  "for  he  that  will  seek  to  save 
his  life  shall  lose  it,  and  he  that  will  lay  down  his  life  for  My  sake, 
the  same  shall  find  it."  And  again,  "I  will  prove  you,  whether  you 


656  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

will  abide  in  My  covenant,  even  unto  death,  saith  the  Lord."  Many 
of  the  patriarchs,  prophets,  Jesus,  the  apostles,  David,  Joseph,  and 
Hyrum,  and  many  others,  have  sealed  their  testimony  with  their 
blood. 

Shall  we,  then,  as  elders  of  Israel,  or  Latter-day  Saints,  back 
down,  fear,  tremble,  or  give  up  the  work,  because  Elder  Rigdon 
threatens  to  turn  traitor  or  bring  mobs  upon  us,  because  he  cannot 
made  the  Church  bow  to  his  notion  of  things  ?  No,  God  forbid ! 
It  shows  very  clearly  that  he  has  not  the  spirit  of  Christ;  for 
neither  the  Lord  nor  one  of  His  followers  ever  did  such  a  thing; 
and  it  is  sufficient  to  open  the  mind  of  every  Saint  to  see  where  he 
stands.  As  far  as  my  faith,  prayers,  influence,  and  labor  will 
effect  anything,  they  will  go  to  sustain  President  Young,  and  in 
connection  with  him  the  Quorum  of  the  Twelve,  in  holding  the 
keys  of  the  Kingdom  of  God,  as  they  have  been  delivered  unto 
them  by  revelation  of  Jesus  Christ. 

And  I  wish  to  say  to  all  the  elders  of  Israel,  and  to  the  Saints 
of  God,  that  the  time  has  come,  when  we  need  a  double  portion  of 
the  spirit  of  Joseph's  God  to  rest  upon  us.  We  should  gird  up  our 
loins,  watch  and  be  sober,  maintain  the  priesthood  with  dignity, 
have  the  cause  of  God  fully  at  heart,  labor  faithfully  for  its  pro- 
motion while  the  day  lasts ;  for  night  will  soon  come  when  no  man 
can  work.  We  should  practice  virtue  and  holiness  before  the  Lord, 
and  shun  the  very  appearance  of  evil.  We  should  enter  our  clos- 
ets, and  call  upon  God  for  wisdom  to  direct  us  in  every  duty  in 
life.  Our  object  should  be  to  preach  the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ 
to  this  generation,  and  present  those  principles  that  will  save  the 
souls  of  men. 

If  there  is  any  man  in  this  Church  that  does  wrong,  that 
breaks  the  law  of  God,  it  matterc  h  not  what  his  standing  may  be, 
whether  among  the  Twelve,  the  high  priests,  seventies,  or  elders, 
or  in  any  other  standing,  there  is  a  tribunal  that  will  reach  his  case 
in  process  of  time.  There  is  authority  before  whom  he  can  be 
tried.  Therefore,  let  no  one  turn  against  the  cause  of  God,  and 
take  the  road  to  destruction,  on  the  plea  that  somebody  has  done 
wrong.  It  is  no  excuse  for  you  or  me  to  do  wrong  because  an- 
other does.  The  soul  that  sins,  alone  must  bear  the  consequence. 
Should  I  step  aside  from  the  path  of  duty  it  would  not  destroy  the 


APPENDIX  A.  657 

gospel  of  Jesus  Christ,  or  even  one  principle  of  eternal  truth ;  it 
would  remain  the  same.  Neither  would  it  be  any  excuse  for  you  to 
commit  sin. 

Therefore,  let  me  exhort  all  elders  of  Israel  and  Saints  of  God 
to  rise  up  in  the  majesty  and  dignity  of  their  calling,  and  make  full 
proof  of  their  ministry  and  covenant.  Sustain  by  your  works  the 
authorities,  keys,  and  priesthood ;  the  eyes  of  God,  angels  and  men 
are  over  you,  and  when  the  work  is  finished,  you  will  receive  your 
just  recompense. 

W.  WOODRUFF. 


43 


Appendix  B. 


(Millennial  Star,  Vol.  6,  p.  113.) 

To  the  Officers  and  Members  of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of 

Latter-day  Saints  in  the  British  I  stands, t  Greeting:  Beloved 
Brethren,  whom  I  love,  for  the  truth's  sake  that  dwelleth  in  you. 
It  is  with  no  ordinary  feelings  that  I  reflect  upon  the  responsibility 
that  is  resting  upon  me,  as  I  enter  upon  my  duties  as  a  servant 
of  Jesus  Christ,  and  a  counselor  to  His  Saints,  in  endeavoring  to 
fill  so  important  a  station  as  is  required  at  my  hands.  Trusting 
in  that  God  who  has  sustained  His  servants  in  every  age  of  the 
world,  from  the  death  of  righteous  Abel  to  Joseph,  and  has  en- 
abled them  to  accomplish  every  work  which  He  has  required  of 
them,  I  feel  moved  upon  by  the  spirit  of  God  to  join  again  my 
brethren  in  this  land,  for  the  purpose  of  assisting  them  in  their 
labors  in  every  good  word  and  work.  I  hope  I  shall  share  in 
their  fellowship  and  confidence,  and  be  sustained  by  the  prayer 
of  faith,  that  when  called  upon  I  may  be  enabled  to  render  a  sat- 
isfactory account  of  my  stewardship,  both  unto  my  brethren, 
and  to  God  to  whom  I  am  accountable  for  all  my  actions. 

Impressed  with  a  realizing  sense  that  you  desire  a  true 
statement  of  facts  concerning  the  present  position,  prospects,  and 
intentions  of  the  Church  in  America,  I  will  endeavor  to  make 
one  in  this  epistle. 

Many  important  events  have  transpired  in  America  since 
I  took  the  parting  hand  of  the  Sanits  in  this  land,  and,  in  company 
with  six  of  the  Quorum  of  the  Twelve,  and  Elders  Hedlock 
and  Burnham,  set  sail  in  1841  for  our  native  country.  Re- 
cent events  have  brought  both  joy  and  sorrow  to  our  hearts. 
They  have  brought  joy  unspeakable  because  of  that  light, 
intelligence,  and  glory  which  have  been  made  manifest  in 
the  revelation  of  Jesus  Christ,  through  the  mouth  of  His 


APPENDIX  B.  659 

prophet,  for  the  salvation  and  exaltation  of  the  sons  of  men. 
They  have  brought  sorrow  in  the  loss  of  our  beloved  Prophet 
and  Patriarch,  who  have  sealed  their  testimony  with  their  blood, 
under  the  threat  that  though  the  laws  of  the  land  could  not 
reach  them,  powder  and  ball  should. 

Beloved  brethren,  think  not  that  any  new  or  strange  thing 
has  happened  in  this  nineteenth  century;  because  saints,  apostles, 
patriarchs,  or  prophets  are  slain  for  the  word  of  God  and  testi- 
mony of  Jesus  Christ.  The  same  thing  has  happened  to  the  ancient 
patriarchs,  prophets,  and  apostles  of  God.  The  Lamb  of  God 
Himself  was  no  exception.  Whenever  such  men  have  been  in- 
spired by  the  Almighty  to  lay  the  foundation  of  any  dispensa- 
tion for  the  salvation  of  men,  or  for  the  benefit  of  the  generation 
in  which  they  lived,  or  have  come  in  contact  with  the  notions, 
traditions,  and  superstitions  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth,  the 
people  have  driven  them  into  the  wilderness,  or  into  caves  of  the 
earth,  and  persecuted  them  even  unto  death,  however  careful 
the  prophets  may  have  been  to  keep  the  laws  both  of  God  and 
man.  This  was  the  case  with  Jesus  Christ  who  held  the  keys 
of  salvation,  not  only  of  the  Jews  but  of  the  whole  world.  He 
was  persecuted  from  His  baptism  to  the  cross.  All  manner  of 
evil  was  spoken  against  Him  falsely,  and  in  His  last  hour,  when 
no  testimony  could  be  brought  against  Him,  Pilate  was  con- 
vinced of  His  innocence,  and  found  no  fault  in  Him.  As  a  testi- 
mony he  washed  his  hands  in  their  sight,  declaring  himself 
to  be  innocent  of  His  blood.  Yet  the  multitude  cried  out,  "Cruci- 
fy Him,  crucify  Him;  His  blood  be  upon  us,  and  upon  our  chil- 
dren." Accrdingly  His  blood  has  been  upon  that  nation  from 
generation  to  generation.  His  blood  brought  upon  them  con- 
demnation for  eighteen  hundred  years,  during  which  time  they 
have  had  to  suffer  for  shedding  the  blood  of  the  Lord's  An- 
nointed. 

In  like  manner  it  may  be  said  of  the  Prophet  of  God  in  this 
dispensation.  He  has  had  to  flee  into  the  wilderness,  to  the 
mountains  and  caves  of  the  rocks  from  time  to  time,  to  evade 
the  pursuit  of  his  persecutors,  that  he  might  finish  the  work 
committed  to  his  charge.  He  suffered  many  trials  and  hard- 
ships, was  stoned  and  mobbed,  was  often  put  in  chains  and 


660  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

prison.  He  was  tormented  by  upwards  of  forty  vexatious  law- 
suits and  trials ;  yet  he  was  not  in  one  instance  condemned  by 
the  laws  of  the  land.  Under  the  pledged  protection  of  the  Gover- 
nor and  State  of  Illinois,  Joseph,  the  Prophet,  and  his  brother, 
Hyrum,  the  patriarch,  were  basely  murdered  by  something  like 
two  hundred  American  citizens,  painted  like  Indians. 

I  acknowledge,  my  beloved  brethren,  that  I  blush  for  my 
native  land,  and  for  the  name  of  freemen.  I  blush  for  the  name  of 
Christianity  and  civilization.  Such  deeds  the  wild  savage  of 
the  woods  would  despise  in  his  heart.  I  have  the  consolation  of 
believing  that  the  innocent  blood  of  the  Saints,  which  has  dyed 
the  American  soil  for  truth's  sake,  will  cry  in  the  ears  of  the 
Lord  of  Sabbaoth,  until  the  abettors  and  perpetrators  of  such 
horrid  tragedies  will  have  to  pay  the  price  of  the  blood  of  those 
righteous  men  whom  they  have  martyred. 

Should  any  of  the  Saints  have  formed  an  opinion  that  the 
apostles,  prophets,  or  saints  of  God  in  the  last  days  would  not 
seal  their  testimony  with  their  blood,  I  wish  to  mark  it  as  an  error 
by  citing  testimony  upon  the  subject.  John  the  Revelator,  while 
wrapped  in  the  visions  of  the  Almighty,  saw  events  that  were  to 
transpire  in  the  last  days,  before  the  second  advent  of  the  Mes- 
siah; and  in  the  opening  of  the  fifth  seal,  he  "saw  under  the 
altar  the  souls  of  them  that  had  been  slain  for  the  word  of  God, 
and  for  the  testimony  which  they  held ;  and  when  they  asked  how 
long  before  the  Lord  would  judge  and  avenge  their  blood  on  those 
that  dwelt  on  the  earth,  they  were  informed  they  must  rest  for 
a  little  season  until  their  fellow-servants  and  brethren  should 
be  killed  as  they  were."  Rev.  vi.  9,  10,  11.  Again,  John  said, 
in  pouring  out  the  plagues  upon  the  earth,  xvi.  3,  that  "he 
poured  out  his  phial  upon  the  sea,  and  it  became  as  the  blood 
of  a  dead  man,  and  every  living  soul  died  in  the  sea ;  and  the 
third  angel  poured  out  his  phial  upon  the  rivers  and  fountains 
of  waters,  and  they  became  blood ;  and  the  angel  said  the  Lord 
was  righteous  in  so  doing,  for  they  have  shed  the  blood  of 
saints  and  prophets,  and  thou  hast  given  them  blood  to  drink, 
for  they  are  worthy." 

Some  may  say,  it  was  in  the  days  of  Jesus  Christ  that  this 
was  fulfilled,  but  it  was  not  so;  for  John  lived  after,  and  saw 


APPENDIX  s.  66i 

things  that  should  come  to  pass  in  the  future;  and  that  in  the 
last  days  the  waters  were  to  be  turned  into  blood,  because  they 
had  shed  the  blood  of  prophets  and  of  saints.  John  also  speaks 
of  two  other  witnesses  in  Judea  that  were  to  be  slain;  and  how 
many  others  of  the  servants  of  God  may  be  called  to  seal  their 
testimony  with  their  blood  before  the  coming  of  Christ,  it  is  not 
for  me  to  say. 

The  Book  of  Doctrine  and  Covenants  conveys  the  idea  that 
the  Prophet,  Joseph  Smith,  might  be  called  to  lay  down  his  life. 
See  page  126,  last  of  the  first  paragraph;  also  page  159,  fourth 
paragraph,  "Behold,  I  will  give  you  eternal  life,  even  if  you  should 
be  slain."  Page  237,  third  paragraph,  "I  have  decreed  in  my 
heart,  saith  the  Lord,  that  I  will  prove  you  in  all  things,  whether 
you  will  abide  in  my  covenant  even  unto  death,  that  you  may 
be  found  worthy."  Hence,  instead  of  the  death  of  the  Prophet 
being  contrary  to  the  word  of  God,  it  is  evidently  in  fulfillment 
of  prophecy  and  the  revelations  of  Jesus  Christ. 

The  Prophet  Joseph  was  fully  aware,  for  months  before  his 
death,  that  his  work  was  about  finished  on  the  earth.  I  draw  this 
conclusion  from  the  testimony  of  his  own  mouth,  in  his  addresses 
both  public  and  private.  On  the  16th  of  April,  1844,  while  de- 
livering an  address  in  the  Temple  in  Nauvoo,  upon  the  death  of 
Elder  Lorenzo  Barnes,  whose  body  lies  interred  at  Idle,  near 
Bradford,  Yorkshire,  he  remarked  that  when  he  died  he  wished 
to  have  an  honorable  burial  with  his  father  and  the  Saints  in 
Nauvoo.  He  plainly  declared  that  he  wished  his  body  to  lie  be- 
side his  father  in  Nauvoo;  for  he  considered  Nauvoo  would  be 
a  burial  place  for  the  Saints. 

Again,  months  before  he  made  the  above  request,  while  de- 
livering an  interesting  adress  before  the  Female  Relief  Society 
of  Nauvoo,  he  said,  as  he  had  this  opportunity,  he  was  going  to 
instruct  the  Society,  and  point  out  the  way  for  them  to  conduct 
themselves,  that  they  might  act  according  to  the  will  of  God. 
He  said  that  he  did  not  know  that  he  should  have  many  opportuni- 
ties of  teaching  them,  as  they  were  going  to  be  left  to  them- 
selves; that  they  would  not  have  him  to  instruct  them;  that  the 
Church  would  not  have  his  instructions  long;  that  the  world 
would  not  be  troubled  with  him  a  great  while,  nor  have  his  teach- 


662  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

ings ;  that  he  would  deliver  the  keys  to  others ;  and  that,  accord- 
ing to  his  prayers,  God  had  appointed  him  elsewhere. 

The  Prophet  called  the  Quorum  of  the  Twelve  together  sever- 
al months  before  his  death,  and  informed  them  that  the  Lord 
had  commanded  him  to  hasten  their  endowments ;  that  he  did 
not  expect  to  remain  himself  to  see  the  Temple  completed;  that 
he  wished  to  confer  the  keys  of  the  Kingdom  of  God  upon  other 
men,  that  they  might  build  up  the  Church  and  Kingdom  according 
to  the  pattern  given.  The  Prophet  stood  before  the  Twelve  from 
day  to  day,  clothed  with  the  spirit  and  power  of  God,  and  in- 
structed them  in  the  oracles  of  God,  in  the  pattern  of  heavenly 
things,  in  the  keys  of  the  Kingdom,  in  the  power  of  the  priest- 
hood, and  in  the  knowledge  of  the  last  dispensation  of  the  fulness 
of  times. 

In  his  last  charge  to  the  Quorum  of  the  Twelve,  he  rose  up 
in  all  the  majesty,  strength,  and  dignity  of  his  calling,  as  a 
prophet,  seer,  and  revelator,  out  of  the  loins  of  ancient  Joseph, 
and  exhorted  and  commanded  the  brethren  of  the  Twelve  to 
rise  up,  and  go  forth  in  the  name  of  Israel's  God,  and  bear  off  the 
keys  of  the  Kingdom  of  God  in  righteousness  and  in  honor  in  all 
the  world.  They  were  instructed  to  walk  in  all  holiness,  godliness, 
faith,  virtue,  temperance,  patience,  and  charity;  to  do  honor  to 
the  cause  of  God  in  this  last  dispensation  and  fulness  of  times; 
and  when  their  work  was  finished,  to  follow  his  example  by 
boldly  sealing  their  testimony  with  their  blood,  for  the  word  of 
God,  and  the  testimony  of  Jesus  Christ,  if  necessity  required  it, 
that  they  might  be  prepared  for  the  reward,  which  is  beyond 
the  veil. 

Those  who  were  present  on  those  occasions  cannot  forget 
the  teachings  that  fell  from  the  lips  of  that  noble,  but  now 
martyred  Prophet  of  God.  Though  his  body  sleeps  in  the  tomb, 
his  testimony  lives,  not  only  in  the  hearts  of  men,  but  is  on  rec- 
ord and  will  remain  in  force,  while  his  persecutors  will  reap  a 
just  reward  for  all  their  works.  And  I  hereby  bear  my  testimony 
unto  all  men  into  whose  hands  these  lines  may  fall,  that  I  have 
been  acquainted  with  Joseph,  and  Hyrum  Smith,  the  Prophet 
and  the  Patriarch  of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day 
Saints ;  have  attended  their  private  and  public  counsels  from  time 


APPENDIX  B.  660 

to  time,  during  the  last  ten  years  of  my  life ;  and  notwithstanding 
their  enemies  have  caused  the  earth  to  be  deluged,  as  it  were, 
with  lies,  slanders,  and  fabrications,  with  the  intent  to  injure 
their  character  and  destroy  their  influence  among  men;  that 
I  have  never  heard  either  of  those  men  teach,  counsel,  or  ad- 
vocate, or  practice  any  principle  that  was  contrary  to  the  word 
of  God,  virtue,  or  temperance,  or  unbecoming  men  standing  in 
their  high  and  holy  calling.  On  the  contrary,  I  have  been  as- 
tonished at  the  patience,  forbearance,  long-suffering,  philan- 
throphy,  and  charity  manifested  in  the  lives  of  those  men.  I 
have  been  filled  with  joy  by  the  beauty,  order,  knowledge,  prin- 
ciples, intelligence,  and  glory  manifest  in  the  teachings,  counsels, 
and  revelations  of  Jesus  Christ  given  through  those  servants  of 
God,  for  the  benefit  of  the  children  of  men  in  this  last  dispensa- 
tion. 

Soon  after  the  Quorum  of  the  Twelve  received  their  endow- 
ment, according  to  the  counsel  of  the  Prophet,  they  left  Nauvoo 
(except  two)  on  a  mission  to  the  Eastern  States.  They  had  not 
been  long  gone  ere  the  persecutors  of  the  Saints  were  exceed- 
ingly mad  against  them,  and  sought  to  find  accusation  against 
the  Prophet,  that  they  might  put  him  to  death. 

At  length  the  Governor  and  officers  of  the  State  of  Illinois 
having  pledged  themselves  to  protect  from  violence  the  Prophet 
and  his  brother,  Hyrum,  the  latter  gave  themselves  up  in  answer  to 
the  charges  of  their  enemies. 

They  took  the  parting  hand  of  their  aged  mother,  bid  adieu 
to  wife  and  children,  and  left  in  the  lovely  city  of  Nauvoo  a  circle 
of  many  thousands  of  friends  who  were  ready  to  lay  down  their 
lives  in  the  defense  of  their  leaders.  They  went  without  either 
warrant  or  officer,  accompanied  by  two  of  the  Twelve,  and  a  few 
other  friends.  They  rode  nearly  twenty  miles  into  the  camp 
of  their  enemies,  to  the  town  of  Carthage. 

Before  entering  the  town,  the  Prophet  exclaimed:  "I  go  as 
a  lamb  to  the  slaughter,  I  am  innocent  of  the  crimes  whereof  I 
am  accused,  I  die  with  a  conscience  void  of  offense  towards 
God  and  towards  men." 

I  need  not  enter  upon  the  details  of  the  horrible  tragedy 
committed  against  our  lamented  brethren,  as  you  have  had  all 


664  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

the  particulars  laid  before  you ;  suffice  it  to  say  that  then  fell  two 
as  noble  men  as  ever  dwelt  in  flesh  in  this  generation;  thus  were 
broken  the  pledged  faith  and  the  honor  of  the  Governor  and  of 
the  State  of  Illinois ;  thus  were  the  laws  and  institutions  of  Amer- 
ica disgraced  in  the  eyes  of  the  nations  of  the  earth ;  and  the  cup 
of  her  iniquity  filled  that  she  might  be  prepared  for  judgment. 

When  the  report  of  these  things  reached  the  Quorum  of 
Twelve,  most  of  whom  were  in  the  Eastern  States,  some  fifteen 
hundred  miles  from  the  city  of  Nauvoo,  we  came  together  in 
the  city  of  Boston,  and  made  preparations  for  an  immediate  re- 
turn to  our  homes  in  Nauvoo.  Any  portion  of  a  veil  that  re- 
mained over  our  eyes  concerning  any  sayings  of  the  Prophet 
about  his  being  taken  away  from  us,  etc.,  was  now  taken  off,  and 
we  not  only  saw  clearly,  but  felt  deeply  in  our  hearts,  the  meaning 
of  many  of  his  sayings,  while  in  our  midst.  We  started  together, 
and  in  about  twelve  days,  we  were  again  on  the  soil  of  Nauvoo.  But 
how  great  the  change,  now  many  thousands  of  the  Saints  were 
in  mourning  for  their  lost  friends,  who  had  as  it  were,  laid 
down  their  lives  for  them;  and  even  the  heavens  over  our  heads 
seemed  brooding  with  gloom  over  the  spilt  blood  of  the  Prophets. 
We  ourselves  would  have  been  glad  of  the  opportunity  to  set 
our  houses  in  order,  to  mourn  for  the  martyred  Prophets  for 
thirty  days,  as  Israel  did  for  Moses,  and  then  to  rise  up,  wash 
our  faces,  anoint  our  heads,  and  go  about  our  Master's  business. 
We  were  even  deprived  of  that  privilege ;  for  aspiring  spirits, 
who  are  ever  ready  to  rise  up  on  such  occasions,  were  already 
active.  The  most  conspicuous  was  Sidney  Rigdon.  The  history 
of  his  claim  you  have  already  had  laid  before  you  in  the  Times  and 
Seasons,  and  in  the  Star.  His  course  was  such  that  of  necessity 
we  had  to  commence  Church  business  the  day  following  our  ar- 
rival in  the  City. 

Many  spirits  have  gone  out  into  the  world  of  late.  One  of 
them  was  plainly  manifested  in  the  editors  who  predicted  that 
as  the  Prophet  was  dead,  the  work  of  the  Latter-day  Saints  was 
ended.  They  thought  the  Saints  would  disperse,  and  the  cause 
fall  away  and  die.  They  might  as  well  have  said  the  same  thing 
after  the  crucifixion  of  Christ,  have  declared  that  because  He 
was  dead,  His  testimony  would  .die,  and  His  apostles  desert  the 


APPENDIX  B.  665 

cause,  and  the  work  fall  to  the  ground  to  rise  no  more.  His  testi- 
mony just  began  to  be  in  force.  His  apostles,  having  the  keys 
of  the  kingdom,  walked  up  into  their  calling,  and  magnified  the 
work,  three  thousand  souls  uniting  with  them  in  one  day,  while 
the  work  spread  far  and  wide. 

So  will  it  be  in  this  case ;  the  testimony  of  the  late  martyred 
Prophets  will  now  be  in  force ;  the  principles  of  light,  knowledge, 
and  glory  that  have  flowed  from  their  lips,  are  too  firmly  estab- 
lished in  the  hearts  of  thousands  of  the  Saints  to  die,  but  on  the 
contrary  must  live  and  bring  forth  fruit  to  the  honor  and  glory 
of  God. 

The  fires  of  eternal  truth  have  burned  too  long  and  too  deep 
into  the  flesh  and  bones  of  the  Twelve  Apostles  of  this  dispensa- 
tion to  be  quenched  by  anything  but  death,  neither  will  they 
permit  them  to  turn  from  their  course,  to  spend  their  time  in  the 
vocations  of  merchandising,  farming,  or  fishing.  A  double  portion 
of  the  spirit  of  God,  and  the  power  of  the  priesthood  will  rest 
upon  the  elders  of  Israel  as  they  go  forth  into  the  vineyard,  until 
tens  of  thousands  will  rejoice  in  the  fulness  of  the  gospel  of  the  Son 
of  God. 

We  found  this  kind  of  spirit  and  feeling  resting  upon  the 
Saints  upon  our  return  to  Nauvoo.  Truly  they  were  called  to 
mourn,  but  they  had  by  no  means  lost  their  faith.  On  the  con- 
trary, they  were  united,  if  possible,  with  a  stronger  tie.  As  with 
the  heart  of  one  man,  they  were  ready  to  carry  out  every  measure 
of  the  work  of  God,  according  to  the  pattern  and  foundation  laid  by 
the  Prophet  who  had  sealed  the  work  with  his  life.  On  the  second 
day  after  our  arrival,  August  8th,  1844,  we  met  in  a  special  con- 
ference all  the  quorums,  authorities,  and  members  of  the  Church, 
that  could  assemble  in  Nauvoo.  They  were  addressed  by  Elder 
Brigham  Young,  the  President  of  the  Quorum  of  Twelve.  It  was 
evident  to  the  Saints  that  the  mantle  of  Joseph  had  fallen  upon 
him,  the  road  that  he  pointed  out  could  be  seen  so  plainly,  that 
none  need  err  therein.  The  spirit  of  wisdom  and  counsel  at- 
tended all  his  teachings,  he  struck  upon  a  chord,  with  which  all 
hearts  beat  in  unison. 

He  was  followed  by  a  number  of  the  Twelve  and  others,  who 
spoke  to  the  point  in  an  edifying  manner,  and  at  the  close  of 


666  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

the  conference,  a  number  of  resolutions  were  adopted.  The  follow- 
ing proposition  was  then  submitted :  "Do  the  Saints  want  the 
Twelve  to  stand  at  the  head,  as  the  First  Presidency  of  the  Church, 
and  at  the  head  of  this  kingdom  in  all  the  world,  and  next  to  Jos- 
eph, walk  up  into  their  calling,  hold  the  keys  of  this  kingdom,  and 
preside  over  all  the  affairs  of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ,  of 
Latter-day  Saints  in  all  the  world?"  All  that  are  in  favor  of  this 
in  all  the  congregations  of  the  Saints  make  it  manifest  by  holding 
up  the  right  hand.  At  once  there  was  a  sea  of  hands,  a  unanimous 
vote.  A  contrary  vote  was  called,  and  not  a  hand  was  raised  in  a 
congregation  of  about  fifteen  thousand  Saints.  Sidney  Rigdon, 
himself,  who  was  present,  did  not  vote  against  it,  but,  I  think, 
in  favor  of  it.  Confidence  and  order  were  firmly  established  from 
that  hour.  The  two  oldest  bishops  were  appointed  by  the  Twelve 
as  truf  iiees-in-trust  for  the  Temple. 

The  walls  of  the  Temple  arose  much  faster  than  ever  before, 
The  laborers  upon  that  house  manifested  a  determination  not  to 
leave  it  until  it  was  finished,  even  if  they  obtained  nothing  but 
their  daily  bread  for  their  reward.  The  Quorum  of  the  Twelve 
immediately  entered  upon  their  duties  by  organizing  all  the  quor- 
ums of  the  Church  according  to  the  order  of  God,  and  carry- 
ing out  all  the  views  and  principles  of  the  Prophet  and  Patriarch, 
according  to  the  pattern  given  them  in  laying  the  foundation  of 
this  great  and  mighty  work.  They  have  organized  the  churches 
in  North  America  into  districts  and  conferences  similar  to  the 
organization  which  they  formed  with  the  Saints  in  Great  Britain. 
They  have  organized  twelve  quorums  of  the  seventies,  seven 
presidents  to  each  quorum,  who  will  be  prepared  after  the  en- 
dowment to  go  forth  unto  all  nations,  bearing  glad  tidings  unto 
the  children  of  men. 

When  the  Quorum  of  the  Twelve  met  in  council,  it  seemed 
wisdom  in  God,  that  some  one  of  them  should  visit  the  church- 
es in  Britain;  the  lot  fell  upon  me,  as  you  will  see  from  the 
recommendations  of  President  Brigham  Young  to  visit  the  churches 
of  Europe.  And  according  to  appointment,  after  passing  with  my 
family  through  all  the  fatigues  and  dangers  of  a  journey  and  voy- 
age of  six  thousand  miles,  I  am  again  in  your  midst;  and  I  am 
happy  to  be  able  to  inform  you  that  the  progress  of  the  work  of  the 


APPENDIX  B.  667 

Lord,  and  the  welfare  of  the  Saints,  have  never  been  in  as  pros- 
perous a  condition  as  at  the  present  time,  in  the  United  States 
generally.  All  letters  and  papers  up  to  the  latest  date  from  Nauvoo 
confirm  this  statement;  peace,  union,  order,  and  industry  prevail. 
Great  exertions  are  made  by  the  Saints  to  establish  manufactures 
in  various  branches,  that  all  may  be  employed,  and  have  their 
wants  supplied.  The  Temple  is  being  rapidly  completed. 

Perhaps  some  may  think  that  I  ought  to  embody  in  this  ad- 
dress a  minute  account  of  the  thousand  stories  and  rumors  that 
have  been  put  in  circulation  by  our  enemies  against  the  Prophet, 
Patriarch,  the  Twelve,  and  the  Saints  at  large.  In  answer,  I  say, 
that  if  it  were  the  first  time  that  the  followers  of  God  were  spoken 
evil  of,  and  every  wicked  slander  that  could  be  devised  put  forth 
against  them,  I  should  consider  it  to  be  a  new  thing  under  the 
sun.  I  would  spend  more  time  in  writing  about  it ;  but  as  every  man 
(according  to  the  Scriptures)  that  will  follow  Christ  will  be  hated 
by  the  world,  and  have  all  manner  of  evil  spoken  against  him,  and 
as  the  Saints  may  look  for  it,  I  will  give  it  a  passing  notice.  John 
C.  Bennett,  and  many  other  enemies  and  apostates  have  coun- 
seled together  in  order  to  get  up  those  stories  and  falsehoods  that 
would  have  a  tendency  to  injure  the  Saints,  and  to  prejudice  the 
minds  of  the  community  against  them,  without  any  regard  to 
truth.  In  this  way  thousands  of  reports  and  stories  have  been 
set  afloat,  many  of  them  so  ridiculous  and  foreign  to  reason  or  to 
common  sense,  that  none  could  believe  them ;  and  one  would  think 
that  the  devil  himself  would  be  ashamed  of  such  agents. 

As  to  the  career  of  Mr.  Sidney  Rigdon,  I  would  say,  that 
his  late  views,  opinions,  and  course,  have  been  so  foreign  and  di- 
verse from  that  of  the  late  Prophet,  and  from  the  faith  of  the 
Saints,  that  he  has  had  but  very  little  influence,  except  with  a 
few  uneasy  spirits  who  were  aspiring  after  something  else  than 
doing  the  will  of  God.  If  we  have  been  rightly  informed,  even 
that  influence  is  dying  away ;  and  I  have  no  doubt  that  when  Mr. 
Rigdon  comes  to  reflect  upon  the  course  he  has  taken,  he  will  deep- 
ly regret  having  entertained  those  measures  which  will  end  like  air 
castles,  in  disappointment. 

But,  beloved  brethren,  you  may  rest  assured  that  the  Quor- 
um of  the  Twelve  is  determined  to  carry  out  the  order  and 


668  WlLFORD  WOODRUFF. 

principles  of  the  Church,  according  to  the  law  of  God.  They 
will  take  a  decided  stand  against  every  principle  or  practice  mani- 
fest in  the  Church  contrary  to  the  law  of  God,  of  reason,  reve- 
lation, virtue,  or  holiness.  They  are  men  who  have  taken  upon 
them  the  name  of  Christ  with  full  purpose  of  heart.  They  have 
labored  diligently  and  faithfully  all  the  day  long,  from  the  begin- 
ning, to  establish  the  foundation  of  the  fulness  of  the  gospel,  and 
plant  the  principles  of  eternal  truth  among  the  nations.  Many 
of  them  have  been  in  your  midst,  their  labors  and  their  diligence 
you  have  witnessed.  They  have  spared  no  pains  or  sacrifice  in 
planting  the  work  throughout  this  realm.  They  are  still  willing 
to  labor  and  spend  their  lives  in  the  cause.  They  desire  greatly 
that  the  Temple  shall  be  finished,  that  the  Saints  may  receive  their 
endowments,  and  save  themselves  and  their  friends;  and  that 
the  elders  of  Israel  may  go  forth  clothed  with  the  power  of  God. 

The  Twelve  are  not  alone  in  their  feelings  in  this  important 
work.  The  high  priests,  seventies,  elders,  and  Saints,  as  one  body, 
throughout  America,  are  inspired  by  the  same  spirit,  and  are 
ready  as  one  man  to  sustain  the  Quorum  of  the  Twelve  by  their 
faith,  prayers,  confidence,  and  works,  and  carry  out  those  glori- 
ous principles  and  measures,  the  foundation  of  which  was  laid 
by  the  martyred  Prophets  of  God. 

While  union  is  strength,  knoweldge  is  power;  and  while 
the  work  is  in  the  hands  of  such  men,  whose  motive  is  to  build 
up  the  Kingdom  of  God,  promote  the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  in 
its  purity,  and  save  the  souls  of  men,  we  have  no  fear  that  the 
work  will  not  prosper;  that  light  and  truth  will  not  prevail;  the 
name  of  God  will  not  be  glorified ;  and  that  the  Saints  will  not  be 
prepared  for  exaltation  beyond  the  veil. 

Having  thus  far  dwelt  upon  the  cause  in  America,  I  will 
now  turn  my  attention  to  the  officers  and  Saints  in  this  land.  It 
has  been  a  source  of  much  consolation  to  me  since  my  arrival,  to 
hear  the  report  of  the  union,  faith,  and  determination  of  the 
Saints  in  general,  in  the  various  conferences,  scattered  abroad 
through  the  British  Islands.  I  rejoice,  beloved  brethren,  to  learn 
that  the  same  spirit  is  animating  your  bosoms,  that  manifests  itself 
amongst  the  Saints  in  Nauvoo.  I  am  fully  persuaded  that  those 
who  were  appointed  as  your  presidency  in  this  land;  viz,  Elders 


APPENDIX  B.  669 

Hedlock,  and  Ward,  have  had  much  of  the  spirit  of  wisdom,  pru- 
dence, and  counsel  in  all  their  measures  in  your  midst;  they  have 
had  grace  and  strength  according  to  their  day,  and  have  been 
faithful  over  those  things  committed  to  their  charge.  I  am  also 
happy  to  learn  that  the  work  is  in  a  prosperous  condition  in  Lon- 
don, under  the  wise  and  faithful  teachings  of  Elder  Davis;  also 
of  its  prosperity  in  Scotland,  under  the  superintendence  of  Elder 
John  Cairns,  who  is  now  gone  to  America.  I  also  find  Elders 
Stratton,  Sheets,  Meynell,  and  a  number  of  other  elders  well  em- 
ployed. Elders  Clark,  Jones,  Holmes,  and  Hardy,  who  accom- 
panied me  from  America,  are  now  in  the  field.  Elder  Jones  has 
gone  to  Wales  both  to  preach  and  to  print  in  the  Welsh  language, 
and  with  the  grace  of  God  and  united  exertion  of  all  the  laboring 
elders  throughout  the  land,  I  expect  ere  long  we  shall  reap  a  rich 
harvest  of  souls. 

It  is  my  intention  to  visit  the  various  conferences  throughout 
the  kingdom  as  soon  as  circumstances  will  permit. 

Beloved  brethren,  there  are  several  subjects  which  weigh 
upon  my  mind,  and  I  beg  your  attention  while  I  present  them 
before  you. 

The -first  that  presents  itself  is  the  Temple  of  God,  which 
He  has  commanded  His  Saints  in  all  the  world  to  build  unto 
His  holy  name.  I  believe  all  that  it  is  necessary  for  the  Saints 
in  Europe  is  to  understand  this  subject  in  its  true  light,  in  or- 
der to  bring  forth  their  tithes  and  offerings  unto  the  store- 
house of  God,  in  such  a  manner  that  He  will  open  the  win- 
dows of  heaven,  and  pour  you  out  a  blessing  that  there  will 
not  be  room  enough  to  contain  it.  I  am  not  zealous  in  urging 
this  matter  upon  our  friends  in  this  country,  because  I  have 
any  fears  that  the  Temple  of  God  cannot  be  built;  for  I  verily 
believe  that  if  there  should  not  a  farthing  be  sent  from  this  land, 
or  even  the  United  States,  that  the  Saints  in  Nauvoo  would  never 
cease  their  work,  diligence,  and  labors,  until  they  saw  the  finish- 
ing stroke  adorn  that  Temple;  but,  why,  O  ye  Saints  of  God  in 
Europe,  should  we  stand  still,  withhold  out  tithes  and  offerings, 
and  see  our  brethren  in  Nauvoo  build  that  Temple,  and  then  like 
Jacob,  of  old,  secure  alone  unto  themselves  the  promised  bless- 
ings! May  God  forbid,  rather  let  all  the  Saints  throughout  the 


670  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

world  send  up  their  tithes,  with  their  names  to  be  recorded  in  the 
Book  of  the  Law  of  the  Lord.  By  so  doing  they  will  not  only 
keep  the  commandments  of  the  Lord,  but  will  own  their  share  in 
the  House,  and  have  a  right  to  all  the  promised  blessings,  ordi- 
nances, oracles,  and  endowments  which  will  not  only  benefit  them, 
but  their  posterity  to  the  latest  generation. 

I  trust,  therefore,  that  all  the  presiding  elders  will  make  an 
exertion  to  have  all  the  churches  continue  their  tithes.  Send 
the  name  of  each  individual  with  the  money  to  us  in  Liverpoool, 
that  we  may  record  the  same  in  a  book,  and  keep  a  copy  with  us, 
and  also  send  a  copy  of  the  same  with  the  money  to  Nauvoo, 
that  it  may  be  recorded  in  the  book  of  the  Law  of  the  Lord. 

I  wish  the  Female  Society,  in  all  the  branches,  to  continue 
their  subscriptions  for  the  Temple  until  it  is  finished.  Let  their 
money  and  names  be  brought  together  the  same  as  all  other  tithes 
and  offerings,  that,  when  the  Temple  is  finished,  the  whole  amount 
they  have  paid  may  stand  opposite  their  names  in  the  Book  of 
the  Law  of  the  Lord,  that  it  may  be  known  who  are  the  owners 
of  the  House. 

I  wish  it  to  be  distinctly  understood,  that  collections  of  every 
description  for  the  Temple,  in  this  land,  whether  from  -Church, 
individuals,  or  from  the  Female  Society,  should  be  brought  with 
their  names  to  us  here  in  Liverpool,  that  it  may  go  through  the 
proper  channel,  that  our  records  may  show  that  all  things  are 
done  according  to  the  order  of  God. 

The  circulation  of  the  works  published  by  the  Latter-day 
Saints  is  also  a  subject  I  deem  of  importance.  I  hope  the  officers 
and  members  will  use  their  influence  in  circulating  the  Star,  and 
all  other  works,  as  widely  as  possible.  It  is  wisdom  for  all  the 
Saints  that  can,  to  secure  carefully  all  the  numbers  of  the  Star, 
and  at  the  end  of  the  volume  get  them  bound.  I  here  wish  to 
remark  that  we  have  on  hand  at  36  Chapel  Street,  Liverpool,  sever- 
al hundred  copies  of  the  fourth  and  fifth  volumes  of  The  Times 
and  Seasons,  sent  here  by  Elder  John  Taylor.  These  volumes  con- 
tain many  precious  and  important  documents — the  history  of  the 
persecution,  the  trials  and  acquittals  of  the  Prophet  before  the  courts 
of  Illinois ;  many  letters  and  teachings  of  the  Prophet ;  also,  a  full 
account  of  the  late  murder  of  our  brethren.  In  them  will  be  found 


APPENDIX  B.  671 

also  much  of  the  history  connected  with  the  rise  and  progress  of 
the  Church.  It  is  not  expected  that  they  will  ever  be  reprinted, 
and  when  these  copies  are  disposed  of  they  cannot  be  obtained. 
I  hope  the  Saints,  as  far  as  they  can,  will  secure  a-  copy  of  this 
work,  that  they  may  leave  with  their  posterity  an  account  of  the 
rise  and  progress  of  the  Church,  which  has  been  attended  with 
so  many  scenes  of  vast  interest. 

We  shall  probably  publish  the  "Book  of  Doctrine  and  Cove- 
nants" in  England,  as  soon  as  circumstances  will  permit. 

Emigration  will  continue  to  Nauvoo,  or  other  parts  of  Amer- 
ica, according  to  the  circumstances  and  desires  of  the  Saints.  We 
shall  endeavor  to  establish  an  agency  in  New  Orleans,  and  also 
in  New  York,  and  no  pains  will  be  spared  to  make  the  Saints 
that  wish  to  emigrate  as  comfortable  as  possible. 

That  all  may  understand  alike  and  act  in  unison  in  Church 
matters,  among  all  the  conferences  throughout  this  country,  I 
would  say,  that  whenever  any  member  of  the  Church  is  to  be 
tried  for  any  transgression  or  difficulty,  after  he  has  been  dealt 
with  according  to  the  laws  of  the  Church,  that  the  accuser  pre- 
sent his  charge  in  writing  in  a  comprehensible  manner,  before  the 
council  of  the  officers  of  the  branch  to  which  the  accused  belongs. 
The  presiding  elder  of  the  branch  will  sit  as  president,  and  decide 
the  case  according  to  the  testimony  given  and  according  to  jus- 
tice and  righteousness  before  the  Lord.  The  decision  should 
afterwards  be  presented  before  the  members  of  that  branch,  and 
they  be  called  upon  to  sanction  the  decision.  Should  there  be 
any  dissatisfaction  with  the  decision  given,  an  appeal  can  be 
made  to  the  quarterly  conference,  by  presenting  an  account  of  the 
testimony  and  decision  accompanying  the  appeal.  The  presiding 
elder  of  the  quarterly  conference  will  preside,  and  decide  the 
case  according  to  the  testimony  given. 

If  an  elder,  presiding  over  any  branch  of  the  Church  should 
transgress,  charges  can  be  brought  against  him  before  the  quarter- 
ly conference,  and  he  can  there  be  tried.  If  either  party  be  dis- 
satisfied there  can  be  an  appeal  made  to  the  general  or  yearly 
conference,  by  presenting  the  testimony,  and  the  decision  given, 
and  the  president  of  all  the  conferences  in  the  realm  will  sit  in 
judgment  on  the  case,  and  decide  according  to  testimony,  whicb 


672  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

will  be  an  end  of  controversy  concerning  the  matter.  If  a  pre- 
siding elder  over  a  quarterly  conference  shall  transgress,  charges 
can  be  preferred  against  him  before  the  general  conference,  and 
he  can  be  tried.  If  the  president  over  the  whole  Church  in  any 
realm  shall  transgress,  he  can  be  tried  before  the  general  auth- 
orities of  the  Church  assembled  in  Nauvoo,  or  wherever  they 
be  assembled ;  so  that  there  is  no  member  exempt  in  all  the  King- 
dom of  God.  All  these  decisions  must  be  made  in  all  lowliness  of 
heart,  in  righteousness  and  truth  before  God. 

I  would  earnestly  exhort  all  the  elders  or  other  officers  of 
the  Church  that  stand  up  to  teach  the  people,  not  to  forget  the 
first  principles  of  the  gospel;  and  to  seek  by  faith,  prayer  and 
humility,  to  obtain  wisdom,  and  the  spirit  of  God  to  dictate  in  all 
your  labors.  Wisdom  is  one  of  the  greatest  gifts  of  God,  and 
the  voice  of  wisdom  will  not  tell  us  to  spend  our  time  in  warring 
against  the  sects  of  the  day.  Opposing  the  opinions  of  men ;  rid- 
iculing the  religions  that  surround  us,  thereby  closing  the  ears 
of  the  hearers ;  and  closing  up  the  understanding  of  men  against 
light  and  truth,  are  not  wisdom.  The  opinions  and  religions  of 
other  men  are  as  dear  unto  them  as  ours  are  unto  us.  Oh  ye 
elders  of  Israel!  let  salvation  be  your  text  in  meekness  and  hu- 
mility. Let  the  power  of  eternal  truth,  wisdom,  light,  and 
knowledge  that  are  hidden  in  the  first  principles  of  the  gospel  of 
the  Son  of  God  be  brought  forth.  You  can  be  instrumental  in 
saving  the  souls  of  men,  and  they  will  rejoice  with  yourselves 
that  they  have  beheld  the  light.  We  should  never  get  away 
from  the  gospel,  or  leave  it  to  preach  something  that  is  foreign  to 
our  calling,  or  be  contentious  about  words  to  no  purpose.  Every 
tree  is  known  by  its  fruit.  If  we  are  faithful  before  the  Lord, 
pursue  a  wise  and  prudent  course,  g^od  fruit  will  be  sure  to  fol- 
low our  labors. 

And  lastly,  I  wish  most  strongly  to  urge  upon  all  officers 
and  members  of  the  Church  of  Jesus'  Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints 
throughout  this  realm,  that  they  strictly  observe  and  abide  by  the 
laws  of  the  land.  So  long  as  the  government  protects  our 
lives,  persons,  and  property — guarantees  unto  us  the  rights  of 
conscience  in  common  with  its  subjects,  it  is  perfectly  right  that 
we  should  be  submissive  to  the  laws  of  the  same.  We  should 


APPENDIX  B.  673 

honor  and  respect  the  Queen  of  the  Realm,  with  all  the  officers 
of  government  in  their  respective  stations.  We  shall  then  be 
following  the  example  of  our  Lord  and  Master,  who  was  ready  to 
render  unto  Caesar  the  things  that  were  Caesar's,  and  unto  God 
things  that  were  God's;  and  any  course  of  conduct  contrary  to 
this  cannot  be  sustained  by  the  authorities  of  this  Church. 

I  wish  the  Saints  generally  to  understand  that  I  have  made 
choice  of  Elders  Hedlock  and  Ward  as  counselors  in  presiding 
over  and  conducting  the  affairs  of  the  Kingdom  of  God  in  this 
portion  of  the  vineyard ;  and  I  hope,  in  conjunction  with  them, 
to  be  able  to  visit  most  of  the  conferences  as  early  as  possible. 

By  way  of  conclusion  I  would  exhort  all  the  Saints  that  they 
unitedly  observe  the  sayings  of  the  Lord,  as  recorded  in  the 
twelfth,  thirteenth,  and  fourteenth  verses  of  the  fifteenth  chapter 
of  John.  If  we  love  one  another  as  Christ  loves  us,  we  can  easily 
settle  all  difficulties  that  may  arise  in  our  midst,  forgive  one  an- 
other, and  be  filled  with  mercy,  and  light,  love,  joy,  union,  peace, 
and  fellowship.  There  will  then  be  the  stability  among  us,  and  we 
shall  be  much  better  in  the  sight  of  God,  angels,  and  men,  than 
when  pettyfogging  over  the  faults  of  our  brethren.  I  espe- 
cially desire  that  all  the  officers  of  the  Church  may  rightly  con- 
sider their  calling,  and  make  full  proof  of  their  ministry ;  bear  off 
the  priesthood  with  dignity  and  honor;  be  wise  shepherds  that 
will  feed  the  flocks ;  prove  a  blessing  to  thousands  of  the  human 
family;  and  clear  their  garments  of  the  blood  of  all  men.  I 
desire  that  they  prove  themselves  true  and  faithful ;  and  be  ap- 
proved in  the  sight  of  heaven ;  be  acknowledged  the  sons  of 
God ;  and  be  prepared  for  all  those  blessings  that  await  the 
friends  of  God  both  in  time  and  eternity.  This  is  the  sincere 
prayer,  before  God,  of  your  servant  and  fellow  laborer  in  the 
new  and  everlasting  covenant. 

WILFOKD  WOODRUFF. 


Appendix  C. 


STORM   ON   LAKE   MICHIGAN. 

"We  left  Manitou  Island,  Lake  Michigan,  at  4  o'clock  p.  m. 
September  25,  1841,  on  the  steamer  Chesapeake,  which  contained 
three  hundred  passengers,  six  of  whom  were  members  of  the 
Church,  a  large  quantity  of  freight  and  coal,  eighty  cords  of  wood, 
eighty  mules,  besides  pigs,  chickens,  geese,  ducks,  etc. 

"We  continued  our  journey  towards  Chicago  without  any  in- 
terruption, until  half-past  eleven  p.  m.,  when  we  were  overtaken 
by  a  tremendous  storm  of  wind  and  rain ;  it  blew  a  hurricane,  and 
the  lake  became  as  rough  as  it  could  be  by  the  force  of  wind,  and 
such  a  scene  as  quickly  followed  I  never  before  witnessed  in  my 
travels,  either  by  land  or  sea.  The  captain,  officers,  hands,  and 
most  of  the  passengers  expected  to  go  to  the  bottom  of  the  lake. 
To  have  judged  from  outward  appearances  I  should  think  there 
were  twenty  chances  of  being  lost  to  one  of  being  saved,  yet  I  did 
not  once  expect  to  be  lost,  for  I  believed  the  Lord  would  by  some 
means  save  me  and  my  wife  and  child,  who  were  with  me,  from 
a  watery  grave. 

"We  were  some  forty  miles  from  land  when  the  gale  struck 
us,  and  I  was  awakened  from  a  sound  sleep  by  the  cry,  'We  are 
all  lost.'  The  first  thought  that  entered  my  mind  was,  'No,  we 
shall  not  be  lost.' 

"I  immediately  leaped  out  of  my  berth  and  went  to  the  upper 
deck.  I  saw  we  were  in  imminent  danger  of  being  wrecked ;  the 
bow  of  the  boat  was  heavily  laden,  and  frequently  engulfed  by  the 
heavy  waves  that  washed  over  her ;  there  were  judged  to  be  fifty 
tons  of  water  at  a  time  on  her  bow ;  at  one  time  her  bow  ran  under 
water,  and  some  thought  she  would  never  rise ;  the  water  set  the 
mules  and  all  the  live  stock  afloat ;  washed  away  the  partition ;  and 
the  mules,  pigs,  chickens,  ducks,  and  geese,  were  all  hurled  in 
one  mass  down  into  the  steerage  cabin,  mixed  pell  mell  with  sixty 
Irish  passengers,  men,  women,  and  children ;  at  that  moment  the 
roaring  of  the  wind,  the  rush  of  the  waters,  the  peals  of  thunder, 


APPENDIX  C.  675 

the  flashes  of  lightning,  the  braying  of  asses,  the  squealing  of  pigs, 
the  quacking  of  ducks,  geese  and  chickens,  the  praying,  scream- 
ing, and  swearing  of  men,  women  and  children,  created  a  confusion 
of  sounds  which  rent  the  air,  and  sent  a  gloomy  thrill  through  the 
heart. 

"We  immediately  went  to  work,  and  helped  all  the  passengers 
out  of  the  water,  and  from  among  the  beasts,  upon  the  deck,  so 
their  lives  were  preserved,  while  all  the  fowls,  pigs,  and  part  of  the 
mules  were  drowned  or  killed ;  many  tons  of  water  rushed  through 
the  boat,  until  the  water  stood  nearly  to  the  boilers ;  it  drove  the 
firemen  from  their  places. 

"About  this  time,  when  the  boat  was  laboring  against  the 
wind  and  tide  one  of  the  wheel  chains  broke,  and  the  boat  rolled 
over  to  one  side.  I  again  heard  the  cry  that  'all  was  lost,'  but 
about  thirty  of  us  caught  hold  of  the  two  detached  pieces  of  chain, 
and  held  them  together  until  the  engineer  mended  them  with 
wire. 

"It  took  three  strong  men  to  manage  the  wheel ;  while  the  boat 
lay  upon  her  side,  it  washed  away  a  part  of  the  state  rooms ;  orders 
were  given  to  clear  the  boat  of  everything  that  was  movable ;  all 
the  wood  was  fastened  with  stanchions;  on  the  side  that  was 
down,  the  stanchions  were  knocked  out  by  the  passengers,  and 
forty  cords  of  wood  tumbled  into  the  sea  at  one  surge ;  this  caused 
the  boat  to  right  up,  and  we  expected  every  moment  our  state 
room  would  be  washed  away.  I  left  it  three  times  with  my  wife 
and  child,  and  stepped  upon  the  main  deck,  expecting  to  see  it 
washed  away;  and  to  add  to  the  horror  of  the  situation  we  were 
wrapped  in  darkness,  as  all  the  lanterns  were  dashed  to  pieces. 

"The  men  at  the  wheel  labored  hard  for  five  hours  to  turn  the 
boat  round  before  they  accomplished  it,  so  that  they  could  run  be- 
fore the  storm.  At  length  daylight  appeared,  and  with  it  a  ces- 
sation of  the  storm  in  a  measure.  We  returned  to  Manitou  Island 
at  four  o'clock,  being  twenty-four  hours  out,  mostly  in  the  storm." 


Appendix  D. 


RATIONALITY    OF   THE   ATONEMENT. 

(Millennial  Star,  Vol.  6,  p.  134.) 

A  pamphlet  has  lately  made  its  appearance  in  Glasgow,  pub- 
lished by  a  member  of  our  Church  holding  the  office  of  priest,  con- 
taining 28  pages,  headed  "A  Treatise  on  the  Atonement,  Proving 
the  Necessity  of  Christ's  Death  for  Man's  Redemption  Neither 
Scriptural  nor  Reasonable.  By  T.  S.  Barr." 

We  are  sorry  to  be  under  the  necessity  of  occupying  our  time 
and  pages  in  noticing  a  pamphlet  bearing  such  an  introduction,  as 
the  production  of  a  member  of  the  Church  of  Christ.  We  are  sorry 
that  any  man,  bearing  any  portion  of  the  authority  of  the  holy 
priesthood,  should  have  his  mind  so  much  overcome  by  the  powers 
of  darkness,  as  to  stray  so  widely  from  the  order  and  counsel  of  the 
Kingdom  of  God.  It  is  not  pleasing  to  present,  for  the  investiga- 
tion of  the  public,  a  heresy  so  much  opposed  to  the  revelations  of 
God  and  to  every  principle  of  holiness. 

Our  object  in  the  present  article  will  not  be  so  much  to  refute 
the  heretical  doctrine  advanced,  as  to  introduce  a  portion  of  the 
testimony  in  favor  of  the  principle  of  redemption  through  the  blood 
of  Christ,  with  which  the  revelations  of  God  so  much  abound,  in 
order  that  our  views  on  the  subject  may  be  rightly  understood  by 
all,  and  that  the  Saints  of  God  may  be  prepared  to  withstand  the 
assaults  of  the  grand  enemy  of  man's  salvation,  and  to  set  the  mat- 
ter forever  at  rest  in  the  minds  of  those  who  believe  in  the  revela- 
tions of  God. 

We  had  fully  expected  that  our  repeated  cautions  against  in- 
dividuals publishing  things  without  our  sanction  would  be  suffi- 
cient and  save  us  the  trouble  of  repeating  the  warning.  The  neg- 
lect of  the  author  to  observe- this  counsel  causes  him  to  forfeit  his 
authority  and  standing  in  the  Church  of  God,  until,  at  least,  he 
has  repented  of  his  error. 

In  our  perusal  of  the  pamphlet,  we  endeavored  to  find  out  the 
object  of  the  author,  and  the  only  reasonable  conclusion  we  could 


APPENDIX  D.  677 

arrive  at  was,  that  it  was  a  strained  attempt  on  his  part  to  display 
some  talent  and  learning.  He  is  ambitious  to  make  quotations 
from  history,  heathen  mythology,  and  from  the  Hebrew  language. 
But  it  would  be  far  better  for  a  man  to  be  entirely  divested  of  tal- 
ents, than  to  use  them  in  endeavoring  to  prove  the  inefficiency  of 
the  atonement  of  Christ,  and  striking  at  the  fundamental  principle 
of  salvation,  as  he  has  done. 

The  author  introduces  himself  to  his  readers  by  lamenting  be- 
cause of  having  "to  labor  under  great  disadvantages  while  pro- 
pounding what  he  conscientiously  believes  to  be  a  correct  solution 
of  this  very  important  subject,  as  the  views  which  he  holds  are 
diametrically  opposed  to  those  entertained  by  Christians  of  almost 
all  denominations;  at  least  (he  says)  since  the  foundation  of  the 
Romish  Church  until  now,  the  belief  has  been  tenaciously  adhered 
to  amongst  professors  of  religion,  that  Jesus  Christ  came  into  the 
world  to  suffer  an  ignominious  death  for,  or  instead  of,  Adam  and 
his  posterity." 

We  would  remark  that  he  would  have  labored  under  equal 
disadvantages,  as  far  as  professors  of  the  religion  of  heaven  were 
concerned,  had  he  lived  contemporary  with  the  Messiah  Himself 
and  His  apostles,  or  at  any  period,  however  remote,  subsequent 
to  that  time ;  and  that  this  doctrine  was  not  one  of  the  many  false 
fabrications  or  dogmas  of  men  introduced  to  make  void  the  designs 
of.  God,  or  lead  the  minds  of  the  people  away  "after  seducing  fables 
and  doctrines  of  devils ;"  but  that  it  was  not  only  a  theme  on 
which  the  ancient  prophets  and  servants  of  God  delighted  to  dwell, 
but  the  mainspring  of  all  their  hopes,  and  the  source  from  which 
they  drew  strength  and  support,  when  called  to  pass  through  trials 
of  an  overwhelming  nature ;  to  substantiate  which  we  will  make  a 
few  quotations  from  Scripture. 

The  Apostle  Paul,  after  treating  at  some  length  on  the  faith 
with  which  the  ancient  worthies  were  endowed,  speaks  of  Moses 
refusing  the  honors  which  Pharaoh's  daughter  sought  to  confer 
upon  him,  and  "esteeming  the  reproach  of  Christ  greater  riches 
than  the  treasures  in  Egypt;  for  he  had  respect  unto  the  recom- 
pense of  the  reward" — Hebrews  xi :  26.  And  after  enumerating 
the  sufferings  of  others,  he  informs  us  that  their  reason  for  not  ac- 
cepting deliverance  was,  "that  they  might  obtain  a  better  resurrec- 
tion" (Hebrews  xi:  35),  which  could  only  be  brought  to  pass 


678  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

through  the  redemption  wrought  out  by  the  Son  of  God,  as  we 
shall  be  able  fully  to  prove. 

The  same  apostle,  in  writing  to  the  Galatians,  endeavors  to 
impress  this  doctrine  upon  their  minds,  by  proving  that  the  law 
given  through  Moses  was  introduced  because  of  transgressions, 
and  was  inadequate  to  accomplish  their  salvation,  but  merely 
served  as  a  schoolmaster  to  bring  them  to  Christ,  and  that  it  could 
not  disannul  the  covenant  that  was  made  before  of  God  in  Christ 
(Galatians  iii :  17)  ;  thereby  proving  that  Abraham  and  his  suc- 
cessors were  conversant  with  the  gospel  of  Christ  and  the  doctrine 
of  redemption  through  Him.  And  Job,  while  suffering  under  ex- 
treme agony,  seems  to  have  been  supported  by  this  hope,  when  he 
exclaims,  "I  know  that  my  Redeemer  liveth,  and  that  He  shall 
stand  in  the  latter  day  upon  the  earth"  (Job.  xix :  25).  It  is  also 
evident  that  the  faith  of  which  they  were  in  possession  was  effi- 
cacious, for  we  are  informed  by  Matthew  xxvii :  52,  that  many  of 
the  Saints  which  slept  arose  with  Christ  at  His  resurrection,  who 
must  of  a  necessity  have  been  some  of  the  prophets  and  saints 
who  had  lived  prior  to  His  coming.  Moreover,  we  would  remark 
that  unless  this  doctrine  had  been  believed  in  by  the  ancients,  they 
were  without  the  means  of  obtaining  salvation ;  for  Peter  says 
(Acts  iv :  12),  "there  is  none  other  name  under  heaven  given 
among  men  whereby  we  can  be  saved."  In  fine,  the  continuation  of 
sacrifices  from  the  days  of  Abel  to  John  was  typical  of  the  great 
and  last  sacrifice  offered  up  in  the  person  of  Jesus  Christ. 

After  this  introduction,  the  author  labors  to  show  the  absurd- 
ity and  unrighteousness  of  the  doctrine  that  the  Almighty  should 
require  "the  very  heart's  blood  of  His  own  well-beloved  Son  Christ 
Jesus,  to  satiate  His  thrist  for  vengeance."  As  far  as  we  or  our 
principles  are  concerned,  he  might  have  saved  himself  this  trouble, 
as  we  do  not  believe  that  such  was  the  object  of  God  in  the  sacrifice 
of  His  Son.  The  Scriptures  are  too  explicit  on  this  point  to  be 
misunderstood.  We  are  informed  by  the  Savior  Himself,  what 
object  His  Father  had  in  view  in  His  coming  into  the  world.  "For 
God  so  loved  the  world,  that  He  gave  His  only  begotten  Son,  that 
whosoever  believeth  in  Him  should  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting 
life;  for  God  sent  not  His  Son  into  the  world  to  condemn  the 
world:  but  that  the  world  through  Him  might  be  saved."  (John 
iii:  16-17.) 


APPENDIX  D.  679 

The  revelations  that  God  has  given  to  man  abundantly  prove 
that  God  and  the  eternal  worlds  are  governed  by  a  celestial  law ; 
and  in  order  that  man  might  enjoy  the  same  glory  with  Himself, 
it  was  requisite  that  he  should  keep  the  same  law,  "that  which  is* 
governed  by  law  is  also  preserved  by  law,  and  perfected  and  sanc- 
tified by  the  same,"  etc.,  etc.  (Doctrine  and  Covenants,  Section  7, 
Par.  8)  ;  but  man,  having  transgressed  the  law  of  God,  justly  en- 
tailed upon  himself  the  curse  of  this  disobedience,  from  which  he 
was  incapable  of  redeeming  himself,  neither  could  any  less  than 
infinite  sacrifice  atone  for  his  fall.  The  effect  of  his  disobedience, 
it  is  well  known,  was  death,  and  this  curse  has  been  hereditary  to 
all  the  posterity  of  Adam.  Let  it  be  borne  in  mind  that  man,  while 
submitting  to  this  punishment,  does  so  without  any  inherent  power, 
independently  in  himself  to  accomplish  his  resurrection  and  restor- 
ation to  the  presence  of  God  and  His  glory.  He  is  now  under  the 
jurisdiction  and  within  the  dominion  of  death,  and  to  achieve  a  vic- 
tory over  death  it  was  necessary  that  some  one  more  holy  and  pure 
than  the  being  who  had  become  the  transgressor  should  enter  into 
his  dominion,  in  order  that  he  might  thereby  have  that  dominion 
destroyed ;  and  unless  this  be  done,  the  control  which  death  will 
hold  over  mankind  must  be  eternal.  It  will  require  little  argument 
to  prove  that  the  Son  of  God  was,  in  every  way,  competent  to  per- 
form this  task,  being  pure,  holy,  and  unspotted ;  and  that  he  was 
the  individual  appointed  to  accomplish  this,  is  fully  substantiated 
by  the  testimony  of  John  concerning  him,  "Behold,  the  Lamb  of 
God  that  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world"  (John  i:  29),  that  "as 
in  Adam  all  die,  even  so  in  Christ  shall  all  be  made  alive."  (I  Co- 
rinthians xv :  22. ) 

The  next  step  taken  by  the  author  is  to  prove  that  it  was  un- 
necessary for  Jesus  Christ  to  shed  His  blood,  or  that  He  came  into 
the  world  at  all  to  atone  for  the  transgression  of  Adam.  To  use 
his  own  language — "Now,  seeing  that  death,  misery,  pain,  and  pri- 
vations have  been  the  legacy  handed  down  in  the  human  family 
from  generation  to  generation,  I  for  my  own  part,  could  not  see 
any  justice  on  the  part  of  Deity  did  He  demand  a  victim  in  our 
stead.  Can  any  person,  possessed  of  his  reason,  after  recounting 
the  sufferings  that  Adam  and  his  children  have  undergone  because 
of  his  and  their  own  sin,  avoid  coming  to  the  conclusion  that  man 
has  indeed  suffered  for  himself."  And  then,  after  endeavoring  to 


680  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

prove  that  because  death  has  followed  all  men,  the  atonement  of 
Christ  was  incompetent,  and  did  not  accomplish  the  end  for  which 
it  was  intended,  he  sums  up  by  stating  that  the  mission  of  Messiah 
was,  merely  to  be  a  Savior  of  men  by  becoming  a  preacher  of 
righteousness,  and  that  He  fell  a  martyr  to  the  truth  only,  as  did 
the  prophets  who  were  slain  previous  to  His  coming.  With  all 
his  learning  and  self-sufficiency  to  attain  to  what  he  calls  "correct 
views  of  real  heavenly  theology,"  he  has  proven  himself,  through 
taking  the  foregoing  stand,  either  entirely  ignorant  of  the  Scrip- 
tures, or  wilfully  unacquainted  with  them,  as  the  following  quota- 
tions will  fully  prove.  "For  this  is  my  blood  of  the  new  testament 
which  is  shed  for  many  for  the  remission  of  sins"  (Mat.  xxvi :  28). 
"Him,  being  delivered  by  the  determinate  counsel  and  foreknowl- 
edge of  God,  ye  have  taken,  and  by  wicked  hands  have  crucified 
and  slain"  (Acts  ii:  23).  "Take  heed  therefore  unto  yourselves, 
and  to  all  the  flock  over  which  the  Holy  Ghost  hath  made  you 
overseers,  to  feed  the  Church  of  God,  which  He  has  purchased 
with  His  own  blood"  (Acts  xx :  28).  "Being  justified  freely  by 
His  grace  through  the  redemption  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus ;  whom 
God  hath  set  forth  to  be  a  propitiation  through  faith  in  His  blood, 
to  declare  His  righteousness  for  the  remission  of  sins  that  are  past, 
through  the  forebearance  of  God"  (Romans  iii:  24-5).  "In 
whom  we  have  redemption  through  His  blood,  the  foregiveness  of 
sins,  according  to  the  riches  of  His  grace"  (Ephesians  i :  7).  "For 
it  pleased  the  Father  that  in  Him  should  all  fulness  dwell:  and 
having  made  peace  through  the  blood  of  His  cross,  by  Him  to  rec- 
oncile all  things  unto  Himself:  by  Him,  I  say,  whether  they  be 
things  in  earth,  or  things  in  heaven"  (Colossians  i:  19,  20).  "So 
Christ  was  once  offered  to  bear  the  sins  of  many ;  and  unto  them 
that  look  for  Him  shall  He  appear  without  sin  unto  salvation" 
(Hebrews  ix:  28).  "Then,  said  I,  lo,  I  come  (in  the  volume  of  the 
book  it  is  written  of  me)  to  do  thy  will,  O  God ;  by  the  which  will 
we  are  sanctified  to  the  offering  of  the  body  of  Jesus  Christ,  once 
for  all"  (Hebrews  x  :  7-10).  "Forasmuch  as  ye  know  that  ye  were 
not  redeemed  with  corruptible  things,  as  silver  and  gold,  from  your 
vain  conversation  received  by  tradition  from  your  fathers,  but  with 
the  precious  blood  of  Christ,  as  of  a  lamb  without  a  blemish  and 
without  a  spot.  Who  verily  was  foreordained  before  the  founda- 
tion of  the  world,  but  was  manifest  in  these  last  times  for  you ; 


APPENDIX  D.  681 

who  by  him  do  believe  in  God  that  raised  Him  up  from  the 
dead  and  gave  Him  glory;  that  your  faith  and  hope  might  be  in 
God"  (I  Peter  i:  18-21).  "And  he  is  the  propitiation  for  our 
sins ;  and  not  for  ours  only,  but  also  for  the  sins  of  the  whole 
world"  (I  John  ii).  "And  from  Jesus  Christ,  who  is  the  faithful 
witness,  and  the  first  begotten  of  the  dead,  and  the  Prince  of  the 
kings  of  the  earth.  Unto  Him  that  loved  us  and  washed  us  from 
our  sins  in  His  own  blood"  (Rev.  i:  5). 

Having  made  the  foregoing  quotations  from  the  New  Testa- 
ment, we  shall  next  introduce  a  few,  on  the  same  subject  from  the 
Book  of  Mormon  (first  European  edition). 

"And  he  also  spake  concerning  the  prophets,  how  great  a 
number  had  testified  of  these  things,  concerning  this  Messiah  of 
whom  he  had  spoken,  or  this  Redeemer  of  the  world.  Wherefore, 
all  mankind  were  in  a  lost  and  fallen  state,  and  ever  would  be,  save 
they  should  rely  on  the  Redeemer"  (Page  19). 

"And  I  looked  and  beheld  the  Lamb  of  God,  that  He  was 
taken  by  the  people ;  yea,theSon  of  the  everlasting  God  was  judged 
of  the  world ;  and  I  saw  and  bear  record.  And  I,  Nephi,  saw  that 
He  was  lifted  up  upon  the  cross,  and  slain  for  the  sins  of  the 
world"  (Page  23). 

"And  the  Messiah  cometh  in  the  fulness  of  time  that  He  may 
redeem  the  children  of  men  from  the  fall.  And,  because  that  they 
are  redeemed  from  the  fall,  they  have  become  free  forever"  (Page 
66). 

"Behold,  my  beloved  brethren,  I  speak  unto  you  these  things, 
that  ye  may  rejoice  and  lift  up  your  heads  forever,  because  of  the 
blessings  which  the  Lord  God  shall  bestow  upon  your  children. 
For  I  know  that  ye  have  searched  much,  many  of  you,  to  know  of 
things  to  come;  wherefore,  I  know  that  ye  know  that  our  flesh 
must  waste  away  and  die :  nevertheless,  in  our  bodies,  we  shall  see 
God.  Yea,  I  know  that  ye  know,  that  in  the  body  He  shall  show 
Himself  unto  those  at  Jerusalem,  from  whence  we  came ;  for  it  is 
expedient  that  it  should  be  among  them;  for  it  behooveth  the 
great  Creator  that  He  suffered  Himself  to  become  subject  unto 
men,  in  the  flesh,  and  die  for  all  men,  that  all  men  might  become 
subject  unto  Him.  For  as  death  has  passed  upon  all  men,  to  ful- 
fill the  merciful  plan  of  the  great  Creator,  there  must  needs  be  a 


682  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

power  of  resurrection,  and  the  resurrection  must  needs  come  unto 
men,  by  reason  of  the  fall ;  and  the  fall  came  by  reason  of  trans- 
gression ;  and  because  man  became  fallen,  they  were  cut  off  from 
the  presence  of  the  Lord ;  wherefore,  it  must  needs  be  an  infinite 
atonement ;  save,  it  should  be  an  infinite  atonement,  this  corruption 
could  not  put  on  incorruption.  Wherefore,  the  first  judgment 
which  came  upon  man  must  needs  have  remained  to  an  endless 
duration.  And,  if  so,  this  flesh  must  have  laid  down  to  rot,  and  to 
crumble  to  its  mother  earth,  to  rise  no  more.  O,  the  wisdom  of 
God !  His  mercy  and  grace !  For,  behold,  if  the  flesh  should  rise 
no  more,  our  spirits  must  become  subject  to  that  angel  who  fell 
from  before  the  presence  of  the  eternal  God,  and  became  the  devil, 
to  rise  no  more.  And  our  spirits  must  have  become  like  unto 
him,  and  we  become  devil's  angels  to  a  devil,  to  be  shut  out  fro*n 
the  presence  of  our  God,  and  to  remain  with  the  father  of  lies,  in 
misery,  like  unto  himself :  yea,  to  that  being  who  beguiled  our  first 
parents;  who  transformeth  himself  nigh  unto  an  angel  of  light, 
and  stirreth  up  the  children  of  men  unto  secret  combinations  of 
murder,  and  all  manner  of  secret  works  of  darkness.  O,  how 
great  the  goodness  of  our  God,  who  prepareth  the  way  for  our  es- 
cape from  the  grasp  of  this  awful  monster;  yea,  that  monster, 
death  and  hell,  which  I  call  the  death  of  the  body,  and  also  the 
death  of  the  spirit.  And  because  of  the  way  of  deliverance  of  our 
God,  the  Holy  One  of  Israel,  this  death,  of  which  I  have  spoken, 
which  is  the  temporal,  shall  deliver  up  its  death :  which  death  is  the 
grave.  And  this  death,  of  which  I  have  spoken,  which  is  the  spir- 
itual death,  shall  deliver  up  its  dead ;  which  spiritual  death  is  hell : 
wherefore,  death  and  hell  must  deliver  up  their  dead,  and  hell 
must  deliver  up  its  captive  spirits,  and  the  grave  must  deliver  up 
its  captive  bodies,  and  the  bodies  and  the  spirits  of  men  shall  be 
restored  one  to  the  other ;  and  it  is  by  the  power  of  the  resurrec- 
tion of  the  Holy  One  of  Israel.  O,  how  great  the  plan  of  our 
God !  For,  on  the  other  hand,  the  paradise  of  God  must  deliver 
up  the  spirits  of  the  righteous,  and  the  grave  deliver  up  the  bodies 
of  the  righteous ;  and  the  spirit  and  the  body  is  restored  to  itself 
again,  and  all  men  become  incorruptible  and  immortal,  and  they 
are  living  souls,  having  a  perfect  knowledge  like  unto  us,  in  the 
flesh  ;  save,  it  be  that  our  knowledge  shall  be  perfect ;  wherefore,we 
shall  have  a  perfect  knowledge  of  all  our  gilt,  and  our  uncleanness, 


APPENDIX  D.  683 

and  our  nakedness ;  and  the  righteous  shall  have  a  perfect  knowl- 
edge of  their  enjoyment,  and  their  righteousness  being  clothed  with 
purity,  yea,  even  with  a  robe  of  righteousness"  (Pages  80-81). 

"For,  behold,  my  beloved  brethren,  I  say  unto  you,  that  the 
Lord  God  worketh  not  in  darkness.  He  doeth  not  anything,  save  it 
be  for  the  benefit  of  the  world;  for  He  loveth  the  world,  even  that 
He  layeth  down  His  own  life,  that  He  may  draw  all  men  unto 
Him"  (Page  112). 

"For,  behold,  and  also  His  blood  atoneth  for  the  sins  of  those 
who  have  fallen  by  the  transgression  of  Adam,  who  have  died,  not 
knowing  the  will  of  God  concerning  them,  or  who  have  ignorantly 
sinned"  (Page  169). 

"For,  behold,  as  in  Adam,  or  by  nature,  they  fall,  even  so  the 
blood  of  Christ  atoneth  for  their  sins,  and,  moreover,  I  say  unto 
you,  that  there  shall  be  no  other  name  given,  nor  any  other  way, 
nor  means,  whereby  salvation  can  come  unto  the  children  of  men, 
only  in  and  through  the  name  of  Christ  the  Lord  Omnipotent. 
For,  behold,  He  judgeth,  and  His  judgment  is  just ;  and  the  infant 
perisheth  not  that  dieth  in  His  infancy ;  but  now  men  drink  dam- 
nataion  to  their  own  souls  except  they  humble  themselves  and  be- 
come as  little  children  and  believe  that  salvation  was,  and  is,  and 
is  to  come  in  and  through  the  atoning  blood  of  Christ  the  Lord 
Omnipotent"  (Page  170). 

"For,  were  it  not  for  the  re'demption  which  He  hath  made  for 
His  people,  which  was  prepared  from  the  foundation  of  the  world, 
I  say  unto  you,  were  it  not  for  this,  all  mankind  must  have  per- 
ished. But,  behold,  the  bands  of  death  shall  be  broken,  and  the 
Son  reigneth  and  hath  power  over  the  death ;  therefore,  He  bring- 
eth  to  pass  the  resurrection  of  the  dead"  (Page  198). 

"Yea,  concerning  that  which  was  to  come,  and  also  concern- 
ing the  resurrection  of  the  dead,  and  the  redemption  of  the  peo- 
ple, which  was  to  be  brought  to  pass  through  the  power  and  the 
sufferings  and  the  death  of  Christ,  and  His  resurrection  and  as- 
cension into  heaven"  (Page  202).  "And  He  will  take  upon  Him 
death,  that  He  may  loose  the  bands  of  death  which  bind  His  peo- 
ple" (Page  2b6). 

"Now,  there  is  a  death  which  is  called  a  temporal  death,  and 
the  death  of  Christ  shall  loose  the  bands  of  this  temporal  death, 
that  all  shall  be  raised  from  this  temporal  death"  (Page  270). 


684  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

"Now,  Aaron  began  to  open  the  scriptures  unto  them  con- 
cerning the  coming  of  Christ,  and  also  concerning  the  resurrec- 
tion of  the  dead,  and  that  there  could  be  no  redemption  for  man- 
kind, save  it  were  through  the  death  and  sufferings  of  Christ,  and 
the  atonement  of  His  blood"  (Page  303). 

"Behold,  I  say  unto  you,  that  I  do  know  that  Christ  shall  come 
among  the  children  of  men,  to  take  upon  Him  the  transgressions 
of  His  people,  and  that  He  shall  atone  for  the  sins  of  the  world ; 
for  the  Lord  God  has  spoken  it ;  for  it  is  expedient  that  an  atone- 
ment should  be  made ;  for  according  to  the  great  plan  of  the  eternal 
God,  there  must  be  an  atonement  made,  or  else  all  mankind  must 
unavoidably  perish ;  yea,  all  are  hardened ;  yea,  all  are  fallen  and 
are  lost,  and  must  perish  except  it  be  though  the  atonement  which 
it  is  expedient  should  be  made ;  for  it  is'  expedient  that  there  should 
be  a  great  and  last  sacrifice;  yea,  not  a  sacrifice  of  man,  neither 
of  beasts,  neither  of  any  manner  of  fowl ;  for  it  shall  not  be  a  hu- 
man sacrifice;  but  it  must  be  infinite  and  eternal  sacrifice.  Now, 
there  is  not  any  man  that  can  sacrifice  His  own  blood  which  will 
atone  for  the  sins  of  another.  Now,  if  a  man  murdereth,  behold, 
will  our  law,  which  is  just,  take  the  life  of  his  brother?  I  say  unto 
you,  nay.  But  trie  law  requires  the  life  of  him  who  hath  murdered ; 
therefore,  there  can  be  nothing  which  is  short  of  an  infinite  atone- 
ment, which  will  suffice  for  the  sins  of  the  world ;  therefore,  it  is 
expedient  that  there  should  be  a  great  and  last  sacrifice,  and  then, 
shall  there  be,  or  it  is  expedient  there  should  be,  a  stop  to  the 
shedding  of  blood ;  then  shall  the  law  of  Moses  be  fulfilled ;  yea,  it 
shall  be  fulfilled  every  jot  and  tittle,  and  none  shall  have  passed 
away.  And  behold,  this  is  the  whole  meaning  of  the  law;  every 
whit  pointing  to  that  great  and  last  sacrifice ;  and  that  great  and 
last  sacrifice  shall  be  the  Son  of  God ;  yea,  infinite  and  eternal ;  and 
thus  He  shall  bring  salvation  to  all  those  who  shall  believe  on  His 
name ;  this  being  the  intent  of  this  last  sacrifice,  to  bring  about  the 
bowels  of  mercy,  which  overpowereth  justice,  and  bringeth  about 
means  unto  men  that  they  may  have  faith  unto  repentance"  ( Pages 
341-2). 

"Now  the  work  of  justice  could  not  be  destroyed;  if  so,  God 
would  cease  to  be  God,  and  thus  we  see  that  all  mankind  were 
fallen,  and  they  were  in  the  grasp  of  justice ;  yea,  the  justice  of 
God,  which  consigns  them  forever  to  be  cut  off  from  His  presence. 


APPENDIX  D.  685 

And  now,  the  plan  of  mercy  cannot  be  brought  about,  except  an 
atonement  should  be  made,  therefore,  God  Himself  atoneth  for 
the  sins  of  the  world,  to  bring  about  the  plan  of  mercy,  to  appease 
the  demands  of  justice,  that  God  might  be  a  perfect,  just  God,  and 
a  merciful  God  also.  Now,  repentance  could  not  come  unto  men 
except  there  were  a  punishment  which  also  was  eternal,  as  the  life 
of  the  soul  should  be  affixed  opposite  to  the  plan  of  happiness, 
which  was  as  eternal  also  as  the  life  of  the  soul.  Now,  how  could 
a  man  repent  except  he  should  sin?  How  could  he  sin  if  there  was 
no  law,  how  could  there  be  a  law  except  there  were  punishment?" 
(Pages  362-3). 

"And  it  came  to  pass  that  He  stretched  forth  His  hand  and 
spake  unto  the  people,  saying :  Behold,  I  am  Jesus  Christ,  of  whom 
the  prophets  testified  shall  come  into  the  world,  and  behold  I  am 
the  light  and  the  life  of  the  world,  and  I  have  drunk  out  of  that 
bitter  cup  which  the  Father  hath  given  me,  and  have  glorified 
the  Father  in  taking  upon  me  the  sins  of  the  world,  in  the  which 
I  have  suffered  the  will  of  the  Father  in  all  things  from  the  be- 
ginning" (Page  513).  "And  my  Father  sent  me  that  I  might  be 
lifted  up  upon  the  cross,  and  after  that  I  had  been  lifted  up  upon 
the  cross  I  might  draw  all  men  unto  me"  (Page  547).  "And  be- 
cause of  the  redemption  of  man,  which  came  by  Jesus  Christ,  they 
are  brought  back  into  the  presence  of  the  Lord,  yea,  this  is  where- 
in all  men  are  redeemed,  because  the  death  of  Christ  bringeth  to 
pass  the  resurrection,  which  bringeth  to  pass  a  redemption  from  an 
endless  sleep,  from  which  sleep  all  men  shall  be  awakened  by  the 
power  of  God  when  the  trump  shall  sound;  and  they  shall  come 
forth,  both  small  and  great,  and  all  shall  stand  before  His  bar, 
being  redeemed  and  loosed  from  this  eternal  band  of  death"  ( Page 
578).  "Behold,  I  am  He  who  was  prepared  from  the  foundation  of 
the  world  to  redeem  my  people"  (Page  587).  "And  again,  if  ye 
by  the  grace  of  God  are  perfect  in  Christ,  and  deny  not  His  power, 
then  ye  are  sanctified  in  Christ,  by  the  grace  of  God,  through  the 
shedding  of  the  blood  of  Christ,  which  is  in  the  covenant  of  the 
Father,  unto  the  remission  of  your  sins,  that  ye  become  holy  with- 
out spot"  ( Page  634) . 

To  conclude  our  evidence  on  this  subject,  we  shall  make  a  few 
quotations  from  the  Book  of  Doctrine  and  Covenants. 

"I  am  Jesus  Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  who  was  crucified  for  the 


686  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 

sins  of  the  world,  even  as  many  as  will  believe  on  my  name,  that 
they  may  become  the  sons  of  God,  even  one  in  me,  as  I  am  in  the 
Father,  and  the  Father  is  one  in  me,  that  we  may  be  one"  ( Sec.  xi : 
Par.  1). 

"And  verily,  I  say  even  as  many  as  have  believed  on  my  name, 
for  I  am  Christ,  and  in  my  own  name  by  the  virtue  of  the  blood 
which  I  have  spilt  have  I  pleaded  before  the  Father  for  them" 
(Sec.  xii,  Par.  1). 

"Listen  to  Him  who  is  the  advocate  with  the  Father,  who  is 
pleading  your  cause  before  Him,  saying,  Father,  behold  the  suffer- 
ings and  death  of  Him  who  did  no  sin,  in  whom  thou  wast  well 
pleased ;  behold  the  blood  of  thy  Son  which  was  -shed — the  blood 
of  Him  whom  Thou  gavest  that  Thyself  might  be  glorified"  (Sec. 
xi,  Par.  1). 

"Remember  the  worth  of  souls  is  great  in  the  sight  of  God ; 
for  behold,  the  Lord  your  Redeemer  suffered  death  in  the  flesh 
wherefore  He  suffered  the  pain  of  all  men,  that  all  men  might  re- 
pent and  come  unto  him."  (Sec.  xliii,  Par.  3).  "For,  behold,  I  God, 
have  suffered  these  things  for  all  that  they  might  not  suffer  if  they 
would  repent,  but  if  they  would  not  repent,  they  must  suffer  even 
as  I,  which  suffering  caused  myself,  even  God,  the  greatest  of  all, 
to  tremble  because  of  pain,  and  to  bleed  at  every  pore,  and  to  suffer 
both  body  and  spirit,  and  would  that  I  might  not  drink  the  bitter 
cup  and  shrink — nevertheless,  glory  be  to  the  Father,  and  I  partook 
and  finished  my  preparations  unto  the  children  of  men."  (Sec. 
xliii;  Par.  2). 

It  is  written,  "that  in  the  mouth  of  two  or  three  witnesses 
every  word  may  be  established."  As  we  have  quoted  from  many 
witnesses  out  of  three  records,  we  trust  it  will  have  a  tendency  to 
enlighten,  not  only  the  mind  of  the  author  of  the  pamphlet,  but  all 
those  who  doubt  the  doctrine  of  atonement  through  the  blood  of 
Christ.  It  will  have  been  fully  established  beyond  all  controversy, 
from  the  flood  of  testimony,  which  we  have  brought  from  the  rev- 
elations of  God,  given  in  various  dispensations  and  ages  of  the 
world,  and  in  different  parts  of  the  globe,  that  the  object  of 
Christ's  mission  to  the  earth  was  to  offer  Himself  as  a  sacrifice  to 
redeem  mankind  from  eternal  death,  and  that  it  was  perfectly  in 
accordance  with  the  will  of  the  Father  that 'such  a  sacrifice  should 
be  made.  He  acted  strictly  in  obedience  to  His  Father's  will  in  all 


APPENDIX  D.  687 

things  from  the  beginning,  and  drank  of  the  bitter  cup  given  Him. 
Herein  is  brought  to  light,  glory,  honor,  immortality,  and  eternal 
life,  with  that  charity  which  is  greater  than  faith  or  hope,  for  the 
Lamb  of  God,  has  thereby  performed  that  for  man  which  he  could 
not  accomplish  for  Himself.  As  justice  in  the  first  place  has  had 
its  claim,  and  tne  words  of  God  have  been  verified — "In  the  day 
thou  eatest  thereof  thou  shalt  surely  die" — so,  on  the  other  hand 
mercy  has  been  extended,  and  the  love  of  God  manifested  in  break- 
ing the  bands  of  death,  whereby  the  spirits  and  bodies  of  men  are 
re-united,  the  spirits  of  the  just  received  in  exaltation  in  the  pres- 
ence of  God  and  the  Lamb — in  the  same  tabernacles  in  which  they 
toiled,  labored,  and  suffered  while  on  earth,  without  which  union 
it  is  impossible  for  the  souls  of  men  to  receive  the  fulness  of  glory. 
There  is  a  glory  connected  with  this  that  will  be  an  eternal  source 
of  joy  to  every  citizen  of  the  celestial  kingdom.  The  spirits,  on 
the  other  hand,  of  those  who  reject  the  gospel  of  Christ  and  slight 
His  proffered  mercies,  must  return  to  their  bodies  in  the  last  res- 
urrection to  receive  a  fulness  of  their  punishment  in  the  same  tab- 
ernacles in  which  they  dwelt  while  warring  against  God.  We 
would  hereby  warn  all  men  who  may  hear  the  sound  of  the  words 
to  repent  of  their  sins  and  obey  the  gospel  of  the  Son  of  God,  that 
they  may  escape  the  punishment  of  those  "who  have  trodden  un- 
der foot  the  Son  of  God,  and  have  counted  the  blood  of  the  cov- 
enant, wherewith  they  were  sanctified,  an  unholy  thing,  and  have 
done  despite  unto  the  spirit  of  grace"  (Heb.  x:  29),  and 
that  they  may  have  a  part  in  the  first  resurrection,  and  have  their 
names  "written  in  the  book  of  life  of  the  Lamb  slain  from  the 
foundation  of  the  world"  Rev.  xiii :  8),  and  be  prepared  to  join  in 
chanting  the  new  song,  saying,  "Thou  art  worthy  to  take  the  book 
and  to  open  the  seals  thereof,  for  thou  wast  slain  and  hast  re- 
deemed us  to  God  by  Thy  blood,  out  of  every  kindred  and  tongue, 
and  people,  and  nation;  and  hast  made  us  unto  our  God  kings 
and  priests,  and  we  shall  reign  on  the  earth"  (Rev.  v :  9,  10). 

We  will  now  close  with  the  words  of  Jacob,  from  the  Book  of 
Mormon,  page  147:  "Behold,  will  ye  reject  these  words?  Will  ye 
reject  the  words  of  the  prophets?  and  will  ye  reject  all  the  words 
which  have  been  spoken  concerning  Christ,  after  so  many  have 
spoken  concerning  Him ;  and  deny  the  good  word  of  Christ  and  the 
Power  of  God,  and  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  quench  the 


688 


WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 


Holy  Spirit,  and  make  a  mock  of  the  great  plan  of  redemption 
which  has  been  laid  for  you  ?  Know  ye  not  that  if  ye  will  do  these 
things,  that  the  power  of  the  redemption  and  the  resurrection 
which  is  in  Christ  will  bring  you  to  stand  with  shame  and  awful 
guilt  before  the  bar  of  God." 

WILFORD  WOODRUFF, 

President  of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter-day  Saints,  in 
the  British  Isles. 


WIVES  OF  WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 


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INDEX. 


Aaronic  Priesthood,  171 

Abraham,   1. 

Accidents,    5 

Adultery,  195. 

Adams,  George,  235. 

Adam,  450 

Adam-ondi-Ahman,  481,  545. 

Adams,  Elias,  504. 

Address,  Last  Public,  620. 

Agitation  in  U.  S.  against  Mor- 
mons, 538. 

Aitken,  Robert,  125. 

Akeman,  50. 

Akeman,  fell  dead,  53. 

Alaska,  Trip  to,  590. 

Albion,  James,  135. 

Albinos,  523. 

Albuquerque,  524. 

Allen,  Captain,  250. 

Allen,  Colonel,  392. 

Alexander,  Randolph,  60. 

Alexander,  Colonel,  390,  402. 

Alleghanies,  crossed  by  railroad,  194 

Anointing,  Second,  198. 

Apaches,  522. 

Apostleship,  Called  to  ,83. 

Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  118. 

Arkansas  River,  Down  the,  54. 

Aropene,  378,  403. 

Arizona,  Attempt  to  rob  Saints  of 
land  in,  550. 

Arizona,  Tour  of,  568. 

Arthur's  Seat,  239. 

Arm  Broken,  6. 

Arrest  of  Joseph,  181. 

Arrow-head  in  Zelpha,  41. 

Ash  Creek,  286. 

Ashley  Valley,  In,  557. 

Atonement,  447. 


Authority,  171,378. 
Avieta,  Mrs.  Pascual,  52/. 
Axtell,  Samuel  W.,  485. 

Ballou's  Hall,  396. 

Baltimore  National  Convention, 207. 

Bannigan,  590. 

Baptism,  171. 

Baptism  for  the  Dead,  18,  155,  163, 

165, 180,  229. 
Baptism,  First,  29. 
Baptismal  Font,  380. 
Baptiste,  John,  416. 
Barnes,  Lorenzo,  173,  236,  240. 
Barnes,  William,  504. 
Bautista,  Juan,  523. 
Bear,  Meets,  49. 
Bears,  297. 
Bear  River,  309. 
Bear  Lake,  436. 
Beck,  Charles,  190. 
Bed    spread    presented    to    Wilford 

Woodruff,  614. 
Beman,  a  mobocrat,  50. 
Beman,  Eliza,  456. 
Benbow,  John,  116, 158,  260. 
Bennett,  John  C.,  166. 
Benson,  Ezra  T.,  251,  414,  461. 
Bernheisel,  387,  398. 
Berry,  Elder,Death  of,  552. 
Big  Pigeon  River,  254. 
Big  Elk,  257. 

Birthday,    495,  532,  549,  564,  586,  598. 
Birthday  greeting,  512. 
Blakesly,  James,  71. 
Black  Hills,  292,  299. 
Black's  Fork,  308. 
Black  Rock,  347. 
Blackhurst,  Jane,  443. 


694 


WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 


Blessing,  Patriarchal,  69. 

Boards  of  Trade,  local,  506. 

Body-guard  of  Joseph,  42. 

Bond,  178. 

Boggs,  Gov.,  99, 167. 

Book  of  Mormon,  first  edition  pub- 
lished in  England,  119. 

Book  of  Moses,  159. 

Boggs,  L.  W.  254,  294. 

Bordoe,  293. 

Brannan,  S.,  306. 

Breast-bone  broken,  10. 

British  Mission,  244. 

Bridger,  Col.,  306. 

Brigham  City,  Ariz.,  517. 

Brigham  Young  College,  Dedication 
of,  553. 

Broadsword  in  heavens,  172. 

Brocchus,  Judge,  348. 

Brown,  Captain,  307. 

Buchannan,  President,  401. 

Buffaloes,  265,  273,  274. 

Bull,  Infuriated,  6. 

Bunker  Hill,  89. 

Burial  places,  173. 

Burton,  Captain,  426. 

Burt,  Bishop,  Death  of,  547. 

Cadron,  54. 

Cain,  351. 

Cairus,  Sister,  72. 

Carlin,  Gov.,  169. 

Call,  Josiah,  403. 

California,  Trip  to,  565,  568. 

California,  199. 

Campbell,  James,  41. 

Camp  Floyd,  408. 

Cannon,  George  Q.,  114. 

Cannon,  George  Q.,  Arrest  of,  557. 

Cannon,  George   Q.,   Imprisonment 

of,  563. 
Cannon,  Abram  H.,  Call  to  Quorum 

of  Twelve,  565. 

Cannon,  Abram/H.,Death  of,  597. 
Candidacy  for  President  of  U.S.,  199. 
Canyon  Creek,  321. 


Capstone,  579. 
Card  playing,  24,  289. 
Carter,  Phoebe,  his  wife,  69. 
Carter,  Ezra,  74,  337. 
Carrington,  Albert,  462. 
Carver,  Ebenezer,  187. 
Cedar  City,  345,  363. 
Celestial  Law,  198. 
Chartered  rights  of  Nauvoo,  184. 
Chase,  Darwin,  101. 
Chase,  Father,  268. 
Cheney,  Elijah,  32. 
Chills  and  fever,  109. 
Chimney  Rock,  287,  288. 
Children,  Growth  of  after  resurrec- 
tion, 553. 

Cholera,  Zion's  Camp,  43. 
Church  and  State,  344,  350,  598. 
Church  records,  384. 
Civil  War,  173,  427. 
Cincinnati,  189. 
City  Creek,  272. 
Civilization,  Modern,  402. 
Clark,  Hyrum,  233. 
Clark,  Ezra,  440. 
Clayton,  William,  114,  280,  281. 
Clear  Creek,  272. 
Clithero  Conference.  241. 
Coal,  297. 
Cockpit,  238. 

Colfax,  Schuyler,  442,  462. 
.Collins,  Samuel,  27. 
Colorado  River,  513. 
Coombs,  Benjamin,  80,  82. 
Companionship,  Dangerous,  24. 
Conference  at  Fish  Lake,  552,  554. 
Consecration,  415. 
Constable  Baptized,  118. 
Convention,  Wesleyan,  150. 
Connor,  Col.,  421,  422. 
Co-operation,  457. 
Copeland,  Dr.  Wm,  135. 
Copyright  Doctrine  &  Covenants,  238. 
Cordon,  Alfred,  115. 
Corner,  123. 
Cottonwood,  273. 


INDEX. 


695 


Court  mob,  59. 
Counsel,  176. 
Council  Point,  256. 
Council  Bluffs,  257. 
Cove  Fort,  459. 
Cowles,21. 

Cowley,  Matthias,  436,  618. 
Crow,  Robt.,  293. 
Cradlebaugh,  Judge,  405. 
Crow  Indians,  323. 
Crusade,  Beginning  of,  548. 
Cumming,  Alfred,  391-400. 

Dalton,  Edward  M.,  Death  of,  558. 

Damnation  of  hell,  denned,  162. 

Dancing,  354. 

Davis,  George,  446. 

Dawson,  John  W.,  415,  432. 

Death,  161. 

Deer,  273. 

Deer  Creek,  296. 

Deseret  Theological  Society,  362. 

Deseret  Alphabet,  367. 

Deseret  A.  &  M.  Society,  403. 

Deseret  News,  480. 

Devil's  Gate,  304. 

Dibble,  Philo,  329. 

Directions  as  to  his  burial,  622. 

Discipline,  196. 

Doctrine  &  Covenants,  238,  242. 

Doty,  Governor,  442. 

Dom  Pedro,  Emperor,  490. 

Douglass,  Minister,  78,  84. 

Douglas,  Stephen  A.,  385,  409. 

Dream,  Serpents,  51. 

Dream,  Warned  in,  60. 

Dreams,  189,  199,  227,  234,  376,  446, 

505,  529,  562. 
Drowned,  7. 
Duncan,  Joseph,  188. 

Eames,  Captain,  78. 
Earthquake,  574. 
Echo  Canyon,  389. 
Education,  20,  351,  364. 
Edmunds,  Thomas,  504. 


Edmunds  Bill,  539. 

Electric  power  plant,  585. 

Elder,  Ordained  an,  56. 

Eldredge,  Horace,  111. 

Eliot,  President,  578. 

Elijah,  198. 

Elkhorn  River,  263. 

Elk,  278. 

Emery,  Gov.,489,  574. 

Endowments,  66, 195,  226. 

Endowment  House,  362,  372. 

Ensign  Peak,  316. 

Epistle  to  the  World,  506. 

Epitaph,  L.  Barnes',  240. 

Escaped  arrest,  559. 

European  Mission,  225. 

Exemplary  Deacons,  544. 

Excitement,  176. 

Exile  in  Arizona,  506,  513. 

Exodus,  247, 248,  262. 

Exploring  Expedition  to  California, 

199. 
Extradition,  181. 

Fabyan,  Chas.,  145. 

Far  West,  101. 

Federal  Officers,  Change  in,  563. 

Ferry,  Platte,  300,  301. 

Field-glass,  279. 

Fillmore,  365. 

Fisher,  A,  20. 

Fishing  River,  41. 

Fish  at  Fox  Islands,  76. 

First  Presidency,  325. 

Flagstaff  Springs,  515. 

Flag  at  half-mast,  554. 

Fordham,  Elijah,  89,  104. 

Ford,  Gov.,  188. 

Fort  Laramie,  293. 

Fort  St.  John,  293. 

Forgiveness,  365. 

Forway,  Dr., 403. 

Fourth  of  July,  1843,  187. 

Fourteenth  Ward,  343. 

Fowler,  O.  S.  193. 

Fox  Islands,  Mission  to,  70,  337. 


BANCROFT 
LIBRARY 


696 


WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 


Fox,  Jesse,  317. 
Franklin,  Benjamin,  586. 
Fremont,  306. 
Frome  Hill,  117. 
Frozen,  8. 

Funeral  of  Wilford  Woodruff,  Day 
of,  622. 

Gardo  House,  Reception  at,  538. 

Gardo  House,  Dedication  of,  545. 

Gathering,  192. 

Gates,  Susa  Y.,  492. 

Genealogy,  3. 

Gibbs,  Elder,  Death  of,  552. 

Gibson,  Walter  M.,  411,  435. 

Greeley,  Horace,  409. 

Glories,  180. 

Godbe,  Mrs.  Wm.,446. 

Godbe  Movement,  463. 

Godhead,  180. 

Gold,  407,  424. 

Goodson,  John,  72. 

Goodyear,  309. 

Gordon,  John,  72. 

Grant,  J.  M,  234,  374. 

Grant,  U.  S.,  489. 

Grant,  Heber  J.,   Call  to  Quorum  of 

Twelve,  542. 
Grasshoppers,  451. 
Great  Basin,  254.  306,  313. 
Green  River,  305,  307. 
Guardian,  218. 

Habeas  Corpus,  168,  18o. 
Hades,  180. 

Hailstorm,  Miraculous,  41. 
Hale,  Jonathan,  71. 
Ham's  Fork,  392. 
Hammond,  Francis  A.,  440. 
Handsome  men,  176. 
Hancock,  Solomon,  275. 
Hand-carts,  371,  380. 
Hardman,  Squire,  56. 
Hart,  Adna,  73, 112. 
Harvey,  Major,  268. 
Harris,  Major,  306. 


Harris,  Martin,  468. 

Harrison,  President,  580,  574. 

Hardy,  Leonard, Birthday  party,  534. 

Haun's  Mill,  103. 

Hawaiian  reunion,  564. 

Healing  power,  16,  104,  1 19,  333,  445. 

Hell  Gate,  301. 

Hickman,  Wm.,  434,  470. 

Higbee,  Elias,  46. 

Higbee,  John,  296. 

History,  Reading,  25. 

Historian's  Office,  371. 

Holmes,  Nathaniel,  74. 

Holmes,  Milton,  71,95,236. 

Holy  Ghost,  107, 162,224. 

Holy  Land,  168. 

Hooper,  Captain  Wm.  H.,  Death  of 

543. 

Hot  Springs,  Midway,  438. 
Horse  poisoned,  61. 
Houston,  General,  401. 
Hubbel,  52. 
Hulme,  Captain,  132. 
Humor,  367. 
Hunt,  Buffalo,  274,  275. 
Hunting  grounds,  283. 
Hunter,  352. 

1 1  unter,  Bp.,  Prophecy  by,  560. 
Hunter,  Bp.,  Death  of,  548 
Hyde,  Orson,  114,  168,187,247,252, 

505. 

In  Exile,  553. 
Independence  Hall,  191. 
Independence  Rock,  304. 
Indians,  271,  272,  273,  283,  321,357, 

420,421,441,467. 
Infant  Baptism,  161. 
Infidelity,  161. 
Irish,  Colonel,  441. 
Iron  Company,  352. 
Irrigation  Congress,  575 
Isletas,  522,524. 
Ivins,  A.  W.,  596. 

Jackson  Co. ,432. 


INDEX. 


697 


Jeremiah,  1. 

Jereu,  A  Frenchman,  48. 
John,  the  Baptist,  171. 
Jones,  Dan,  233,  328. 
Jones,  N.  V.,  410,  422,  464. 
Jordan,  320. 
Joseppa,  Visit  to,  568. 
Journalizing,  210,  476. 
Jubilee  Celebration,  616. 
July  24,  1847,  313. 

Kane,  Thomas   L..  251,  252,  254,  263, 

333,  339,  397,  480. 
Kanosh,  366. 
Kearney,  Colonel,  250. 
Kidnapping,  195. 
Kinney,  Judge,  J.   F.,  A  Visit  from, 

616. 

Kinnikinic,  324. 
Kimball,  David  P.,  461. 
Kimball,  Hyrum,  157. 
Kimball,  Heber  C.,101,  124,  238. 
Kington,  Thomas,  119. 
Kingdom  of  God,  170. 
Kirtland,  Wilford  Woodruff  moves 

to,  37. 

Kirtland,  Plan  of  City,  67. 
Kirtland,  Conditions  in,  70. 
Knowledge,  164,  174,  175. 

Labent  Creek,  295. 

Lagumas,  522. 

Lamanites,  522. 

Laney,  Isaac,  103,429. 

Laurel  wreath,  616. 

Law,  Wm.,164,  197. 

Lawyers,  186. 

Lee,  John  D.,  388. 

Legislation,  360. 

Letter  to  King  and  Queen  of  Swe- 
den, 617. 

Letter  to  News  from  Sunset,  Ari- 
zona, 513. 

Letter  to  Prest.  Taylor  and  Council, 
521. 

Liberty,  13,  14. 


Liberal  Party,  584. 

Lieutenant  General,  188. 

Lincoln,  Abraham,  441. 

Little,  Jesse  C.,  263. 

Little,  Charles,  428. 

Liverpool,  114. 

Liquor,  65,  430. 

Looking-glass  Creek,  267. 

London,  121. 

Lord  Mayor  of  London,  130,  151. 

Losses,  Financial,  26. 

Loup  Fork,  266,  268. 

Luce,  Jason,  434. 

Lund,  A.  H.,  Call  to  Quorum  of 
Twelve,  565. 

Lyman,  Amasa,  220,  307,  447,  449. 

Lyman,  Francis  M.,  Call  to  Apostle- 
ship,  533. 

Mack,  Solomon,  233. 

Mad  dog,  Bitten  by,  8. 

Maid  of  Iowa,  182. 

Malvern  Hill,  119.    . 

Manifesto,  569. 

Marsh,  Thomas  B.,  61,  100,  381. 

Marks,  Ephraim,  164. 

Martyrdom,  The,  172,  207,  208,  210. 

Markham,  Stephen,  182,  264. 

Marks,  Wm.,  216. 

Marriage     Ceremony    by    Wjilford 

Woodruff,  618. 
Mason,  a  Prophet,  16. 
Masonic  Lodge,  160,166, 181. 
Maxwell,  Elder,  392. 
Memorial  to  Congress,  396. 
Memphis,  Preaching  in,  55. 
Merrill,  M.  W.,  Call  to  Quorum  of 

Twelve,  565. 
Mexican  War,  250. 
Michael,  the  Archangel,  450. 
Migration  to  N.  Y.,  30. 
Miller,  4,  23. 
Mills,  Andrew,  22. 
Miller,  Henry,  26,  327. 
Miller,  George,  110,225. 
Millennial  Star  named,  119. 


698 


WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 


Milliken,  Lucy,  193. 

Military  Tactics,  279. 

Mile-gage,  280,  281. 

Militia,  463. 

Mind,  The,  176. 

Mining,  442. 

Mission,  Southern  States,  46. 

Mission  to  England,  109. 

Missionaries,    Instructions    to,   412, 

426. 

Missouri,  187. 
Missouri  River,  253. 
Missouri  Companies,  295. 
Moan  Copy,  513. 
Moderation,  176. 
Mogo,  407. 

Monument,  Brigham  Young,  616. 
Moquis,  522. 

Mormon  Battalion,  252,  255,  296,  317. 
Mormon  Trail,  277. 
Morgan,  John,  553. 
Morgan,  Senator,  565. 
Morley,  Isaac,  254. 
Moses,  Mrs.  Ann,  504. 
Mosita,  Negra,  523. 
Mountain  Meadows,  388. 
Move,  The,  399. 
Murphy,  310. 
Murray,  Gov.,  558. 
Mysteries,  180. 
McKean,  Judge,  476,  486. 
McNeil  Springs,  Arizona,  519. 

Napela,461. 

Nauvoo,  146. 

Nauvoo  House,  155. 

Nauvoo  Legion,  160, 165, 188,  347. 

Nauvoo  Home,  177. 

Nauvoo  Temple,   Dedication  of,  247. 

Navajoes,  522. 

Nebraska,  254. 

Nephites,  522. 

Newman,  Elijah,  271. 

Newton,  Minister,  76,  77. 

New  York,  Migration  to,  31. 

Nicaragua,  Delegates  from,  401. 


Noble,  Joseph,  106,  456. 

Oahn,  440. 
Obedience,  377. 

Observations,  265,  267,  270.  281. 
Ockey,  Edward,  142,  143. 
Old  Folks'  Excursion,  503. 
Omaha,  331. 

Onandagus,  Prophet,  41. 
Omahas,  Indians,  256. 
Opposition,  Nauvoo,  230. 
Oracles,  170. 
Oregon  Road,  286, 293. 
Osage  River,  48. 
Ottos,  Indians,  256. 

Pacific  Coast,  Tour  of,  565. 

Page,  John  E.,  67,  93,  189. 

Palestine,  481. 

Panic,  Financial,  67. 

Papyrus,  Egyptian,  159. 

Parish,  Warren,  58,  88. 

Partridge,  Edw.,  589,  150. 

Paradise,  180. 

Paralysis,  482. 

Patriarch,  219,  222. 

Patten,  David,  58,  352. 

Patriarchal  Order  of  Marriage,  542, 

546. 

Patti,  Adelina,  549. 
Paul,  2. 

Pawnee  Indians,  265,  268. 
Peace  Commission,  401. 
Pelone,  520. 
Pentecost,  171. 

People's  Party,  Disbanding  of,  575. 
Persecution,  Storm  of,  553. 
Peterson,  Canute,  453. 
Phelps,W.  W.,221. 
Philosophical  Society,  360. 
Phrenological  Chart,  193. 
Phillips,  Mary,  439. 
Pig  in  Stone,  241. 
Pine  Company,  225. 
Pisgah,  Mt.,249,331. 
Pitt,  Mary,  120. 


INDEX. 


699 


Pioneers,  262. 

Pioneer  Square,  Dedication  of,  619. 

Platte  River,  263,  284. 

Pleasant  Valley,  Ariz.,  519. 

Plural  Marriage,  258,  259,  456,  462, 

468,  490. 

Pine  Valley,  In,  556. 
Poem,  Robert  Polleck,  28. 
Poisoned,  368. 
Politics,  188,  202,  567. 
Polygamy,  403. 
Polk,  James  K.,  250,  252,  254. 
Polakkah,  514. 
Potatoes,  315. 
Prayer,  Place  of,  28. 
Pratt,  Parley  P.,  First  meeting  with, 

38. 

Pratt,  Parley  P.,  236,  251,  263. 
Pratt,  Orson,  First  meeting  with,  38. 
Pratt,  Orson,  314. 
Pratt,  Orson,  Death  of,  537. 
Precedents,  160. 
Priest,  Ordained  a,  47. 
Priesthood    and    Church    standing, 

191. 

Priesthood,  Melchizedek,  319. 
Presidency  and  Twelve,  Meeting  of, 

548. 

Primeval  Childhood,  1. 
Prophet,  209. 
Frovo.364,451. 
Provo  Meeting-house,  418. 
Prophecy,  453. 
Prosperity  a  test,  191. 
Pueblo,  280. 
Pulsipher,  Zera,  32. 
Purse  or  Scrip,  47. 

Quicksand,  268. 

Railroads,  452. 
Reading,  25. 

Rebuke  to  Pioneers,  289 
Rebaptism,  319,  372. 
Redemption  Hill,  252. 
Redding's  Coal,  310. 


Reflections  of  youth,  23,  27. 

Reformation,  372. 

Relaxation,  176. 

Repentance,  161, 164. 

Requisition,  195. 

Resignation  offered,  375. 

Resurrection,  161, 163, 173  263. 

Return  to  Winter  Quarters,  321. 

Revelation,  156. 

Revivals,  21,27. 

Reynolds,  Gov.,  169. 

Reynolds,  Wood,  415. 

Reynolds,  George,  530. 

"Rhode  Island,  Go  to,"  30. 

Richland,  N.  Y.,  31,  32. 

Rich,  Chas.  C,  249,  435,  548. 

Richards,  Willard,  99,  119,  355. 

Richards,  Levi,  139. 

Rigdon,  Sidney,   103,   212,  213,   214, 

222. 

Roberts,  Lady,  126. 
Rockwood,  A.  P.,  89, 264,  311. 
Rockwood,  297. 
Rockwell,  O.  P.,  255,  272. 
Rocky  Mountains,  251,  262. 
Rodometer,  280,  281. 
Rogers,  Noah,  250. 
Russell,  Isaac,  72. 
Russell,  Joseph,  338. 

Salt  Lake  Valley,  314. 

Salt  for  Army,  393. 

Snltair,  585. 

San  Francisco,  478. 

San  Francisco  Springs,  516. 

Sanpitch,  442. 

Santa  Fe,  299. 

Sarpee,  276. 

Satan,  175. 

Scalded,  5. 

Schafer,  Judge,  363. 

School  of  Prophets,  449. 

Sconce,  Col.,  42. 

Scorpion  Bite,  438. 

Secession,  429. 

Secrets,  156. 


700 


WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 


Self-control,  397. 

Serpents  in  Zion's  Camp,  43. 

Seventy,  Ordained,  59,  66. 

Shearer,  Norman,  101. 

Sheets,  Elijah  R,  237. 

Shehadri,  Rev.  Dr.,  574. 

Shell  Creek,  266. 

Sheol,  180. 

Shepherd's  tent,  In  a,  530. 

Sickness,  167. 

Sidwell,  248. 

Sightseeing,  London,  121. 

Simeon,  18. 

Sin,  155. 

Sinclair,  Judge,  405. 

Sioux,  265,  288,  323. 

Sjodahl,J.  M.,617. 

Slavery,  351. 

Smith,  Joseph,  39,  102,107.  148. 

Smith,  George  A.,  101,  267,  426,  436, 
454,481.488. 

Smith,  John,  Patriarch,  222. 

Smith,  Emma,  227. 

Smith,  Mary,  228. 

Smith,  Lucy,  228. 

Smith,  Wm.,  235. 

Smith,  Captain,  302. 

Smith,  John,  349. 

Smith,  Jos.  F,,  356,  446,  448. 

Smith,  John,  Patriarch,  362. 

Smith,  Lot,  390,  404,  517. 

Smith,  Albert,  423. 

Smith,  John  Henry,  533. 

Smith,  Jos.  F.,  Prophecy  concern- 
ing, 535. 

Smoot,  A.  O.,  57,  58,  66,  589. 

Smoot,  Mrs.  A.  O.,  Speech  restored, 
545. 

Snakes,  Indians,  323. 

Snake  River  country,  Visit  to,  551. 

Snider,  John,  72. 

Snow,  Lorenzo,  136,  250,  414,  437, 
467,  583. 

Snow,  Erastus,  314,  437,  460,  563. 

Snow,  E.  R.,  poem,  393. 

Snowflake,  520. 


Snow-storm,  472. 

Soldiers,  Conduct  of,'40'>. 

South  Pass,  305. 

Spies,  Baptized,  118. 

Spirit,  The,  177. 

Spirit  World,  428. 

Spirits  in  Prison,  180. 

Spirit  of  Prophecy,  180. 

Staff  from  Joseph's  Coffin,  227. 

Stampede,  342. 

Standley  Hill,  117. 

Stanley,  Henry  M.,  573. 

Stanford,  Gov.,  456. 

Statehood,  415, 418,  588,  591. 

Statistics,  British  Mission,  144. 

St.  George,  Visit  to,  536. 

St.  George,  In,  559. 

Storm,  Miraculous,  42. 

Storm,  Escape  in,  57. 

Stone  Quarry,  297. 

Strength,  176. 

Successorship,  212. 

Sugar  Industry,  572. 

Sunset,  Arizona,  517. 

Sweet  Water,  302. 

Sword,  Return  of,  43. 

Table  Rock,  305. 

Tabernacle,  Logan,  326. 

Tanner,  Nathan,  439. 

Taylor,  John,  93,  159,  212,  252,  263, 

359,  502. 

Taylor,  John,  Death  cf,  560. 
Taylor,  John,  Funeral  of,  562. 
Taylor,  Mrs.  Elizabeth,  504. 
Taylor,  P.  Green,  504. 
Taylor,  John  W.,  Call  to  Quorum  of 

the  Twelve,  549. 
Teacher,  Wilford  Woodruff  ordained, 

36. 
Teasdale,  George,  Call  to  Quorum 

of  the  Twelve,  542. 
Telegram  from  Temple  workers  in 

St.  George,  538. 
Telegram  from  George  Q.  Cannon, 

541. 


INDEX. 


701 


Temple,  Kirtland,  First  view  of,  62. 

Temple  funds,  177. 

Temple  ordinances,  198. 

Temple  Block,  316. 

Temple,  Nauvoo,  327,  334. 

Temple,  Salt  Lake,  353,  384,  419,  581. 

Temple,  St.  George,  491,  554. 

Temple,  Manti,  497. 

Temple,  Logan,  550. 

Temple  Block,  Independence,  579. 

Tenney,  Ammon  M.,522. 

Tenney,  Nathan  C,  Death  of,  542. 

Teppley,  Thomas,  85. 

Theatre,  Salt  Lake,  417. 

Thomas,  Daniel,  58. 

Thomas,  Nathaniel,  94. 

Times  &  Seasons,  159,  166. 

Todd,  Horace,  22. 

Tongues,  355. 

Train  wreck,  193. 

Trouble  with  cowboys,  541. 

Trumbo,  Col.  Isaac,  620. 

Turkey  Tanks,  515. 

Twelve,  Authority  of,  204. 

Twelve,  The,  454. 

Twenty-fourth,  Celebration  of,  547. 

Udall,  David  K.,  532. 
United  Brethren,  117,  119. 
United  Order,  484,  517. 
Urim  and  Thummim,  157. 
Utah  Central  Ry.,  464. 

Van  Vliet,  385,  387,  389. 
Victoria,  Queen,  148. 
Vinal  Haven,  75. 
Vision,  Mason's,  16. 
Visions,  152, 174,531. 
Visit  to  Colorado,  546. 
Vose,  sends  money,  39,  380. 

Walker,  Cyrus,  186. 
Warwack  Castle,  242. 
Wasatch  station,  473. 
Wasson,  L.  D.,  163. 


Water-wheel  accident,  9. 

Weber,  354. 

Weber  Fork,  311. 

Webster,  Dwight,  145. 

Wells,  D.  H.,  259,  391,  471,  573. 

Wells,  Heber  M.,  591. 

West,  Bp.,  Alleged  address  of,  552. 

Whitmer  families,  Visit  to,  504. 

Whitmer,  David,  Letter  to,  559. 

Wight,  Lyman,  100,  225. 

Wilde,  William,  504. 

Wilde,  Oscar,  540. 

Williams,  a  mobocrat,  50. 

Williams,  Col,  195. 

W'illow  Spring,  302. 

Will  and  testament,  532. 

Wilson,  Mrs.  Catherine,  504. 

Wilson  and  Reynolds,  182. 

Winchester,  Benj.,  177. 

Winter  Quarters,  254,  255,  325. 

Wind  River,  305. 

Winder,  John  R,  583. 

Wolson,  280. 

Woodruff,  Defined,  3. 

Woodruff,  Wilford,  Birth  of,  3. 

Woodruff,  Wilford,  Baptkm  of,  35. 

Woodruff,  Wilford,  Baptism  of 
known  by  Prophet,  37. 

Woodruff,  Philo,  His  dream,  25. 

Woodruff,  Azmon,  44,  451,  487. 

Woodruff,  Eunice,  72. 

Woodruff,  Sarah  Emma,  Birth  of,  93. 

Woodruff,  Phoebe,  96. 

Woodruff,  Asahel,  98. 

Woodruff,  Sarah  Emma,  Death  of, 
131. 

Woodruff,  Wilford,  Jr.,  Born,  149. 

Woodruff,  Phoebe,  Her  letter,  152. 

Woodruff  Villa,  578. 

Woodruff,  Ariz.,520. 

Woodruff,  Wilford,  Called  to  be 
President  of  Twelve,  533. 

Woodruff,  Phoebe,  Death  of,  556. 

Woodruff,  Wilford,  Enters  upon  du- 
ties of  Presidency,  562. 

Woodruff,  Azmon,  Death  of,  564. 


702 


WILFORD  WOODRUFF. 


Woodruff,    Wilford,    Sustained    as 

President  of  Church,  564. 
Woodruff,    Wilford,    President    of 

Zion's    Savings    Bank   and  Trust 

Co.,  575. 

Woodruff,  Thompson,  Death  of,  585. 
Woodruff,  Owen,  587,  618. 
Woodruff,  Wilford,  Death  of,  621. 
Woolf,  Capt,  403. 
Woolley,  Mary,  408. 
Woolley,  Franklin  B.,  458. 
Word  of  Wisdom,  453. 
World's  Fair,  583. 
Wreck,  233. 
Wren,  Christopher,  121. 


Year  of  Jubilee,  532. 

Young,  Krigham,  100,  101,  149,  215, 

218,  251, 289,  311,  314,  325,  344,  397, 

453,494,501. 
Young,  Joseph,  103. 
Young,  Brigham  Jr.,  454. 
Young,  Lorenzo  Dow,  590. 
Young,  John  W.,  514,  515. 
Young,  Joseph,  Death  of,  537. 

Z.  C.  M.  I.  487. 
Zelph,  White  Lamanite,  41. 
Zion's  Camp,  38,  40,  203,  439. 
Zion's  Board  of  Trade,  504. 

Zunis,  522. 


